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Mousa Dembele has been missed greatly at Spurs and arguably, they’re still reeling from a cut-price £11m deal that saw him move to China.

The midfielder was a vital cog in the system of Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham team but Tanguy Ndombele hasn’t lived up to the same heights, being slammed by rival fans for his fitness and lack of quality.

After arriving from Lyon, he’s been injured regularly and has only started 11 league games. On top of that, he’s scored only twice and registered a slender 1.4 tackles per match for someone playing in defensive midfield.

It’s no wonder that some Spurs supporters have been reminiscing over Dembele at times this term.

The most damning statistic, however, is that the Lilywhites have kept just one clean sheet away from home in the Premier League since the former Fulham man departed the club in January 2019.

It’s remarkable what one player can do to a club, but they may finally have their box to box replacement lined up.

Earlier this week, The Daily Star reported that Spurs had joined the race to sign 16-year-old Jude Bellingham from Birmingham.

The teenager has been rising in stock and a report from the Sun a few weeks ago claimed he could now be worth around £50m – a considerable price for someone who still hasn’t played an entire season in professional football.

That being said, this is a player who’s been compared to Steven Gerrard and Dele Alli in the past. Goal scoring midfielders, those claims are perhaps false when you look at the stats.

Although Bellingham has the ability to find the net, scoring four times this term, it’s his ability to break up the play and stride forward that’s so comparable to Dembele in his prime.

A report from the Manchester Evening News earlier this year describes his style perfectly: “Bellingham would best be described as a box-to-box midfielder, comfortable in both attack and defence. Despite his age, he possesses good strength which is aided by stand-out ball technique and a solid first touch. This makes him a strong runner with the ball at his feet.”

That can be seen through the stats as well. Via WhoScored, the teenager has registered 2.3 tackles per game. As well as that, he’s won 5.6 defensive duels per outing according to SofaScore. In terms of dribbles, Bellingham is also good at galloping forward with the ball.

A true test for any Spurs fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Via Wyscout he’s performed 4.47 dribbles per game with 59.1% of those proving successful. The Englishman also makes 1.26 progressive runs per match.

This was a classic characteristic of Dembele who also got forward with ease and could beat a man.

Dembele managed 2.4 successful dribbles in his final Premier League campaign but the Belgian did win fewer tackles than Bellingham has for Birmingham in 2019/20.

The pair differ in some senses, but if you look at the box to box nature of the duo, there are clear similarities. Levy must go all out to secure this deal.

In other Spurs news, Mourinho should look towards an UNORTHODOX solution to their striker woes…

Leeds United’s chances of keeping midfield lynchpin Kalvin Phillips appear to be getting stronger and stronger by the day, and recent comments from ex-midfielder Michael Brown add weight to that argument.

What’s he said?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have racked up four straight victories with the latest being a 4-0 thrashing of local rivals Hull City, meaning they have moved to within one point of the Championship lead.

The Whites also hold a five-point cushion to the playoff positions, so they are arguably in a very strong position to gain promotion with just ten games remaining.

There have been many conflicting reports about the 24-year-old over the course of the season but Brown believes his heart is at Elland Road.

He said:

“Kalvin Phillips loves Leeds United. He grew up loving Leeds United. I know his main aim at the moment is to get Leeds United in that Premier League.

“You can just see what it means to the club and the team, and it’s great to have him back in the team.

“He’s a fantastic player to have played so many games He can play in a back three, back four, as a holding midfield player, an advanced midfielder, a 6, an 8, a 4.

“I can’t say enough good things about him. Long passing, he’ll mix it up, he can score a goal.

“He’s got the lot. I think he’s with a really good manager, Marcelo Bielsa, who’s improving him all the time, and that’s the type of thing you need.”

Michael Brown, ex-Leeds midfielder.

Encouraging signs

Phillips has been linked to a range of Premier League clubs this season, including Manchester United, Aston Villa and Wolves but their chances of clinching him will depend on whether or not Leeds go up.

Bielsa has steered his side into a strong position, so they have a very good chance of completing their goal and thus, keeping hold of the key cog to Leeds’ system – their anchorman.

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Brown claims that Phillips’ only aim is to get them into the top-flight, which is a great sign as it means he hasn’t been thinking about the interest elsewhere and the fact that he also suggests he loves the club could be a small but positive sign on him sticking around regardless of their outcome.

The Englishman is vital to Leeds’ success as he has been averaging 2.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.9 key passes and 5.3 long balls per game in the Championship this season, per WhoScored.

Can you remember how much each of these transfer icons cost? Only experts will get 100% on our quiz…

Leeds fans will certainly be hoping that the 43-year-old former midfielder’s words ring true come May as it would mean Phillips is competing in the Premier League in the white strip of the west Yorkshire outfit.

And in other news, Leeds must avoid this Premier League great to replace key man…

After crashing out of the FA Cup fifth round in mid-week to fellow Premier League side Norwich, Tottenham were in desperate need of a pick-me-up on Saturday.

And whilst they didn’t manage to claim all three points against Burnley, Jose Mourinho’s side did put in a battling display to secure a draw at Turf Moor.

They made almost double the amount of clearances as the home side (37 to 19), and had to produce a strong rearguard action to ensure Hugo Lloris wasn’t beaten more than once.

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But one man who appeared to go missing during his time on the pitch, was Erik Lamela – even despite him being the man to win the penalty for the north London side’s equaliser.

The Argentine has been in and out of the team in recent weeks in the top-flight, and has completed the full 90 minutes just once in Spurs’ last ten games.

And against Burnley, he cut a isolated figure. As per Sofascore, he had just one shot on goal, attempted no crosses whatsoever, and made a measly 18 passes in 78 minutes worth of action.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

The game just seemed to pass Lamela by, and he struggled to get involved in Spurs’ attacks. His total of 37 touches reflected how little influence the Argentine had on the wider context of the game, whilst he lost ten of 13 total duels.

Barring him coming to life just minutes into the second-half to win Mourinho’s side a penalty, the ace was virtually anonymous on the day. With the Lilywhites without both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, they desperately need their remaining attacking options to step up to the plate in the duo’s absence.

Instead, Lamela failed to take his chance, and it wouldn’t be any surprise at all if Mourinho decides to drop him back to the bench just as he has done in recent Premier League fixtures.

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s potential swoop for Ryan Fraser could be bad news for this player.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire joined the Blood Red Liverpool podcast and discussed the state of the current Premier League season and how it might affect Liverpool and their fans.

Of course, the Reds are so close to the crown that they can practically taste it, being 25 points clear on the very top of the table, but there’s also a possibility they get it automatically.

And while they should certainly feel like they’ve earned it either way, Maguire still thinks their fans might get a feeling of a hollow victory, given all the circumstances.

Here’s what he said for Blood Red Liverpool podcast (17/3/2020): “Nobody will deny them that they warrant receiving the Premier League trophy. But I think even if you were a Liverpool fan, there would be an element of a hollow victory to a certain extent, if they were awarded the trophy on the basis of 29 games. So I think the priority of the Premier League would be for each of the clubs to complete a 38 match season.”

There is something in Maguire’s words, for sure, but it’s also unlikely any of the Liverpool fans would actually object getting the title, even if it was on a basis of just 29 games played in the current campaign.

At the end of the day, however, even if the season is cancelled and the Reds are awarded the trophy without even setting foot on the pitch again, no one would be able to deny they’ve earned it.

Liverpool fans, do you agree with Maguire’s verdict? Do you think this would be a hollow victory for your club? Let us know down in the comments below!

Tottenham Hotspur missed out on a striker during the January transfer window, but fresh reports suggest they could go back in for one of their previous targets at the end of the season.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the north Londoners are still hopeful of landing Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud this summer with him set to be available for a free transfer.

It has led to fans reacting to the news on social media, and as with every mooted signing, there are some all for it and some totally against it.

Spurs’ pursuit of the Frenchman went down to Deadline Day with Chelsea willing to sell, but as Frank Lampard wasn’t able to secure a new striker, Giroud wasn’t allowed to leave.

Here’s what fans have been saying…

Clearly, the rivalry between the Blues and the Lilywhites alone was enough to put off some supporters with many blasting such a move.

“Insult” and “horrible” were two strong words used to back this view up while one member of the Spurs faithful said he would combust if the club nabbed both Giroud and Willian on free transfers this summer.

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The 33-year-old bagged one of his three goals this season against Jose Mourinho’s side back in February, just a few weeks after his failed move across the capital.

However, some were behind the free capture, here’s why…

Before the season was interrupted and put on hold, Spurs were quickly embarking on a crisis – five defeats from six, out of all cup competitions and seven points adrift from the top four in the Premier League.

Their form has only gotten worse in the absence of top goalscoring duo Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, who have no one behind them in terms of squad depth, which is why many see Giroud as the ideal rotation option.

“Solid backup” and “no brainer” reinforce this.

The France international has only played 13 times in what was supposed to be a European Championship year, and with that being postponed until the summer of 2021, playing somewhere more regularly could bolster his chances of making that squad – one last hoorah, perhaps.

There were also comparisons made to other targets and other players in his position. One fan believed he was better than Arsenal frontman Alexander Lacazette while another believed the veteran could do a similar job to Fernando Llorente.

Who is that?! Nobody has been able to name the teams all of these obscure managers were once in charge of…

And in other news, Spurs need Levy to be at his vintage best amid Kane links…

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked to a rival Premier League player this week, and fans have been discussing the possibility of seeing him in north London next term.

According to the Daily Star, Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell is a target for Jose Mourinho this summer and could cost £50m amidst interest from other Premier League rivals such as Chelsea and Manchester City.

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Currently, the Portuguese chief has Ben Davies and Ryan Sessegnon in the role with Danny Rose out of loan, although he’s not expected to have much of a future at the club.

Both centre-backs Jan Vertonghen and Japhet Tanganga have been tried out at left-back, too, so it’s quite possibly a position that needs strengthening.

Here’s how fans have been reacting to the news on social media…

There were plenty of supporters against the idea of landing the 23-year-old at the end of the season, blasting him for being a “terrible footballer” as well as an “average” and “overhyped” English player.

Chilwell has played 23 times in the Premier League this term, scoring twice and has provided three assists whilst he is also averaging 2 clearances, 1.6 tackles, 1.2 key passes and 1.1 interceptions per game via WhoScored.

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Since his rise to stardom for the Foxes, the young defender has gone on to clinch 11 caps for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.

Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, the left-back is expected to cost at least £50m as per the Daily Star report already mentioned, which had got fans questioning whether or not Daniel Levy would pay up for him.

Spurs broke their club-record transfer fee last summer, signing Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon for £55m, and given his struggles this season, it puts a lot of pressure on the chairman to get the next big-money splash correct.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

AND in other news, Harry Kane’s tweet has lots of Spurs fans talking…

Arsenal fans have been discussing the possibility of signing Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek this summer, and to say they would love to see him at the Emirates Stadium would be a massive understatement.

According to Marca, via Sport Witness, the Gunners had interest in the Dutchman before the season kicked off alongside La Liga giants Real Madrid and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

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His future in Amsterdam is very much in the air as it was reported in January by De Telegraaf, via Marca, that he is due to join Los Galacticos for €55m (£48m) at the end of the current campaign – but the 22-year-old has refuted such claims in an interview with Helden magazine as per Football.London.

Thus, this opens the door for any interested parties to come forward to try and clinch van de Beek this summer, and clearly, the Gunners’ faithful are desperate for it to be them.

The box-to-box midfielder was part of Ajax’s historic Champions League run last season and has continued his rich vein of form into this campaign, scoring ten goals as well as laying on 11 assists.

Here’s what Arsenal supporters have been saying about him…

AND in other news, Arsenal’s £20m target fires transfer hint to Raul and Edu…

Tottenham are currently going through a heavily transitional time – adapting to a new manager and trying to replace goal-machine Harry Kane who is sidelined with injury.

The likes of Dele Alli have stepped up to try to give Spurs a boost up the table, but there’s been a couple of coasters in the ranks this season…

Ryan Sessegnon

The wonder-kid who nearly every big English team set their sights on whilst he was at Fulham. The teenager was transformed from a left-back into a winger because his goal-scoring ability was too clinical not to be utilised in attack.

Spurs won the race for the youngster but this season has been disappointing for Sessegnon in one way or another.

The 19-year-old hasn’t had much game time this campaign, arguably because Jose Mourinho wants only his best XI out there.

However, when Sessegnon has featured, he’s left a lot to be desired. His most recent performance was against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, and the wide-man had a torrid time. He lost possession an alarming 23 times when on the ball and didn’t win any of the 13 duels he attempted.

Sessegnon has a lacklustre WhoScored rating of of 6.35. Granted, he’s only played 12 matches this season, but the teen needs to grab any opportunity with both hands and score a lot more than just the one goal.

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Tanguy Ndombélé

Another new addition to Tottenham’s squad and another who hasn’t made much impact this season. Ndombélé joined the club for a hefty fee of £53.8m but his two goals and two assists in the league haven’t quite shown his worth.

The Frenchman got off to an incredible start, scoring on his debut and bagged himself an assist the following game. Since then, Ndombélé hasn’t had much luck in the engine room – in his last five matches the 23-year-old has averaged a weak rating of 6.7. During these games the midfielder made no key passes and attempted no shots towards goal.

Ndombele has also missed six matches this campaign due to two separate injuries, another frustrating issue for fans and Mourinho himself to deal with.

What do you think, Spurs fans? Do you agree with the above or are there other players who have let the club down more?

After signing the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire and Daniel James last summer, it’s unsurprising to hear new reports that Manchester United are yet again looking to target young, British players in this upcoming transfer window.

According to The Daily Mirror, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have earmarked a potential £20m move for Swansea defender Joe Rodon, with club legend and current Wales boss Ryan Giggs playing a major part in recommending him to the club.

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The report claims that Solskjaer wants to strengthen his defence this summer, and that Giggs is a “big fan” of Rodon – the United icon also urged the club to sign Daniel James from Swansea last year too.

After hearing about the links to the Championship ace, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One United fan simply insisted that the links to Rodon showed that the Red Devils are “becoming a second rate club”.

Whilst James’ form tailed off considerably in the second-half of the Premier League campaign, he did start the season on fire, notching three times in his first four top-flight games.

There does appear to be reasonable value for money in young players making a name for themselves in the Championship, and Rodon could be yet another starlet who does just that.

It seems Giggs is beginning to have a real influence on the club’s transfer policy even without being at the club.

أعلن نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي، رحيل مدافعه الشاب إلى صفوف وولفرهامبتون، في صفقة بيع نهائي.

وأكد ليفربول في بيان رسمي، إتمام انتقال الهولندي كي يانا هوفر، صاحب الـ18 عامًا إلى الولفز، بعقد دائم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب وولفرهامبتون يؤكد انتقال جوتا إلى ليفربول

وانضم هوفر إلى ليفربول في صيف 2018 قادمًا من أياكس الهولندي وظهر مغ الفريق الأول في 4 مناسبات سجل خلالها هدفًا وحيدًا.

وتوج هوفر، مع الريدز ببطولتي السوبر الأوروبي وكأس العالم للأندية.

ووجه ليفربول الشكر للاعب الشاب، قائلاً: “يشكر جميع من في النادي كي يانا على مساهماته ونتمنى له كل التوفيق في المستقبل”.

ولم يعلن حامل لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مدة عقد اللاعب مع وولفرهامبتون أو قيمة الصفقة.