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Leeds United are seemingly still in the market for one more player.

Indeed, the Whites look like they’re after a new attacking midfielder and one man who is reportedly on their radar is Derby County’s Louie Sibley.

The attacking midfielder is certainly a player who may have a bright future, he burst onto the scene last year with the Rams, netting five goals in 13 Championship games last term, with two assists making his numbers look incredibly impressive.

His manager gave him a glowing review after he played against Manchester United saying: “He’s a great character — he has a good mentality, he has the desire to win, to play, to find his positioning between the lines. He’s not scared of anybody. It was a pleasure to see him play.”

However, he may not be all he’s cracked up to be.

Three of his five goals last season came in a hat-trick against Millwall, and while everyone was raving over this teenage sensation’s performance, Gary Rowett was less than impressed describing two of his goals as “very poor” and “soft”, so an argument can be made that the stats paint him to be a better player than he is.

His underlying stats from this season so far hint that he could be something of a flash in the pan. His shots per game metric is down to 0.3 compared to 1.8 last season, while he’s also been wasteful in possession, averaging two unsuccessful touches per game while providing nothing in terms of goals or assists.

Of course, it’s harsh to write off a 19-year-old like this, but we’ve seen it all before at Leeds where a player flourishes in the early stages of his career while confidence and momentum is high only to flop later down the line.

Just look at Jack Clarke, he had an incredible first season under Marcelo Bielsa, earning him a £10m move to Tottenham, but last term he couldn’t even get into QPR’s starting XI.

Sibley could well be another Clarke and Leeds don’t want to spend a hefty fee on a player who may not live up to the hype.

Manuel Lanzini stole the show against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend when the West Ham United midfielder’s stoppage-time screamer found a way into the top corner of Hugo Lloris’ net.

It was a strike that reminded everyone of the skill the Argentine once showed on a regular basis in east London, but Lanzini’s first Premier League goal since May 2019 also served as a stark wake-up call for how long it has been since the 27-year-old’s finest hours in claret and blue.

Only a few years ago, Lanzini’s talents secured his seat on the plane to the 2018 World Cup only for a serious knee injury sustained in training to rule the midfielder out of the competition without a ball being kicked.

The blow put a major dent into his West Ham career, while a fractured collarbone in November 2019 sent Lanzini back to the physio’s room for a further two months and his place in the side has never been a guarantee since.

Following David Moyes’ return to the London Stadium in December 2019, Lanzini saw out the league campaign with just six further starts from 11 appearances whilst failing to offer a single goal or assist and be left on the bench on eight occasions.

The new season came around, but new opportunities did not, with last weekend’s 3-3 thriller in north London serving as Lanzini’s first taste of top-flight action after four outings as an unused substitute.

Lanzini made good use of his brief cameo to steal the headlines in the dying seconds, and clearly left a positive impression on Moyes who has since come out in support of the 27-year-old.

“No doubt the injury has had an impact on where he is, but I don’t see a reason why he can’t get back to that level,” Moyes stated at his press conference on Friday, via quotes by the official West Ham website.

“I can see the improvement in training, he’s got competition and when you have competition the best thing you can do is what he did the other night.

“We’ve got really good competition for places at the moment and we want Manu to be a part of that because he has talent and we want talented players.”

Yet while Moyes is seemingly in support of Lanzini rediscovering his past form, it will take far more than just the Irons boss’ trust to see the five-cap Argentina international return to his best and once again display the talent that left Slaven Bilic stunned at how well he took to the Premier League. It was under the Croatian’s leadership that he played his best football, scoring 15 times and providing eight assists.

And speaking in November 2015, four months on from Lanzini’s initial arrival on loan from Al-Jazira, Bilic said via quotes by The Guardian: “I am only surprised that he hit it off straight away.

“I thought he was going to need more time because he played with al-Jazira. It is a good level, but you can’t compare that with the Premier League.

“He is a phenomenal player, who is very comfortable on the ball, no matter where he is and gives everything in every training session.”

Moyes will need to see that same determination in training to warrant starting Lanzini once more, as while his stunning strike at Spurs was special, it will only paper over the cracks seen in the midfielder’s game.

Lanzini only managed to create two big chances to score in the Premier League last season, while also spurning each of his three big chances to find the back of the net. Additionally, he only averaged 0.6 shots, 1.3 key balls, 18.5 accurate passes in the opponent’s half, 0.6 crosses and 1.4 successful dribbles a game, per SofaScore.

Now with Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma for competition in the attacking midfield line, Moyes will need more than the odd screamer to truly trust Lanzini.

AND in other news, West Ham are at risk of a tense future with the departure of a popular backroom figure.

Chris Wilder has slammed Glasgow Rangers target John Lundstram’s decision to turn down a new contract at Sheffield United.

Wilder unhappy with John Lundstram

The ‘Gers have been heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old and they are now said to be fighting with West Ham for his signature.

The midfielder has less than a year left on his contract, but he was offered a new deal. However, he appears to have turned that down, and that has left Wilder particularly unhappy. The Blades manager said:

“It has been frustrating for me personally. I wanted John to stop here. We have discussed for a few months about him stopping.

“We have offered him an attractive contract, up there with the top players at the club.

“I will move on and not think too much about it. I will concentrate on players who want to sign here. Fleck, Stevens, Norwood, new players, Egan Basham, Sharp. It is a very good offer. John and his agent want to negotiate elsewhere.

Discussing whether he would still pick him this season, Wilder admitted:

“I have to think hard about it and I am frustrated. John should have signed it. Players have committed to us. Should I be beside those, or a player who has not committed?

“We will invite offers for a good young player who did well in his first season in the Premier League.

“He is still a Sheffield United player and available for selection. We are coming into a period where it is straightforward, He runs down his contract, that is not ideal for us.”

Another boost for Gerrard

It seems the ‘Gers may well be in with a chance of signing Lundstram. Wilder has pretty much confirmed that the 26-year-old will be on the move soon, perhaps as early as January – it is now up to the 54-time Scottish champions to convince him to move north of the border.

Lundstram is a player with plenty of experience and a strong pedigree. He made 34 appearances in the Premier League last season as Sheffield United finished in the top 10, scoring five goals and providing three assists. Currently valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, Steven Gerrard could surely put him to good use at Ibrox.

In other news, Borussia Dortmund are targetting this Rangers star.

Aston Villa got last summer’s transfer window horribly wrong.

Over £100m was spent, and despite all this new talent coming in, the Birmingham outfit only secured their Premier League survival on the final day of the season.

Understandably, the higher-ups at Villa Park feel as though something has to change, and they have made steps towards that, parting ways with their transfer chief Suso and bringing in Johan Lange.

Gregg Evans documented what this change means, and he mentioned that the Villans already have some players of a certain mould lined up.

What’s been said then?

The Atheltic journalist wrote a long and detailed piece about Lange’s background and how his role at Villa Park is likely to affect the club, and he stated that the transfer strategy this term is going to go in a completely different direction than last season.

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“First and foremost, The Athletic understands that tried and trusted players from the English game will be targeted and that some of those have already been lined up.” Evans wrote.

Better strategy

Dean Smith’s side may fare a lot better with this transfer strategy than they did last season.

We’ve seen it all too often that players from abroad sometimes struggle to get to grips with the tempo and tenacity of the Premier League, and that’s where Villa struggled this term with the likes of Wesley and Mbwana Samatta scoring just six league goals between them, while Bjorn Engels was often criticised by fans throughout the season.

It’s no coincidence that four of Villa’s five highest-rated players on WhoScored had experience in England before this season, with Frederic Guilbert the exception to the rule on this occasion.

Fingers crossed Smith can get the right profile of player in and guide Villa to a lot more comfortable position next season.

Tottenham’s Eric Dier has been banned for four games after confronting a spectator during the FA Cup defeat to Norwich in March and he will now miss the clash with Arsenal at the weekend as a result.

According to ESPN, the Football Association have handed him a four-match ban after he leapt into the stands and started a fracas with a Spurs supporter who had directed insults at his brother, with security guards trying to break up the midfielder and spectator.

The Lilywhites will face the Gunners at home when one of the biggest rivalries in the country plays out again on Sunday. However, Spurs will have to go into the game without the services of Dier following his suspension, dealing a significant blow for Jose Mourinho’s plans.

The 26-year-old has played in every single minute since the Premier League restart as Tottenham bounced back from a disappointing defeat at Sheffield United by edging past Everton at home on Monday night.

After he conceded a penalty against Manchester United three weeks ago, Dier helped the defence to keep a clean sheet in the subsequent 2-0 win over West Ham and again on Monday night.

The England international, who was a favourite of Mauricio Pochettino, has played 18 Premier League games this season, supplying two assists, winning 1.2 tackles, averaging 1.1 interceptions and completing 3.1 clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).

Dier has never had it easy at Spurs, as he has been beset by multiple injuries, illness and mixed form over the years. However, he has established himself as a regular starter under Mourinho in recent weeks and has received high praise from the manager. He is currently valued at £18m via Transfermarkt.

The Lilywhites have leaked goals for fun all season long and now they will be without one of their most trusted players when they face the Gunners at home.

Mourinho will be well aware of the dangers posed by Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Dier’s absence could be sorely felt as they prepare for the derby on Sunday.

Tottenham fans, will Dier be missed against Arsenal? Let us know your views in the comments below!

As Jose Mourinho heads into his first summer transfer window in charge, all eyes will be on how the Portuguese man chooses to strengthen his Tottenham squad.

One of the main areas of concern will surely be on how he can better add some firepower to the north Londoners, with Spurs having been out-scored by all of the top five in the Premier League this season.

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And according to Telefoot’s Julian Maynard, the Lilywhites have their eyes set on Lille attacker Jonathan Ikone, with the 22-year-old potentially leaving the French side should a significant offer come in.

After hearing about the links to Ikone, Spurs fans flooded to Twitter to share their reactions.

A couple of supporters pointed towards QPR starlet Eberechi Eze as a better option than Ikone, with one fan even calling him the “better prospect”.

Some Spurs fans revealed their frustrations at potentially signing another player from Ligue 1, and pointed to how it’s not really been a successful hunting ground for them – the likes of Clinton N’Jie and Tanguy Ndombele in particular perhaps bringing up some bad memories.

Able to play all across the front-line and just behind the striker too, Ikone could add some versatility to Spurs’ attacking options.

Whilst four goals and seven assists in 36 games for Lille doesn’t sound like a great return, at just 22, Ikone still has plenty of time to grow into a star at Tottenham.

But judging by the reaction of some of these Spurs fans, it’s not a signing that would get a lot of people excited.

Name: David Brooks

Club: AFC Bournemouth

Date of Birth: 8 July 1997 

Position: Midfielder, winger

David Brooks – His career so far

David Brooks was born in Warrington, England, and at just the age of seven he was part of Manchester City’s youth academy. Brooks was a City youngster for ten years before joining Sheffield United’s youth academy in 2014. After two years and a brief loan spell at Halifax Town, Brooks broke into the Blades’ first team on 30 August 2016, making his first professional debut against Leicester City U23’s in the EFL Trophy.

Brooks made his first start for Sheffield United just over one month later, in the same competition. Just four days after his first start, Brooks was called up to the senior Wales team, by Chris Coleman, having previously represented England’s U20 team at youth level.

In the summer of 2018, Brooks caught the eye of Premier League side Bournemouth, and joined the Cherries for a £11.5m fee. The youth midfielder made his Premier League debut in the Cherries’ first game of the season, and he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 home victory over Crystal Palace soon after.

Unfortunately, Brooks suffered a nasty ankle injury in a pre-season friendly match against Brentford. It was later revealed that this injury would keep him out for almost eight months, and after two operations he returned to full training in March 2020.

Transfer Latest

After facing relegation with Bournemouth at the end of last season, Brooks has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer after the Red Devils hopes of signing Jadon Sancho look to have been shattered.

Player Profile

Brooks is a very versatile footballer – he is able to play as a number ten, as well as on either side of the attacking line. He has a great dribbling ability and is able to use both feet, which makes him a solid all-rounded youngster.

Tottenham Hotspur’s quest to land a new striker this summer is quickly becoming desperate with less than a week to go in the transfer window, although one name could be the solution…

What’s the word?

According to TVI24 (via Sport Witness), Spurs are one of several Premier League teams eyeing a move for Benfica forward Carlos Vinicius with the deadline looming on Monday night.

The Primeira Liga outfit are demanding €50m (£45m) to let the 25-year-old leave whilst Crystal Palace and Leicester City are also keen.

It’s also claimed that Spurs have already had a €30m (£27.5m) bid rejected for Vinicius this summer.

Jose’s new Drogba?

Spurs have one hugely congested fixture list this season having had to qualify for the Europa League group stages, so the need for a back-up or an alternative to Harry Kane is paramount.

In midweek, the north Londoners edged past Jose Mourinho’s former club, Chelsea, on penalties with Steven Bergwijn and Erik Lamela playing upfront.

Last season, Spurs rued the Englishman’s absence as they crashed out of the FA Cup and Champions League, so Daniel Levy ought to sanction a move for Vinicius as soon as possible.

At Stamford Bridge, Mourinho had a very fruitful partnership with Didier Drogba – a fast yet powerful goalscorer, who seemed to be the ideal fit for the Special One.

And this is what Vinicius could bring to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 25-year-old provided 24 goals and 13 assists from 47 appearances last term, via Transfermarkt, and is considered more of a “clever penalty-box poacher” than a “dominating target man,” which again is very Drogba-esque.

Kane desperately needs support and having someone with a different skillset in the 6 foot 3 monster would certainly be one way to alleviate the problems at Spurs.

AND in other news, Levy could end a six-year nightmare with swoop for “explosive” £9m man…

Newcastle United reporters Mark Douglas and Lee Ryder, both of the ChronicleLive, provided supporters with a Q&A session on Wednesday afternoon where they answered a wrath of queries about the prospective takeover.

One fan wondered just how much longer they would have to wait for the deal to get the green light to which the former offered up a fresh update.

Douglas remains confident and believes it won’t be much longer before it all goes through. He said:

It’s been well over a month since reports first emerged over the potential sale of the northeast outfit and there’s still been no word of official confirmation since.

The decision has been in the Premier League’s hands for a couple of weeks now as they have been conducting the owners and directors test on the Saudi Arabian consortium but the top-flight have also been trying to get their plans to restart the current campaign back underway, so understandably they’ve had a lot on their plate.

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While Douglas won’t put an exact timeframe on the matter, his claim that it will be soon is hugely positive news for those at St James’ Park.

AND in other news, UAE journalist makes big claim about Newcastle takeover…

Many Everton fans have revealed the one player that they regret leaving Goodison Park, with various names being thrown into the hat.

Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti will embark on his first summer transfer window in charge of the Toffees, and it is expected that the former AC Milan and Real Madrid man will look to allow numerous player exits in order to bring his own faces.

With the potential of a busy transfer window at the Merseyside club, many fans have looked back on players who have departed in previous seasons and in doing so, an abundance of household names have emerged.

Former striker Romelu Lukaku is one that pops up more often than not when Toffees fans think of players they wanted to stay, having seen the Belgian international spend a fruitful time at the club.

Wayne Rooney is another player who has gone on to play at the highest level after playing at Everton. The former England international is now turning out for Championship side Derby County, but his career saw him gain multiple successes at Manchester United.

Rooney did return to Everton prior to a stint in Major League Soccer with DC United, but many have been left asking ‘what if’ when looking back on his time at the club.

Other names that were thrown up in the debate were players such as Gary Speed, Steven Naismith, and Gary Lineker.

Reacting to the question on Twitter by fan account @thetoffees_com, fans gave a varied response, and below are some of those…

Everton fans, which player do you wish never left? Let us know in the comments below…