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Newcastle United’s prospective owners ‘would almost certainly have been less interested’ in a takeover had the European Super League (ESL) plans been realised.

That’s according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who was speaking to Football Insider.

Super League would have ‘endangered the essence of the game’, says takeover figure

Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal had agreed in principle to become founding members of the new European competition for which they would have qualified automatically every year and whose fixtures would have been a highlight of your sports events betting guide.

The clubs were threatened with expulsion from the Premier League and would have been immune from the consequences of finishing outside the top four until the ESL was disbanded amid multiple withdrawals from the clubs involved.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi, a partner in the firm looking to buy Newcastle, accused the six English clubs of ‘endangering the essence of the game and its competitive nature’.

‘The Premier League as a product would have been significantly devalued’

The plans ended last Tuesday after Chelsea pulled out and their rivals followed suit. According to Maguire, that may just have kept hopes of the £300m Newcastle takeover alive.

“The rewards would have been substantially less for a club not in the franchise league,” he told Football Insider.

“We’re not sure what the vehicle for qualification to the Super League would have been in terms of the five extra spaces.

“But in any case, the Premier League as a product would have been significantly devalued.

“It’s a mess that decreases the incentives for anyone looking to buy a club.”

Newcastle have taken legal action against the Premier League in a bid to resurrect the deal.

Transfer Tavern verdict

The concern for the would-be buyers would be getting a return on their investment. Had the six clubs been kicked out, the value of the Premier League TV deal would surely have plummeted.

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Although the remaining clubs would have a better chance of qualifying for the Champions League, the UEFA competition would have been reduced to a pale, far less lucrative, imitation. Therefore, Newcastle fans ought to be hugely relieved that the ESL has been shelved.

In other news, could this be a transfer deal made possible by a takeover?

Tottenham Hotspur’s week from hell continued as they were defeated in a second successive Premier League match by Brighton on Sunday night.

First, it was an injury blow to Harry Kane, and then defeat to Liverpool, and now Jose Mourinho’s men have lost again, putting their quest to make the top four in jeopardy.

Spurs were lacklustre in the absence of their leading talisman, but once again, there were underperformers in defence, namely Moussa Sissoko, who massively let his manager down considering his vast experience.

The £90k-per-week star was deployed in an unfamiliar right wing-back role as he was preferred to Serge Aurier – snubbed completely from the matchday squad – and Matt Doherty, which speaks volumes.

Though, that said, Sissoko has still played at right midfield or right-back 139 times, as per Transfermarkt’s recorded matches.

But he endured a nightmare evening at The Amex, and it culminated in the game’s only goal of the game coming from a switch-off defensively.

Pascal Gross was given time and space along the right flank, but Sissoko allowed his man, Leandro Trossard, into the penalty box without following him.

And that’s only half the story…

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The 31-year-old was also the most wasteful player on the pitch, from either side, as he lost possession a whopping 23 times. It meant he handed the ball back to the Seagulls once every 3.9 minutes or once every 4.3 touches as he had the second-most touches (100) of anyone on the pitch, via SofaScore.

Given his vast influence in the game, he should have done better.

Sissoko managed to only make one of five crossing attempts (20%) and was rather lightweight in his battles as he won only 50% of his duels, both aerially and on the ground.

Sissoko’s teammate, Steven Bergwijn, has taken a lot of flak on social media since kick-off but the young winger was exposed in a solitary striker role, so he should be forgiven for not having the same sort of impact that Kane would’ve had.

And at the end of the day, he was the only player to have a shot on target for Spurs.

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick graded Sissoko a 5/10 in his post-match ratings column and wrote: “Completely ineffectual as a wing-back and effort was unusually lacking on occasion.”

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Sissoko was far worse than Bergwijn on the night.

Mourinho may want to think again before he axes Aurier or Doherty – he clearly needs one of them, however bad they may be, in their natural right-back role.

As evident above, the wasteful, inefficient and weak Sissoko massively let Mourinho down.

AND in other news, Levy have struck gold in dream deal for £45m-rated “born leader”…

Ben Chilwell has already made a huge impact on many Chelsea fans following his latest post on Instagram. 

The 23-year-old has shown off his latest Chelsea experience by posing with Stamford Bridge legend Ashley Cole. He has captioned the post with a heartwarming message, saying: “Great afternoon spent chatting to this legend! Hopefully I can have a career like yours at this amazing club.”

/CEo-en_FJSi/

The former Leicester man became one of the club’s latest signings after Chelsea met the Foxes’ £50m asking price (via Sky Sports). Adding Chilwell to the roster could mean he will usurp veteran Marcos Alonso, who has been linked with an exit.

Frank Lampard hasn’t held back on the transfer market in this window and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon either. A move for Kai Havertz is all but wrapped up and the Blues are also still eyeing West Ham’s Declan Rice. A goalkeeper is another priority of Lampard’s as the manager has lost faith in the ability of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Chilwell and the rest of the Chelsea team are preparing to take on Brighton in their first match of the 2020/21 Premier League season on Monday week as the Blues will be looking to build on their fourth-placed finish from last term.

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Are you glad that Chelsea signed Ben Chilwell? Join the conversation in the comments below!

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.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

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.

Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson will look to go out with a bang in what could be his final match in charge when the Toffees host Leicester City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

The Scot has overseen a victory and a draw against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively in his two matches at the helm following the sacking of Marco Silva, although a report in The Telegraph suggests Carlo Ancelotti could be appointed and in place for the visit of Arsenal to Merseyside at the weekend.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

First up is the visit of the Foxes to Goodison Park though, and it is another tough opponent for the Scot given they currently lie second in the Premier League standings.

Watch Everton vs Burnley Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

This is the starting XI we think the 47-year-old should pick vs Brendan Rodgers’ men…

Even when Lucas Digne went off injured at Old Trafford on Sunday, the Everton back five – including Leighton Baines who replaced the Frenchman in the first half – were committed and stood up and were counted at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

That quintet certainly deserves to start against Leicester on Wednesday, and of course they will need to watch out for the Premier League’s top goalscorer in Jamie Vardy, who is in sensational form right now with 16 goals in 18 appearances in 2019/20.

Ahead of them, Tom Davies and Mason Holgate should keep their spots in central midfield, with the latter particularly impressing the fans against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side despite being a defender by trade. Ferguson may not have too many options there either, considering Andre Gomes, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Morgan Schneiderlin and Fabian Delph were all unavailable at the weekend.

On the wings we have Richarlison – who drops back from his centre-forward role – on the left and Alex Iwobi on the right, and they will be tasked with making a difference in the final third as well as providing defensive support for Baines and Coleman as Bernard drops out.

How much do you really know about the Farhad Moshiri era? Answer 25 simple questions below…

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Sticking with the 4-4-2 formation that has served Ferguson so well thus far, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a shoo-in for a spot right now following his impressive displays. The big Scot should also make the right call by starting Moise Kean alongside him.

The 47-year-old of course humiliated the Italian by taking him off 18 minutes after he was introduced at Old Trafford, and rather than letting the situation drag on he should provide him with an instant chance to prove a point in a partnership rather than playing in a lone role.

In other Everton news, Guillem Balague has made an extraordinary claim about what the Toffees have offered Carlo Ancelotti…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Talk about the perfect time to turn the tide.

Having gone through a bit of a tough stretch in the past couple of weeks in terms of results, the Blues are heading into the international break very much on a high note.

Having come under a lot of criticism from the St Andrew’s faithful, perhaps there was that little voice in the back of Pep Clotet’s mind that was thinking ‘told you so’, after their dramatic victory on Friday night.

Clotet was given a bit of a difficult task when he took over from Garry Monk in the summer, not only being thrust into the position in the aftermath. but also with the dagger of last year’s Financial Fair Play punishment hanging over him. Given the circumstances, he’s been doing a relatively steady job.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He even managed to get them as high as eighth in the table and managed to grab a scalp in high flying Charlton away from home a few weeks ago before they went through their slump.

However, everything that was going disastrously for them on the pitch, were all things that could easily have been prevented.

For instance, the winner that Wigan Athletic scored last week was the definition of a howler from goalkeeper Lee Camp. Going back even further to the game against Derby County, the second goal that day came about because of a slip by Marc Roberts.

So it’s not as if they were being blown apart in the same way that they were earlier in the season against Nottingham Forest and Swansea City.

Thogden ranks all 24 Championship home kits in the video below…

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After a pretty much mistake-free game against Middlesbrough and with the international break coming up to sure up any holes in the team, this could be the perfect opportunity for Clotet to finally put his foot down on the team and get them back on track the way they were before their recent troubles.

After all, it’s been the mistakes of his players, rather than his own that has led to some recent troubles.

Birmingham fans aren’t expecting much this season, so Clotet shouldn’t really have been under much pressure to begin with, but perhaps this result will be enough to get them off his back for the next couple of weeks as fortunes begin to change.

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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…

Rekeem Harper’s future with West Brom seemed to be in doubt for a while.

After it was revealed he’d been offered a new deal in the club’s retained list, it took until beyond the 1st July, when players out of contract usually become a free agent, to finally put pen to paper.

The news will likely have come as a welcome relief to the club who are clearly keen to tie down their best young stars.

Unfortunately for Albion, the same couldn’t be said for Louie Barry who rejected a new deal, but Harper’s contract and the addition of Filip Krovinovic on loan could signal a key change that’s already happening under new manager Slaven Bilic.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

On the chalkboard

West Brom’s midfield last season was incredibly one dimensional, boasting players like Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Chris Brunt.

It was an area of the pitch that lacked much energy with all three players, barring Livermore now ageing individuals. Barry, at the age of 38, has now left the club, but the two latter names are still embedded within the squad.

Brunt has the ability to pick a pass, claiming six assists last term but beyond that, is nothing more than a steady player.

However, Harper’s new contract and the arrival on a temporary basis of Krovinovic is signalling a key switch.

All of a sudden there is a far more energetic and refreshing feel to the midfield, one which could arguably help drive the club forward in a new era.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

It’s likely that Albion’s new Croatian will play as a number ten whilst their academy graduate could play behind him as a box-to-box midfielder.

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As a result, the middle of the park could look far more vibrant for West Brom going into the 2019/20 campaign, particularly if Sam Field is also trusted.

Krovinovic is only 23 whilst Harper is still a teenager, meaning the wheels have already been put in motion for a changing of the guard from the older heads that dominated their failed promotion campaign.

Since Bilic has arrived, there has already been significant losses in regards to the playing staff but those of the experienced members that still remain are unlikely to influence things too much in the future.

Under the ex-Hammers man, a youthful approach looks to be coming to the forefront, and after giving a season to those who came down with the team from the Premier League, it’s now evident that a new form of approach is being taken.

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Izzy Brown is injured. Water is wet. The two phrases have been as consistent as each other throughout this season for Leeds fans. His latest setback surely all but confirms that he will never play for the Whites again as his loan spell nears its end.

Another setback

Brown suffered a horror injury during his loan spell with Brighton last season as he tore his ACL in January meaning that he would miss almost a year of action.

Despite his ongoing injury problems Leeds wanted to take a punt on the Chelsea man for this season. Their gamble has backfired horribly as the midfielder has appeared just once since joining the club last summer.

A hamstring injury followed which saw him miss another three months of action and since then he has been resigned to playing for the Under 23’s in a bid to get back his match fitness.

Numerous small knocks have seen his return delayed and his latest injury all but confirms he will not appear again this season.

A fitting end

Unfortunately, the latest update on the Chelsea loanees fitness is a story that Leeds fans have heard all too often.

The 22-year-old was brought in having been a vital member of the Huddersfield squad that was promoted in 2017 and, as well as enjoying a solid half a season at Brighton in the Premier League.

Under different circumstances, Brown could have been a key player for Marcelo Bielsa and perhaps could’ve been the difference between the playoffs and automatic promotion.

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It has been an absolute waste of a year for both parties and if the former England U20 international’s problems continue you have to ask what it means for the course of his career.

The youngster is clearly a very talented player but his time at Elland Road can only be described as a nightmare, as the Whites haven’t been able to use the attacking midfielder at all this season. It seems his career at the Yorkshire club will finish as it started, on the treatment table.

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With the FA Cup returning this weekend, the Fixture In Focus Podcast team have decided to take up the opportunity to momentarily break away from all matters on-pitch.

Indeed, this week’s episode is a special edition honing in on the world of goalkeeping, perhaps the most under-discussed, under-represented and misconceived position in modern football.

Host James Jones and #FIFpod regular Christy Malyan would only be adding to the problem by pretending to be knowledgeable masters of the trade, so they’ve drafted in the help of former Watford and Brentford goalkeeper Richard Lee for an exclusive chat.

In a wide-ranging interview, the agenda included the mental battle goalkeepers constantly face, how poor punditry has lead to wrongful criticism of Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa, Ben Foster’s incredible form this season and the debate over which shot-stoppers should be included in the next England squad.

If you love what we do and don’t want to miss another episode, don’t forget to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform by clicking here.

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Romelu Lukaku has struggled to keep all Manchester United fans onside this season due to his failings in front of goal.

The striker has only scored four times in 14 appearances in all competitions, and he has not found the back of the net for United since mid-September.

The 25-year-old remains Jose Mourinho’s main forward, but his availability for next weekend’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace is uncertain.

The Belgium national team confirmed this weekend that Lukaku has withdrawn from their squad due to a hamstring problem.

The injury has prevented him from playing a single minute for his country during the international break.

United fans have been giving their reactions to the news on Twitter, and some have even made a joke at Lukaku’s expense.

A few suggested that the team would not be affected given how anonymous he has been in recent fixtures.

The Red Devils have struggled to make an impact in the league this season as they currently sit seven points adrift of fourth and 12 behind leaders Manchester City.

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Mourinho will be frustrated by the news given that Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Victor Lindelof also have injury problems.

Check out Playmaker FC’s Joe Street’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video below…