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A familiar theme has cropped up at Tottenham Hotspur this week in the shape of rumours linking Mauricio Pochettino with a move away from the club. 

Tottenham’s scintillating performance at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night has evoked fresh speculation regarding Pochettino’s future in north London.

Rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid have cropped up at regular intervals throughout Pochettino’s time as Tottenham manager, but he was quick to address the latest set of reports infront of the British media (via The Guardian).

“Should he [Levy] be worried? No – [it’s] because he’s a worry man. That is different. He suffers. Because he’s jealous about me. He’s a very jealous person. Because of the rumours, eh?”

That Pochettino has approached the subject with such a brazenly tongue-in-cheek attitude is indicative of how sure he is of his desire to remain in the Spurs hotseat.

Pochettino later went on to undermine those who expect him to declare his commitment to Daniel Levy.

“It’s like when the sporting director or the president appears to say: ‘We trust in the manager.’ And the next game – lose and he is out. If you reassure [over] something, it’s because you are thinking in different [ways].”

It is a breath of fresh air to see a manager making light of such a tentative subject, and his verdict on the situation is bound to bring a smile to the faces of Spurs supporters, not only as a consequence of his apparent desire to stay in north London but also due to his infectious charm.

Pochettino cut an incredibly enigmatic figure during the early stages of his time at Southampton, communicating exclusively through the use of a translator and stubbornly refusing to speak in English until he was confident enough in his proficiency to answer as accurately as possible.

The attitude he observed towards his communication with the media provided a glimpse into his personality: he is a perfectionist who sets immensely high standards for himself.

Now, the Argentine is not quite commanding a perfect grasp of the English language, but the manner in which he expresses himself has endeared him to both Spurs supporters and the British media.

Take into account how his perfectionist tendencies translate into Tottenham’s performances and it’s clear to see why he is so universally popular. If the club are to step up another level and lift an elusive trophy in the coming years they will need Pochettino at the helm.

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His latest admission indicates that he is not taking reports seriously, and the manner in which he has brushed them off can only be beneficial for the atmosphere around the club.

With Pochettino in charge Tottenham are destined to enjoy an incredibly bright future.

Tottenham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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According to Martin Keown, Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah might be struggling to replicate last season’s form in the early weeks of the 2018-19 campaign due to the shoulder injury that he picked up in the 2018 Champions League final.

Keown, in his column for the Daily Mail, has claimed that the shoulder dislocation Salah suffered in a tangle with Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos has made it difficult for the Egypt international to show his best form this term.

Salah was outstanding for Liverpool last season, with the attacker scoring 44 times in 52 appearances in all competitions.

The 26-year-old has netted twice in six appearances this term, but there is no question that his overall performances have been below the level of last season.

The Everton fans have been quick to react to an article from the Liverpool Echo, which carried the quotes from Keown.

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And as expected, the fans from the blue part of Merseyside have taken the chance to poke fun at the attacker for his struggles in the early weeks.

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

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Carlton Cole may not go down in the history books as one of England’s greatest strikers, but he will always hold a special place in the heart of West Ham United fans.

The forward spent nine years at the East London outfit across two spells and made a total of 293 appearances wearing claret and blue.

During his time at the club, Cole scored 41 Premier League goals before leaving the Hammers in 2015 to sign for Celtic.

The forward had a spell at Sacramento Republic and then Persib Bandung, but has now decided to call it a day at the age of 34.

In an interview with West Ham TV, Cole revealed that he is now focusing on mentoring young children that are hoping to break into football.

The former striker also issued a rallying cry to the supporters following the unsavoury scenes that marred the club’s last Premier League match.

A number of fans made their way onto the pitch during the team’s 3-0 defeat to Burnley at the London Stadium to protest against the club’s board.

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Cole’s decision to step away from the game has got plenty of West Ham supporters talking.

Comment from discussion Carlton Cole officially retires ⚒️.Comment from discussion Carlton Cole officially retires ⚒️.Comment from discussion Carlton Cole officially retires ⚒️.Comment from discussion Carlton Cole officially retires ⚒️.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has failed to make a mark since his deadline-day move to Liverpool in August.

The England international looked for new beginnings after deciding to leave Arsenal following a five-year spell.

However, the 24-year-old has played just 86 minutes of action in the Premier League and Champions League.

Manager Jurgen Klopp has played the midfielder in nine games in all competitions, but only one of them included the player in the first XI, and that was in the Reds’ Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City.

There were suggestions that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be handed a starting spot for this evening’s Champions League group match against Maribor, but once again, he has had to settle for a spot on the bench.

Instead, the midfield consists of Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and  James Milner, who has been preferred to captain Jordan Henderson.

After the teams were announced in Slovenia, the fans tweeted their thoughts on the exclusion of Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is yet to be played in his preferred position of centre midfield.

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Also, Andrew Robertson’s absence from the squad was a talking point among the supporters.

Although Everton fans may have hoped for a top-four challenge this season, 2016/17 will most likely go down as a success, even though the Champions League has never truly been a realistic aim.

As the best of the rest, the Toffees sit comfortably in seventh place, with seven points separating them from West Brom in eighth, who themselves are marooned as the only side in the division with points in the 40s (44).

Barring some late drama, then, Everton will finish seventh, which could well grant them access to the Europa League, and all things considered, that’s not a bad outcome – especially as the six above have been relentless in their pace-setting this term.

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So, who has been the pick of the bunch at Goodison Park? Romelu Lukaku sits atop the league’s scoring chart with 21 strikes to his name, making him the standout candidate, but summer addition Idrissa Gueye has been excellent and Ross Barkley has shown flashes of brilliance. We have gathered who we believe to be the TEN best from Koeman’s squad below – all you have to do is vote for your Player of the Season…

Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side were one of the success stories of the 2015/16 campaign. Despite struggling a little towards the end of the season, their attacking brand of football won over neutrals as they survived the drop with relative ease. The club is a great tale of recovery itself and their team, which has no standout big names, is one of the most entertaining to watch in the Premier League.

Signings this summer have been shrewd. The addition of Jordon Ibe is the undoubted highlight, the former Liverpool winger adding yet more pace to a terrifyingly quick Cherries front line.

However, Bournemouth fans would be forgiven if they were wanting a couple of more additions before the window slams shut (feel free to add another cliche here).

As any great transfer guru will tell you, the best way to strengthen your own chances is to simultaneously weaken your opponents as well. Bournemouth could do this with these THREE signings…

Scott Dann

From being one of the most applauded centre-backss in the league to the defensive leader of a sinking ship, Scott Dann endured a rather up and down time with Crystal Palace last season. Alan Pardew’s team suffered a pretty abysmal second half of the campaign, which could see Dann push for a move.

Bournemouth’s defence has largely been a little shaky since they arrived in the Premier League, with Howe focusing on the other end of the pitch much of the time.

Steve Cook and Simon Francis have not been at fault as regularly as some may wish to tell you, but the addition of a player of Dann’s calibre would certainly reinforce the backline.

James McCarthy

McCarthy saw his form dip horribly under Roberto Martinez and the arrival of Idrissa Gueye at Everton suggests the Irishman could be heading towards the exit door.

If he is available for a reasonable price, McCarthy would be an excellent addition to Howe’s midfield. The promising, but inexperienced, Lewis Cook, the classy Andrew Surman and hard-working Harry Arter started the Cherries’ opening game of the season and suffered against a strong-looking Manchester United side.

If McCarthy could return to his form of a couple of years ago, he would add necessary steel to the Bournemouth midfield and allow the front three yet more freedom to attack.

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Saido Berahino

While other clubs continue to dither around Berahino, Bournemouth still have the opportunity to swoop for a player of great potential. Although their striking ranks are pretty well stocked at the moment, Berahino could slot in anywhere across their front three and would add yet more potency.

Natural finishing is a rare gift and Berahino possesses it – that alone makes him worth the investment. With just the one year left on his contract, too, it is a temptation for clubs to move for the Baggies star and Bournemouth should be one of the clubs considering this.

Callum Wilson and Benik Afobe may not be too chuffed at the arrival of another forward, but Berahino would give Howe yet more attacking options and significantly weaken West Brom.

Although Spurs’ only January (albeit he came in in February) addition is not likely to pull on the white shirt in north London until next season, the window just gone was, on the whole, a successful one for Mauricio Pochettino.

Dele Alli from MK Dons was, of course, Tottenham’s only addition, and with the teenager coming in from a lower league team with a burgeoning reputation, there are some natural comparisons with John Bostock…

But, we think this deal will be rather more fruitful for Spurs than their ill-fated capture of the once England youth prodigy, and here are FIVE reasons why…

Steven Gerrard – Yaya Toure hybrid…

“Harry Winks and I were talking about who I play like and he was trying to tell me I’m like Fernandinho but I’m not having that.

“I’d prefer to think I’m a cross between Gerrard and Yaya Toure.”

These are the words of the young man himself, and if he can be half the player these two midfield monsters combined would be, then he’s destined for a very successful career. To be fair to Alli, he has some justification to such a comparison, with his playing style not dissimilar to the Liverpool and Manchester City stars. The teenager, a central midfielder, is known for his driving energy in the middle, explosive power and willingness to get forward, which are all traits displays by the ex-England skipper and the Ivorian hero.

He’s no John Bostock…

Without doubt one of the most underwhelming signings in Tottenham’s history is Bostock. At 16, the midfielder was snapped up from Crystal Palace and looked like a player who was destined for the very top. Fans celebrated his potential and coaches raved about him… but to say it didn’t quite work out I an understatement. The now 23-year-old is in the Belgian second tier right now after bouncing around the Football League and MLS on loan. Ouch.

Although there are some parallels – age, divisional status, position – between Bostock and Alli, the latter is in fact a million miles from the Spurs flop. Perhaps the key difference is that while Bostock had only a handful of games to his name when he moved across London, Alli is already a League One regular and has made well over 50 outings ahead of his 19th birthday.

He scores goals

Scoring goals may not be the only skill needed to be a successful central midfielder… but they do help! Despite his age and position, Alli seems to be an adept finisher from both in and outside the box, with many of his 20 goals in fact crafted efforts rather than thunderous drives. Such a tendency to place the ball hints that he has more technique and composure than some young midfielders, which is a firm foundation to build on.

Could fit the Spurs formation & style

While the Dons and Spurs don’t play an identical system, there are some similarities between their styles of play this season. Both clubs have been, for the most part, operating with a 4-2-3-1, in which Alli has been a part of the two in front of his own backline. Mauricio Pochettino used this set-up with a great deal of success at Southampton and has carried it to White Hart Lane, so it looks as if, as long as he sticks around, the formation will be staying.

Alli’s performances in the position he has frequented this term have been impressive, suggesting that he would be a good fit in ‘Poch’s’ set-up, even if the leap from the third to the top tier is a massive one.

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Some of the biggest sides have been after him

Teams like Liverpool and Bayern Munich do not chase useless players, and their pursuits of Alli in the past hint that he’s the real deal. The Reds’ commitment to unearthing youngsters and the short trip to Milton Keynes don’t prove too much, but the fact that the Bundesliga giants have also been paying close attention to a third tier player in a different country illustrates that he’s worth some fuss.

There is plenty of doom and gloom to go around at West Ham United at the moment.

Understandably so, though, as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side were diabolically poor at home to Brentford on Monday night and are currently 19th in the Premier League.

However, all hope is not yet lost, as it is still early in the season, and while the performances have been poor, there are still some talented players in this squad, such as Jarrod Bowen and the exciting Crysencio Summerville.

Yet, to get the most out of the team and the Flying Dutchman, Nuno needs to make some quick changes.

Changes Nuno needs to make

Unfortunately, there is quite a lot that needs to be done to make West Ham a seriously dangerous team again, but there are a few ways in which Nuno could stop the rot.

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One of the big ones is to reintroduce some pace and power back into the midfield, as it was practically non-existent against Brentford.

The best way to do this would be to bring Soungoutou Magassa back into the starting lineup, as while he is still quite raw, he is, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, blessed with “pure athleticism.”

Moreover, he’d be able to better cover the backline, as, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks, the top 3% for tackles plus interceptions and the top 4% for recoveries, all per 90.

Another seemingly obvious action the manager could take for the Leeds game is to play Callum Wilson up top.

Yes, the former Newcastle United star is not the player he once was, nor a long-term solution, but he is an out-and-out number nine who would add a real focal point to the team.

Furthermore, he has already scored a goal for the club this season, and Lucas Paqueta looked utterly lost in the game on Monday.

With all that said, there is another change Nuno should be making for the game on Friday, one that could help get even more out of the dynamic Summerville.

The West Ham star who could supercharge Summerville

While the change up top and in the midfield should help Summerville in the game against his former side, unleashing El Hadji Malick Diouf at left-back would be far more consequential.

The former Slavia Prague gem was on the bench for the game against Brentford, and while the defensive side of his game certainly needs some work, the team missed his attacking qualities.

These qualities were last on show in the draw away to Everton, when he was hurtling up and down the touchline, sometimes beating his opposite number and often firing in brilliant crosses into the penalty area.

In fact, while he didn’t pick up an assist on Merseyside, it was a ball from him that led to Bowen’s equalising strike.

Fortunately, the 20-year-old monster is already doing rather well on the assists front this season, already providing three in eight league appearances, which lends some credence to Sky Sports’ Joe Thomlinson’s claim that he has been “one of the finds of the season.”

With that said, why would he be able to get more out of Summerville, then?

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Well, one of the most important ways would be through the space he’d create.

For example, because he possesses such “explosive acceleration,” according to one analyst, opposition defenders wouldn’t be able to leave him alone and could end up being dragged all over the pitch.

Moreover, should the Dutchman run into the penalty area, he can rely on the Senegalese international to find him with a pinpoint accurate cross.

Ultimately, bringing Diouf back into the team would improve West Ham’s overall attack, but it could have an even greater impact on Summerville.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Manchester United are in the market to sign a new centre-forward to lead the line for Ruben Amorim in the 2025/26 campaign, and that could spell trouble for Rasmus Hojlund at Old Trafford.

The latest on Rasmus Hojlund's future at Man Utd

According to the print edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by FCInterNews, Italian giants Inter want to sign the Denmark international to replace Mehdi Taremi this summer.

The Serie A side, who finished second in the league and were finalists in the Champions League, have ‘accelerated’ a move to snap up the former Atalanta attacker from the Red Devils.

La Gazzetta dello Sport adds that Hojlund has made it clear that he likes the idea of playing for Inter next season, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will really push for the transfer.

The outlet claims that Inter are pushing to sign him on loan with an obligation to make it permanent next summer, whilst Manchester United would prefer an instant sale to boost their coffers.

Hojlund is said to be valued at around £38m by the Premier League giants, which is more than Inter are willing to spend on a new striker at this time, and the two clubs are in talks over a deal that would work for all parties.

His exit from Old Trafford would pave the way for a new centre-forward to arrive in Manchester, though, and the club are already reportedly eyeing his replacement.

Man Utd in positive talks to sign Bundesliga striker

According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign former France U21 international Hugo Ekitike from Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt.

The report claims that the Red Devils are progressing in positive talks to bring the former PSG marksman over to England during the summer transfer window, as they look to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

It states that the Premier League side are accelerating a deal for the 22-year-old centre-forward, after making positive contact with his representatives to discuss a move to Old Trafford.

Foot Mercato adds that United have also contacted Frankfurt to discuss a potential fee for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, and that all parties are feeling positive at this moment in time.

The outlet, however, also reveals that Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in signing the French attacker and could provide competition for his signature.

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This may be why the Red Devils are ‘accelerating’ a swoop for the young marksman, amid talks with the player and Frankfurt, as they look to win the race for his services.

Analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “one of the best strikers out there” in March, and his statistics in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he would be a big upgrade on what United currently have at their disposal.

24/25 season

Rasmus Hojlund (Premier League)

Hugo Ekitike (Bundesliga)

Appearances

32

33

Shots on target per game

0.4

1.5

Goals

4

15

Goals per game

0.1

0.5

Big chances created

4

12

Assists

0

8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Ekitike vastly outperformed Hojlund at league level as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the number nine position, producing 27 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined, in comparison to the Dane’s eight.

This is why this fresh report detailing United’s pursuit of the Frankfurt star should come as good news to Amorim, who could have a huge upgrade for his attack if the transfer goes through this summer.

Related Man Utd set to prioritise deal for £65m star if Tottenham sign Mbeumo

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Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham

Arsenal are closely monitoring a “special” young midfielder, who has been cleared to leave his club for a fee of £25m in the summer, according to a report.

Gunners eyeing a midfielder

The Gunners had a quiet January, with Mikel Arteta ultimately deciding to wait until the end of the season before making any major additions to his squad, and there is a belief they are close to agreeing a deal for a midfielder.

Club chiefs hope to have the deal for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi wrapped up before the summer, with the Spaniard still high on the list of targets at the Emirates Stadium.

Zubimendi would set the north Londoners back around £50m, so he would not come cheap, and the 26-year-old is not the only midfielder Arsenal are interested in signing at the end of the season.

Related Arsenal now "most likely" team to sign £33m forward, Arteta loves his pace

The Spaniard is a big admirer of his attributes.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini

According to a report from CaughtOffside, the Gunners are closely monitoring Sunderland’s Chris Rigg, and after a recent development, a deal could be a possibility.

The Black Cats have now cleared Rigg’s departure for a fee of £25m in the summer, with the Championship side now resigned to sanctioning his departure, having previously been resistant to letting him leave.

However, it could be a difficult task to win the race for the Sunderland star, as he is also attracting interest from a number of other top Premier League clubs, alongside the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.

At this stage, it is unclear which club are leading the race for the 17-year-old, but a move to Arsenal or Liverpool could be tempting, with both clubs well-placed to compete for major trophies.

Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Leicester City (a)

February 15th

West Ham United (h)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (a)

February 26th

Manchester United (a)

March 9th

Chelsea (h)

March 16th

Rigg has shades of Jude Bellingham

Much like Jude Bellingham at Birmingham City, Rigg has managed to force his way into the first team of a Championship side at an extremely young age, scoring four goals in 27 league games this season.

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The comparisons don’t stop there given the youngster’s keen eye for goal, becoming the second-youngest player to score in the second tier back in September 2023, missing out on Bellingham’s record by just 13 days.

The teenager was lauded as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley earlier this season, and it is clear to see why so many top clubs are queueing up for his signature in the summer.

A price tag of £25m may seem steep for a player who is still so young, but he has already gained a great deal of first-team experience at Sunderland, and there is every indication his value could skyrocket in the coming years.