Speaking to talkSPORT, ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has insisted that most Lilywhites would swap Dele Alli for linked Aston Villa star Jack Grealish – with the Billericay Town player-manager going on to laud the playmaker as a player Spurs ‘need’.Â
Grealish, who has been touted with a move to north London in the past, with supposed swoops from chairman Daniel Levy ultimately failing in recent years, appears to be out of the club’s price range.
Indeed, the Daily Mirror claimed recently that the Englishman would not leave Villa Park for less than £80 million – a far cry from the £25m bid Spurs lodged for him back in the summer of 2018.
Given Grealish’s lofty valuation, it’s now highly unlikely that Tottenham supporters will get to see him in Jose Mourinho’s midfield, but O’Hara has now claimed that most Lilywhites would take up a swap deal to potentially lower the price tag.
If such an opportunity were to arise, the ex-Spur insists Alli would be gladly placed on the chopping block in favour of landing Grealish – who has just earned his first ever England international call-up following Harry Winks’ withdrawal from the squad.
The £100,000-per-week star, O’Hara says, is a different player to Alli and one ‘that Spurs need’ – with Tottenham’s current midfield maestro apparently preferring to make runs in-behind rather than operate as a playmaker.
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Since Christian Eriksen’s departure to Inter Milan, the club have failed to find a suitable creative replacement in his mould – and that position could soon become a priority behind Spurs’ need for a Harry Kane striking back-up.
Lilywhites, would you swap Dele Alli for Jack Grealish? Have your say in the comments below…
Celtic’s January business was puzzling but it doesn’t appear to have mattered.
They brought in Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro who have played a grand total of 101 minutes since arriving in Scotland – the latter hasn’t featured at all.
However, they managed to swerve a bullet with one January target – Niklas Eliasson.
The Swede was linked in January, per The Sunday Mail (26/01 print edition – via Daily Record), but he’s been rather inept in recent weeks, now reduced to appearing on the substitutes bench in the Championship. The decision to not pursue their interest further appeared vindicated.
No midfielder in the second tier of English football has more than his 12 assists this term but the fact of the matter is that since being linked with a switch to Scottish football, he has only produced one assist and delivered a succession of underwhelming performances for Bristol City.
In fact, his lowest rating in the eight games since February, via WhoScored, has been a measly 5.75.
An exciting creative player on his day, the 24-year-old is the definition of an enigma. Bright and canny in spells, he has the potential to frustrate and disappoint in equal measure. As Celtic target nine consecutive titles and beyond, he is not the type of player they need in their ranks.
Eliasson is out of contract in the summer and consequently would cost Celtic nothing should they reignite their interest. Last month it was suggested he wouldn’t pen new terms, thus paving the way for the Hoops to make their move without many obstacles in the summer.
Although he’d cost nothing, Eliasson is now severely out of form and after ignoring him once, Nick Hammond would be foolish to bring him to Celtic Park purely on the basis that he’d be a free agent.
The Bristol City man has registered an impressive 1.7 key passes per game this term – laying on 56 in total. That tally puts him 17th in the division for chance creation so the very fact he has 12 assists is a testament to his teammate’s finishing abilities.
Eliasson is a creative hub but Celtic have a plethora of options in midfield who can provide the spark – that includes Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie who have combined for a total of 26 assists in 2019/20.
The greatest rivalry in world football: Test your Old Firm derby knowledge below…
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They have been producing on a more consistent basis and rarely find themselves too many games without a goal involvement. McGregor, for instance, has contributed to 13 strikes in his last 12 outings.
Eliasson, therefore, clearly isn’t needed. Hammond needs to avoid another potential swoop in the summer unless his form drastically improves and he proves he can be more consistent.
In other Hoops news, one player should be BANGING on Neil Lennon’s door with one demand…
After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s admission last season that he would have no problems giving young players deserved opportunities, there appears to have been a real emphasis at Manchester United this campaign to try and allow their talented academy starlets to thrive.
The likes of Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams and James Garner have featured prominently this season, making a combined total of 37 senior appearances across all competitions. One man however who has struggled to make a break-through into the first-team, has been Angel Gomes. The 19-year-old has played just four times for Solskjaer’s side, and only one of them has come in the Premier League – and even that only lasted a grand total of nine minutes.
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And now, The Manchester Evening News have reported that the teenager is no closer to agreeing a new contract with the club, with his existing deal at Old Trafford coming to an end at the end of this season. The report adds that despite both parties being in dialogue with one another, Gomes’ representatives have been left “under-whelmed by the club’s terms”.
A couple of fans were quite critical of Solskjaer for failing to give Gomes an adequate chance in the first-team this season, with one supporter in particular claiming that the update on his future at Old Trafford is “no surprise”.
Some United supporters were quick to compare the potential situation developing with Gomes, with what happened with Paul Pogba and his spell with the Red Devils the first-time around when he eventually left on a free transfer.
As some United fans have pointed out themselves, it would be so typical if Gomes were to leave on a free transfer and end up developing into a fantastic midfielder elsewhere simply because he was given a chance. The Red Devils should really learn from their lessons with the France World Cup winner and ensure that they take the time to truly deliberate on whether they can risk losing the starlet next summer.
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Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have hailed this academy product after his commanding display against Colchester.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Juan Miranda left Barcelona in the last summer transfer window and he will be playing at Schalke on loan for two seasons. And recently, in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, the 19-year-old La Masia outcast talked about his possible stay at the Blaugrana in the near future.
What did he say?
Miranda is one of those La Masia talents who, despite their obvious qualities, couldn’t make it into the first-team.
Of course, the young Spaniard has already had a taste of the senior squad as he has played a total of four games for them so far.
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Apart from that, however, he has only been an active member of the Barcelona B squad, tallying 30 appearances for the young crop of Blaugrana players, scoring three times and assisting a further two in the process.
With the arrival of Junior Firpo last summer, Miranda decided to go on loan in order to get some game time under his belt. But that also posed the question whether there even is a place for him back in Catalonia.
Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the plan is pretty clear.
“Yeah right. If Barça love me, returning is the best decision. It is the best club in the world and this is our idea.”
One for the future
Even though his place under the Catalan sun was under question, Miranda’s mind seems to be set – if Barcelona want him, he will definitely return.
And looking at their choices in the left-back department, that might actually be a smart move for both sides.
Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…
The 19-year-old can get all the experience he needs to develop in Germany and then, once Jordi Alba comes to the latter stages of his career, the young Spaniard can take over.
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With Firpo on the sidelines as well, the Blaugrana seem to be set for the future.
Not to mention that Alba is already 30 years of age and is slowly but surely leaving his best years behind him.
West Ham United fans can barely believe that they have signed Sebastian Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The club confirmed a record deal to sign the French striker had been struck on Wednesday. Haller has signed a five-year contract in east London.
Sources have told Football FanCast that the deal is worth an initial £45m plus £5m in performance-related bonuses.
The transfer comes about after the 25-year-old scored 20 goals in all competitions last season and also registered 12 assists.
A player with proven experience, he has netted a total of 24 goals in the Bundesliga, along with 41 in the Eredivisie.
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He has been capped at various youth levels by France but has yet to make his senior debut though, nevertheless, supporters are beyond delighted with his acquisition, which eclipses the £36m the club paid to sign Felipe Anderson from Italian giants Lazio last summer.
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Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!
[ad_pod ]Huddersfield Town fans are looking forward to seeing Rajiv van La Parra return to the club after his loan spell at Middlesbrough comes to an end in the summer.The Dutch winger fell out of favour this season at the John Smith’s Stadium and was loaned out to the Teesside outfit in January.Following the club’s relegation to the Championship fans are hoping that the 27-year-old will have a part to play next term.
Van La Parra played a huge role in Huddersfield’s promotion season and Terriers fans will be hoping that he can replicate that form in order to fire Jan Siewert’s side back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Those supporters have suggested that the club had missed his pace and desire to carry the ball into dangerous positions this season as the Yorkshire outfit’s frontline has often failed them.
One individual was worried about how he will fit in the squad, but still expressed the fact that he thinks he’s a quality player who should be utilised in the team.
The Terriers have only scored 20 goals in 35 games so far in the league this season so fans are excited to welcome back the dynamic Dutchman.
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Here’s what Huddersfield fans have been saying on Twitter…
Luciano Narsingh made his first Swansea City appearance of the season in their 2-1 defeat at Leeds United in the Championship on Wednesday night.
A 2017 arrival from PSV Eindhoven, Narsingh scored once in 18 Premier League appearances for Swansea during the 2017-18 campaign.
The 28-year-old has not been in the plans of Swansea boss Graham Potter this season, but he did appear as a second-half substitute against Leeds.
There is absolutely no question that the winger – a 16-time Netherlands international – has a lot of talent and Swansea need to find a way to get him fit and firing for the final months of the campaign.
It is safe to say that the Swansea fans were delighted to see Narsingh back in action on Wednesday night.
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And a number have called on head coach Potter to hand the attacker more minutes between now and the end of the season.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the club’s fans can be seen below:
[ad_pod ]On Monday, Aston Villa announced that Lewis Brunt had signed his first professional contract with the Championship club.Brunt is an 18-year-old central midfielder who has made six appearances in the Under-18 Premier League this season.The teenager is very much one for the future, but it seems that the Villa fans believe that Brunt could turn out for the first team sooner rather than later.Villa have a number of talented youngsters in their squad at the moment, and it will be interesting to see whether Brunt can make the breakthrough into the first team.For now, the teenager will continue to turn out for Villa Under-18s with the view to progressing to the Under-23s and onto the first team in due course.Playmaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…Monday proved to be a huge day for Brunt and his family, and the Villa fans were on hand with a number of positives messages.A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
West Ham United will meet AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night as they kick off their League Cup campaign at Kingsmeadow.
The Hammers are still looking for their first competitive victory under Manuel Pellegrini and the trip to south-west London could be the ideal way for the club to get some momentum going.
However, according to a match preview by Sky Sports, the club could be without a number of their key players for the away day at the League One outfit.
Pellegrini is expected to make a number of changes for the game, something that has become normal for the cup competition, but he could be without Marko Arnautovic.
The Austria international, who skippered the side in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal last weekend, is a doubt after he picked up a muscular injury and will be assessed before the game.
Mark Noble is another that could miss out as he is struggling with a back problem whilst Michail Antonio is battling an ankle injury.
According to the club’s official website, Pellegrini could still field a strong team, with the likes of Adrian, Andriy Yarmolenko, Lucas Perez, Javier Hernandez and Aaron Cresswell all looking for the opportunity to impress the Chilean.
The Verdict:
West Ham will be considered comfortable favourites for the London derby with Wimbledon, however, they will need to ensure they do not become complacent.
The Hammers have enough quality in their squad to make sure they progress and it could be a chance for some of their players to impress Pellegrini.
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Yarmolenko will want to impress, should he start, as will Perez and Hernandez as they will want to be one of the main men to lead the line when they return to Premier League action at the weekend.
Leaving Watford in 1987 for the lofty climes of Anfield, Barnes was departing a club where he was a big fish in a small pond to one where he was one of many big fish – and expectation couldn’t be higher.
Joining the likes of Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge and Ray Houghton, as well as Ian Rush within a year, Barnes joined not only a formidable Reds front line but a formidable team altogether – who had won four domestic league titles already in the 1980’s.
A £900,000 signing, worth many millions in today’s money, Barnes not only met the world-class standards expected of him, but exceeded them as he scored 61 goals in first six seasons – guiding Liverpool to two First Division titles and an FA Cup trophy in his first three years.
Speaking to FootballFanCast on behalf of Bonus Code Bets, Barnes recalls the dominant attacking quartet of which he was a part – while comparing them to Liverpool’s current crop of forwards who are trying to win the club’s first domestic title in 28 years:
“Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge were all very quick very dynamic. Mane and Salah are very quick but they’re not as technical – not just in comparison with ourselves but with the current Arsenal front line or the Manchester City front line.”
“They score goals, but they’re not winning the league like we did .”
“Also you have to look over a period of time – our front three were consistent over seven to eight years – if Liverpool’s forwards continue to do this in five years then you can start comparing them.”
Mo Salah is the second-highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season with 23 goals, but Liverpool have conceded more goals than any other top four side and Barnes thinks the Reds need a more well-rounded blend between attack and defence to go to the next level:
“I’d much rather have a well-balanced team. Maybe they score fewer goals, maybe they concede more – because it doesn’t matter if Liverpool score 150 goals if they finish fourth.”
Barnes was a prolific England striker as well as an outstanding club player, with 79 caps and 11 goals to his name, including what has been dubbed as ‘England’s greatest ever goal’ against Brazil at the Maracana in 1984.
England vs Uruguay – Wembley – 29/3/95 – Pic:Peter Powell/Action Images. England’s John Barnes & Uruguay’s Diego Lopez
As with Liverpool, the Jamaican-born winger believes the attacking prowess that his England sides had at their disposal outstrips that of the modern day equivalent heading into this summer’s World Cup:
“Harry Kane is in absolutely wonderful form but is he in a team that’s going to be able to create enough chances to make England win the world cup?
“It’s a cup competition and you don’t know who you’re going to play, but if they get through the group and play against France chances are they are going to lose.”
“When you are a sportsman, that is not your life. You may love it because you love playing football, but that is not your life.”
Barnes also thinks that comparisons between Kane and the strikers of his generation are futile, despite Teddy Sheringham yesterday describing the record-breaking England forward as ‘world class’:
“We’re talking about the consistency of a player like Gary Lineker, who could do what Harry Kane is doing over a long period of time.
“Kane is in fine form but Lineker did it for 10-15 years, as did Alan Shearer.”
Attacking ability and world cup chances aside, Barnes also thinks that the style of play has substantially changed from his time as an England player:
“When I played as a winger for England, we went down the line and put crosses in.
“England don’t play like that anymore. Raheem Sterling doesn’t go down the wing like a winger, he cuts infield and he scores goals.
“Kyle Walker and Danny Rose probably put in more crosses than Sterling.”
Our conversation with the two-time PFA Player of the Year then takes a sharp turn, as we discuss the more philosophical aspects of life beyond football.
After hanging up his boots in 1999, and then the managerial whiteboard in 2009, Barnes has made the most of a number of TV opportunities in recent years – ranging from cameo guest appearances in BBC’s Waterloo Road, to punditry on ITV and ESPN and most recently as a housemate on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother.
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Barnes, though, thinks that carving a life outside of football is just as important when you are playing as it is when you have finished your career in the sport:
“When you are a sportsman, that is not your life. You may love it because you love playing football, but that is not your life.
“It’s important for me to have had a full life while football was going on. I knew that football would be over soon and I would become a normal member of society and do normal things, so I did normal things when I played.”
Part of being a normal member of society for Barnes means involving himself in politics, and the ex-Liverpool forward tries to look at political issues from the ground level.
The Kick It Out campaign, for example, has in recent years tried to remove racism from English football, but Barnes thinks race is a much wider issue which cannot be addressed by simply targeting problems within the sport:
“Until we get rid of racism in society we’ll never get rid of it in all walks of society of which football is one.
“Football bears the brunt of the responsibility but if you look at racist fans, they’re members of society before they are racist fans.”