Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to sign Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly this summer, per Sky Sports.

What’s the word?

Sky claims that the Senegal international is set to leave the Serie A club in the summer, with Spurs, Manchester City, and Chelsea all interested in securing his services.

However, the report states that he is more likely to move to PSG, with Koulibaly set to turn 29 in June and unlikely to offer any resale value for his Premier League suitors.

Mourinho’s produced some incredible footballing stars – how much do you know about them?

The Ligue 1 giants are reportedly willing to double his wages to £200,000-per-week.

Koulibaly has previously been valued at £100m by Napoli, the report states, though he is unlikely to leave for that amount in the next transfer window.

Got to be youth

Jose Mourinho needs to be looking for a young defender to come into the club.

They already have two players at centre-back over the age of 30 in Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, while Davinson Sanchez is 23.

There should be an attempt, then, to bring in a youthful partner for the Colombia international so that the defence is sorted out for the next decade.

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There have been links, via Football Insider, with the likes of Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake, who is 24, and that would be a shrewder, more sensible move.

At the end of the day, Ake is going to provide far more value for money, however good Koulibaly may be.

Meanwhile, Spurs’ Player of the Season has to be absolutely clear at this point.

Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter to slam Sean Longstaff for his performance in the 4-0 defeat to Arsenal.

The Magpies academy graduate was making his 12th Premier League start of the season at the Emirates on Sunday, but delivered a display which was met with criticism by a number of fans on Twitter.

The 22-year-old had three shots against the Gunners – only one of which was on target – while his set-piece delivery throughout the game was pretty poor, in truth.

Longstaff also made one key pass and was fouled twice, but had two unsuccessful touches.

From a defensive aspect, the midfielder put in a decent shift, making three tackles, three clearances and one interception – he did, however, commit two fouls.

His statistics from the 4-0 defeat were not awful in all honesty, but he clearly didn’t do enough to impress the Newcastle fans on Twitter who took to their keyboards to aim their frustrations at him…

To kick off the reaction, both of these supporters criticised Longstaff.

Phyllis said that the Newcastle No.36 is “fairly mediocre” before admitting that he was over-hyped by the St James’ Park faithful because there was “precious little else to cheer” – ouch.

‘DBaines’ then said that the Englishman is “very average at best” – harsh indeed.

Elsewhere, @toondave2015 said that Longstaff has “lost his form”.

Then, Brendy was baffled as to how the midfielder still starts games, saying that it is “beyond” them.

Lastly, these two fans kept their verdicts short and sweet, but also hard-hitting.

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Gavin simply said Longstaff is “struggling” whereas Dean said the midfielder is “too inconsistent” when rating each player’s performance against the Gunners.

Is life under Ashley really that bad? Maybe this quiz will change your minds, Newcastle fans…

In other news, these Newcastle fans were livid with this “absolute disgrace” after his performance against Arsenal…

Frank Lampard trumped his former boss Jose Mourinho for the second time this season as Tottenham’s woes continue. It was another must-win match for Spurs that they failed to take advantage of in hopes of overtaking their London rivals for a place in the top four.

It is looking like a long and difficult remainder of the season for Mourinho’s men after a lifeless and sluggish performance against The Blues on Saturday, and there were reasons why the Portuguese may have got it wrong at Stamford Bridge.

Formation

With Tottenham’s injury list leaving the side with virtually no attacking options, Mourinho felt there was no other option but to play ultra-defensive in the London derby with a 5-4-1 formation.

The Spurs boss was arguably too negative in his approach towards his former club on Saturday. Chelsea’s attacking front offered limited pace with Olivier Giroud starting upfront, meaning Mourinho did not need to play five defenders that ultimately prevented the chance for Tottenham to attack.

It seemed that the Portuguese had set up his squad to defend for the majority of the match while attempting to threaten Chelsea on the counter-attack, which was clearly ineffective. Spurs managed just two shots from open play all game, with their only goal coming from Antonio Rudiger putting the ball into the back of his own net.

Dropping Dele Alli

Excluding Dele Alli from the starting line-up on Saturday may have been Mourinho trying to prove a point after the midfielder’s antics against RB Leipzig on Wednesday, although, it may not have been the most convenient time to do it.

Despite being in poor form, this was Alli’s best chance to reinvigorate himself. The Spurs midfielder has scored five goals in his last six appearances against Chelsea leading up to the match and may well have been their best chance of getting a result if he had started. 

The England international is also Tottenham’s leading scorer this season with seven goals behind absentees Harry Kane and Heung-min Son and could well have been a better alternative to Lucas Moura, who has scored a total of four league goals in the current league campaign. 

Giving Lucas Moura 90 minutes

Saturday was another performance from Lucas Moura where he failed create any threat from the front-line as he struggles to recapture his better form.

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Despite not having a lot of attacking options, it was a surprise that Mourinho played Lucas for the full 90 minutes when the likes of Steven Bergwijn were taken off, who could have posed more of a threat in the dying moments of the match when Spurs went searching for a late equaliser.

A player who could skip past defenders with ease last season has seen this become his biggest challenge this season. The Brazilian has become a frustration to watch with his failure to beat defenders and only completed one successful dribble against Chelsea on Saturday while being dispossessed five times, the highest of any player in the Spurs side.

Sheffield Wednesday face the unenviable task of hosting Manchester City in the FA Cup this evening, and Barry Bannan is all too aware of the dangers posed by Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Citizens lifted the Carabao Cup trophy on Sunday and will likely be eager for more domestic success this season as they look set to miss out on the Premier League title.

City even had the luxury of resting key players at the weekend, including Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne, suggesting they could line up at Hillsborough, and Bannan is determined to stop the latter.

His aim to stop the Belgian is a target not many teams have managed to achieve this season, as the 28-year-old’s return of nine goals and 18 assists this year would suggest.

That has led many fans to reject Bannan’s idea that he and his teammates can reduce De Bruyne’s influence, with some choosing to mock the Scot’s comments.

A run of just two wins in 13 league games since Christmas indicates why there is such pessimism amongst the fanbase currently. The Owls have conceded 10 goals in five games, too, which suggests a team like the current Premier League champions could run riot against them.

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Derby managed that on Saturday and led 3-0 at half-time with Wayne Rooney pulling the strings in the middle of the pitch, and some supporters think that a failure to deal with the 34-year-old shows that Wednesday will really struggle with De Bruyne, and one fan fears the worst because of that.

Life after football: Do you know what all of these former players did next?

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In other news, Owls’ fans have also been directing criticism at another player, but for a much bigger reason…

Last season, West Brom’s success could largely be attributed to one man – Dwight Gayle.

Indeed, the Baggies were hugely reliant on the goals the Newcastle loanee scored for them last term, as he netted 24 goals for the Midlands club on their way to a fourth-place finish.

Gayle went back to St James’ Park in the summer, but despite losing their top scorer, the Baggies came back a stronger side, currently sitting top of the Championship, six points clear of the playoff spots.

However, Slaven Bilic has recently revealed that he did indeed try to bring the striker back to the club after his initial loan spell.

What’s the story then?

Gayle is set to return to The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening as the Magpies gear up for an FA Cup clash with the Championship club.

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Understandably, Bilic was asked about Gayle, and he gave an honest answer when speaking about whether or not they tried to sign him in the summer.

“In the summer we tried. We lost 12 players and it’s not good to have such a huge turnaround in a squad,” Bilic said.

“Because he was so good and so instrumental last season, we wanted to get him back.

“We did everything to get him but it wasn’t to be. It was impossible.”

Blessing in disguise

Gayle playing in this Albion team does sound like a mouth-watering prospect, and we can’t even imagine how dominant they may have been if they had him leading the line this term.

However, they should be glad that they didn’t splash the cash on him.

It was widely reported in the summer that the Tyneside club wanted £20m for the striker, and that’s a lot of money for an attacker whose record in the Premier League is more than questionable.

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Indeed, the striker has scored just 21 goals in 110 Premier League games, and if he’d have come up with West Brom, there’s every chance that he would have needed replacing anyway.

Instead, the Baggies are on track to earn promotion without Gayle, meaning that the £20m they would have spent on the 29-year-old can now be used at the end of the season on a striker with a little bit more Premier League pedigree.

Gayle would have undoubtedly been a great addition to this Albion team after topping their scoring charts last term, but if they go up without him they’ll be glad that they missed out on his signature – achieving the ultimate objective for this season regardless.

In other news, West Brom’s summer priority should already be clear.

Tottenham Hotspur’s season isn’t getting any better as they made it four successive matches without a victory on Saturday afternoon.

The north London side were held by Burnley to slip to seven points adrift of the top four in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho’s side has suffered in the absence of goalscoring duo Harry Kane and Heung-min Son as their only goal at Turfmoor came courtesy of a spot-kick from Dele Alli.

And this situation hasn’t helped the fans’ reaction as the club have been linked to an old-time target and rival winger Willian this week.

According to Universo Online, Spurs are keen on signing the Brazilian on a free transfer this summer – some seven years after he underwent a medical at the club before joining Chelsea instead.

Here’s what fans have been saying…

The overriding consensus amongst sections of the Spurs faithful was that many were firmly against the idea of signing the 31-year-old at the end of the season.

One supporter told the winger to “do one” while another was still hurt by his ‘nearly’ transfer in the past, claiming he “screwed” the club over.

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Willian was also blasted for being “another reject” as well as a “has-been.”

The Blues wide man has actually been in decent nick for Frank Lampard this season, finding the net seven times whilst providing six assists in 37 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Which is probably why others are behind Jose Mourinho making a swoop for his former player…

One fan would “100%” sign the Brazilian with another brandishing him a “top player” who could be available for a decent financial deal.

Although, a further member of the Tottenham support would only have him as an option from the bench.

There were even comparisons made to players in the current Spurs setup.

A couple of supporters believe Willian would be an upgrade and a replacement for Erik Lamela, who is injured far too often in their mind while one man suggested the 31-year-old is a better footballer than Lucas Moura.

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Only time will tell if this transfer report has any truth to it.

Premier League experts will get full marks: The ultimate quiz on top flight transfer flops…

And in other news, Spurs will count the cost of Jose Mourinho’s CHILDISH demand…

The football season has been plunged into chaos this week and it seems that fans, journalists and even the governing bodies are unsure of how to continue after Premier League matches were postponed on Friday.

Premier League clubs will meet on Thursday to discuss plans beyond the 4th of April – when football is due to return – with a number of outcomes still possible at this time.

Liverpool have the most to lose as their first title for 30 years, which they appeared destined to win, is now very uncertain due to the entire season possibly being called off and made void.

However, Michael Edwards and Tom Werner will represent the club in those aforementioned talks, and that fills supporters with hope as Edwards has often proved effective in other aspects of his job, such as selling players for high prices like £142m Philippe Coutinho.

Whether or not he can have the influence fans hope for is yet to be seen, as West Ham’s Karen Brady has already advocated for the season to be cancelled.

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That would mean all of the parties may reach an impasse, and naturally Reds’ supporters are fearing the worst.

Many suggest it would be unfathomable to call off the competition but with no solution in sight and Euro 2020 currently getting the go-ahead, it is a matter of finding the time to play the remaining matches.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

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Here is some of the supporters’ view of the current situation.

Read here to find out about the verdict Jurgen Klopp has given regarding Liverpool’s current predicament…

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are targeting Matty Longstaff in what would be the next step of Mikel Arteta’s plan.

The reports claim that the north London club lead the way to sign the central midfield player but face competition from the likes of Everton, West Ham United, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Club Brugge, Inter Milan and Atalanta.

Longstaff is out of contract in June and would rather leave the Magpies than sign a new one, according to the article. As a result, the Gunners are the reported front-runners and signing the 20-year old could be a positive step in Arteta’s plan of building a more youthful team to hopefully dominate in the future.

The Spanish coach has turned to youth in his short spell not just as Arsenal manager but in his managerial career overall. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Matteo Guendouzi, Joe Willock, Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah have all enjoyed a fair number of appearances under the Spaniard, with the latter having his loan spell at Leeds United cut short to help the senior team out and the 20-year old has kept £54-million rated Alexandre Lacazette out of the starting eleven in recent games (via Transfermarkt).

The youngsters mentioned above have made 57 appearances between them in all competitions for the north London club under Arteta, scoring seven goals and providing a further six assists according to Transfermarkt.

Longstaff may be a decent addition to the Gunners midfield having been capped twice at England U-20 level and playing seven times in the Premier League this season, scoring two goals (via Transfermarkt).

Indeed, the central midfield department has arguably been a problem area for the Gunners given that Granit Xhaka was stripped of the captaincy in November (via BBC) and Lucas Torreira has not always started in this campaign, coming off the bench twelve times in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

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With that in mind, Longstaff could prove to be another handy youngster to have in Arteta’s armoury as he looks to build for the future, with the likes of Graeme Souness praising his ability to strike the ball, as well as Jamie Redknapp purring over how ‘tenacious’ he can be.

Arsenal fans, would Longstaff get into your starting eleven? Comment below!

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is rapidly becoming one of the most revered figures in English football.Having lifted the Champions League last season and then led the club to the summit of the Premier League this season, the 29-year-old has established himself as one of the best players in the country.But it is not only on the pitch where he has impressed.

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Indeed, in the midst of the global pandemic everyone has their part to play, and The Times journalist Paul Joyce has revealed that Henderson is organising a fund for the NHS that will run into the millions.

The report also states the initiative pre-dates criticism from Health Secretary Matt Hancock towards Premier League footballers, and Henderson has spent the last few days contacting captains of other top flight clubs regarding the idea.

It’s the type of gesture that will be warmly received by people far and wide during this incredibly challenging time for society, and it’s one that has absolutely thrilled his adoring supporters.

The news from Joyce prompted hoards of praise for Henderson on social media, with fans suggesting he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch.

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Here’s how the Liverpool fans reacted to Joyce’s revelation…

Celtic have one important task ahead of them this summer, to keep ahold of Odsonne Edouard, but former Scotland international Alan Hutton thinks that is a difficult task.

What did he say?

A lot has been made about the Frenchman’s performances this season. Celtic fans have been numerous in their praise of the striker, which is perfectly understandable.

He has scored 27 goals and even assisted 19 in 45 games this term, taking his total amount of career assists to 31, despite being a 22-year-old striker who is arguably most adept at finishing.

His presence in the side has been key to a return of 89 goals in 30 league games, and he has been vital to the Bhoys’ success in every domestic competition, just as he was in 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Form like that doesn’t go unnoticed, however, and just last week rumours sprouted up once more that hinted at a move elsewhere, with Arsenal the interested party.

Touching on the subject of his future, Alan Hutton admitted that there would likely be multiple clubs interested in his signature, and gave a little prediction of what could happen.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“Edouard is technically gifted and I think Celtic will have to do as much as they can to hold onto him because I’m sure there’ll be teams looking at him, whether it be the Premier League or foreign clubs.

“It’s going to be a tough ask to keep hold of him.”

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Could be worth selling?

The prospect of allowing Edouard to leave would likely fill a lot of fans with dread, but there could be positives to come out of such a situation.

Should the Bhoys remain stubborn this summer and rule out a move to a bigger club, it is very possible that the France youth international could grow fed up and disillusioned in Glasgow.

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If such an eventuality occurs, his performances could decline, and that would not only harm Celtic on the pitch, but possibly off it too as his potential transfer fee could decline, particularly as he will have less time left on his contract.

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Likewise, it is possible that Edouard’s stock will never be as high as it is currently, and if several clubs register an interest the Glasgow outfit could pit them against each other to attract the highest fee.

Life after football: Do you know what all of these former players did next?

That could reach astronomical amounts given what he has produced at a young age, and those funds could then be reinvested in order to maintain Celtic’s dominance.

In other news, Celtic could regret missing out on one 2018 transfer target…