Juventus are preparing a January swoop for Manchester United winger Nani and Arsenal speedster Theo Walcott, according to reports from Calcio Mercato.
The Premier League pair are said to be high on the Turin club’s wish list as they look to add some creative flair to their attacking line for end of the season.
Antonio Conte, Juve’s boss, has outlined Nani and Walcott as the ideal candidates and is said to be requesting winter moves for them.
Nani appears to have slipped down the pecking order at Manchester United, with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Antonio Valencia and even Wayne Rooney having occupied the wide role so far this term. It is also believed that the Portuguese wide-man is unwilling to accept a new contract at the club, which would hint that is time at Old Trafford is running out.
Despite his hat-trick heroics in the Capital One Cup Walcott’s future is just as doubtful. The England International is allegedly stalling on penning a new deal with the North London club who are unwilling to match his wage demands. The ex-Southampton man is said to be holding out for £100,000-per-week, but Arsenal are reluctant give him a pay rise.
The respective situations have opened the door for Juventus who may make their moves for the duo as early as January.
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The Old Lady are also monitoring the situation of Malaga’s Isco, a long-term target of Manchester City.
Tottenham Hotspur supporters have plenty to cheer at this summer’s World Cup.
Not only is talisman striker Harry Kane leading the scoring charts currently after sensational displays for England, players such as Christian Eriksen are also playing a star role for their countries.
However, many of the plaudits after Sunday’s England performance did not go to Kane, but another Spurs man – Kieran Trippier.
The wing-back has been crucial to the England’s wins in the group stages so far, providing excellent set piece delivery and being a constant, busy threat on the right flank.
He is emerging as one of the stand-out players of the tournament and Tottenham fans couldn’t be more excited.
They’re looking forward to seeing him back in action for the club next season, believing he can push his game onto new heights after these performances at the highest international level.
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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his Sunday display…
West Brom fans haven’t had much to cheer about in the last week, but they were ringing the praises of Salomon Rondon after the striker netted a wonder strike in a losing effort against Southampton.
With the ball coming across his body on the edge of the box, the Venezuelan international used the outside of his boot to send the ball flying past the Southampton keeper to halve the deficit midway through the second half.
The Baggies still fell to defeat against the Saints, and Alan Pardew is expected to have two games to save his job after a nightmare week for the club in which four senior players were questioned by police over the theft of a taxi in Barcelona.
Boaz Myhill, Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Jonny Evans were all interviewed by Spanish police after they allegedly drove a taxi back to their hotel without its driver on Thursday night.
West Brom fans were scathing of yet another disappointing performance from their side, but reserved praise for Rondon. Along with a select few of his teammates, Rondon was hailed for the spirit he showed in the cup tie…
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There’s no use crying over spilt milk, but news that Chelsea have completed the signing of former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will leave a rather sour taste in the mouths of the Emirates fanbase.
Indeed, a former fan hero and first team talisman, many Gunners supporters have been left heart-broken by the revelation that Arsene Wenger decided against activating his first refusal option for the ex-Barcelona midfielder, dating back to his original switch from North London to the Nou Camp in summer 2011.
Resultantly, Arsenal fans will be expecting big things from their manager in the coming transfer window to help them overcome the disappointment of witnessing one of their most favoured recent players joining a close Premier League rival.
With that in mind, here’s a list of SIX super-signings that can cure that Fabregas-shaped hole left in the heart of the Gunners’ support.
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JULIAN DRAXLER
Commonly regarded as one of European football’s hottest prodigies, bringing long-term target Julian Draxler to the Emirates this summer would certainly have Arsenal the envy of their domestic and continental rivals.
The 20 year-old’s preceding reputation comes from two strong campaigns with the Schalke seniors, the first producing 13 goals in all competitions and the second finishing with impressive averages of 1.8 shots, 2.3 key passes and 4.1 dribbles per match in the Bundesliga.
The attacking midfielder’s ability to score, create and regularly conjure moments of individual brilliance, combined with an unusually lanky 6 foot 2 frame, has often lead to comparisons with Zinedine Zidane.
The Germany international’s £40million release clause has proved too rich for Arsene Wenger’s blood in the last two transfer windows, but a North London arrival this summer would more than compensate for the loss of Cesc Fabregas.
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KARIM BENZEMA
Amid the Gunners’ absence of star-studded quality in the final third, if Arsene Wenger isn’t interested in re-signing Cesc Fabregas this summer, Arsenal fans will hope it’s due to his transfer funds being solely focused on acquiring a world-renowned centre-forward.
Top of that list has to be Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema – quick, tall, powerful and confident on the ball, the 26 year-old would be an ideal fit for the Gunners’ lone striking role.
There’s no doubting his scoring credentials either; since joining Los Blancos from Lyon in summer 2009, the France international has netted 111 times in 235 appearances for the European Champions.
Furthermore, in attacking tandem with former Madridian Mesut Ozil, the duo amassed 20 goals and 25 assists combined in La Liga last season.
It’s believed Benzema is valued at around £30million – but his Bernabeu departure will depend on Real securing an adequate replacement first, with Luis Suarez mooted as the leading candidate.
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MARIO BALOTELLI
Another superstar striking addition that would help Arsene Wenger cure some Fabregas-shaped wounds in north London is AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli.
The former Manchester City badboy can be a disruptive influence but there’s no doubting his quality in front of goal. The 23 year-old contributed a vital twelve goals to the Citizens’ first Premier League title in 2012, and since moving to the San Siro in January 2013 has netted 30 times in 54 appearances.
13 goals in 31 outings for Italy – including a header against England on Saturday evening – isn’t a bad return at international level either, and we are yet to witness anything the 6 foot 2 striker can’t do with the ball at his feet.
AC Milan appear surprisingly keen to sell this summer, with the tabloids quoting fees between £20million-£30million, and Arsenal are widely regarded as his likeliest suitors. But recent speculation suggests their interest could be rivalled by French big-spenders Monaco.
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ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Not every superstar is accompanied by a superstar price-tag, and in that regard Arsene Wenger may find Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez more agreeable with his summer transfer budget whilst also meeting the fans’ desire for a major acquisition.
The winger-forward has just completed his strongest campaign to date for the Catalans with 21 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, including 19 goals in La Liga.
But the feeling is that the Chile international hasn’t progressed as expected following his move from Udinese in summer 2011, and resultantly Barca are reportedly prepared to sell for just £25million as they plan a summer of wholesale changes.
Boasting a mixture of tica-taca technique, netting prowess, natural penetration and positional flexibility, Sanchez has a lot to offer the Gunners in the final third.
But due to his well documented availability, Liverpool, Manchester United and several Serie A sides are all believed to be baying for the South American’s signature this summer.
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LUCAS MOURA
Another star-studded wideman option for Arsene Wenger to consider this summer is PSG’s highly-rated winger Lucas Moura.
The 21 year-old has been in good form this season to record five goals and eleven assists in 36 Ligue 1 appearances, with only half of his league outings coming as starts. But the Brazilian prodigy is better famed for his blistering pace, which has caught attention from Manchester United amongst others in the past.
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Having surprisingly missed out on a spot in Verde-Amarela’s World Cup squad, the tabloids believe Moura could be tempted away from the French capital this summer despite the winger’s public assurances otherwise.
The Red Devils have been linked again, but originally purchased for a ridiculous £42million back in summer 2012, it will take an audacious fee to convince the Parisians to sell.
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PAUL POGBA
It may be a bit of a pipe-dream, but often compared to Arsenal legend Patrick Viera, Gunners fans will continue to fantasise over the notion of Juventus star Paul Pogba joining the Emirates ranks this summer.
Since leaving Manchester United on a bosman move in summer 2012, the 21 year-old midfielder has won consecutive Serie A titles with the Old Lady and also claimed last season’s European Golden Boy award.
The France international has furthermore just completed a stunning campaign, finding seven goals and seven assists in 36 league outings.
The 6 foot 1 central midfielder boasts an eclectic mix of physical dominance and quality on the ball, best represented by averages of 2.3 tackles, 1.3 key passes and 2.1 successful dribbles per match this term.
Pogba’s ability to drive at the opposition from deep would certainly make the Gunners’ more direct and athletically imposing.
But wanted by Manchester City, Real Madrid, PSG and virtually every major club in Europe, the Viera-incarnate is reportedly valued at £60million by Juve.
In the Premier League this coming weekend, Manchester United and Chelsea will battle it out at Stamford Bridge in this season’s first real title clash of the season.
The result will re-shape the title race for the next portion of the season, with Chelsea currently holding a four point lead in top spot over Manchester United and Manchester City, who hold second and third place respectively.
Ryan Giggs has been sizing up the Blues and their new signings and believes only time will tell how this current team compares to previous title winning Chelsea teams.
The Welsh winger has told reporters “Chelsea are a talented team. They have changed the personnel a bit with Oscar, Hazard and Mata, who play in those little pockets and are so hard to pick up.
“Only time will tell if they are better. But it doesn’t really matter because you know you are up against a very good team when you pay Chelsea, and it will always be tough at Stamford Bridge.”
Suprisingly, the Red Devils haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since 2002 and considering United’s startling statistic of conceding first in eight out of twelve games this season, Giggs is undoubtedly concerned about his side’s bad defensive habits.
“Obviously we are pleased that we are able to come back and have shown great character in those eight games, but you cannot keep relying on the lads up front to score the goals.
“It has happened again against Braga but against Chelsea if we go behind it will be tough to come back” added the Welshman.
Meanwhile, Chelsea Keeper Petr Cech is optimistic ahead of the Premier League clash:
“We have made many good starts in the time I have been here but we started slowly the first two games this season. We seem to get better as the team gets to know each other.
“Now we have played two tough away games at Arsenal and Spurs and we got six points which is a huge advantage, but now we await the game against Manchester United at home because that will be a another big test.”
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The two title contenders will go head to head at 4pm on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.
With Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen both missing because of injury, it was Celtic centre-back Dedryck Boyata that started between Tottenham Hotspur duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen at the heart of the Belgium defence in their 3-0 win against Panama on Monday.
The 27-year-old, rated at £1.8m by Transfermarkt, may not have expected to play too much at the 2018 World Cup when Roberto Martinez named his squad, but he certainly impressed in his latest performance and may well be confident of keeping his place in the XI for the Red Devils’ upcoming fixtures against Tunisia and England.
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The Bhoys defender’s dominant display at the back may not have gone unnoticed by any clubs looking for a new centre-back this summer, given he could also be available on the cheap this summer given he only has a year remaining on his contract with the Scottish Premiership holders.
Everton, whose fans hate the idea of siging a 26-year-old target following his opening World Cup performance, are one Premier League side that will be looking for a new player in that position this summer with Phil Jagielka no longer good enough to be starting on a regular basis and the futures of Ramiro Funes Mori and Ashley Williams in doubt, and Boyata could be a bargain buy for the Toffees.
The 6ft 2in defender won eight aerial duels against the Central American nation, as well as making one clearance and one interception, while he showed his quality on the ball with a passing accuracy of 91%, as per WhoScored.com.
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Marco Silva may well be looking for a dominant defender to partner Michael Keane for the Merseyside outfit in the upcoming season, and the Celtic man could be a shock, but inspired, addition.
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Mathieu Debuchy’s Arsenal career came to an end on transfer deadline day in January as he signed for French outfit Saint-Etienne.
The Premier League club announced the transfer on their official website on January 31.
Debuchy had six months left to run on his deal at the Emirates, but it was cancelled in order to allow the right-back to move on.
The Frenchman moved to the Emirates in 2014 from Newcastle United, but injuries played a big part in his decline at the North London outfit.
In total, the 32-year-old made just 29 appearances across a three-and-a-half-year spell.
This season, Debuchy featured just seven times, but none of those outings were in the Premier League.
Since returning to France, the former Lille player has admitted that he was denied a move to Manchester United.
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While speaking to RMC, the right-back admitted that he was fuming with manager Arsene Wenger for preventing him from moving to Old Trafford.
“I would have liked to have left Arsenal earlier and to have played for a different club. There were moments when I was angry with the manager. There was an approach from Manchester United and he did not want me to leave.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will continue to focus on young players, despite being given a £100million transfer kitty this summer.
ESPN are reporting that Stan Kroenke will allow the French manager to spend a £100million on new players next season, in a bid to get Arsenal to the top of the Premier League. The Gunners spent the early months of the season at the summit of the table, but are now 7 points adrift of Liverpool in 1st with 6 games remaining.
Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas were all youngsters given a chance by Wenger, and the Frenchman said he intends to find other youngsters who will develop into top players: “They [academy graduates] think the club has given them a chance so they want to give something back as well,” Wenger told the Arsenal website. “It has to work both ways, but we want to be the ones who give a chance.
“It’s one of the values of our club. We want to be very successful without neglecting the need to give a chance to people. I want it to be part of our tradition and I also want to develop a spirit inside the club that makes the young players be faithful to this club.
“It’s a big mental test for the [young] players because you see how they resist stress, how they can deal with the pressure and how they can be committed in a very demanding environment. These kinds of qualities you discover only when you play the players. Of course, it’s an early test that not everybody can take on. Some fail, but the strong ones just feel they belong there.”
Many Arsenal fans were calling for Wenger to be sacked at the start of the season, but the Frenchman has stayed put, and has guided the club to a FA Cup semi-final appearance at Wembley.
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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted that Javier Hernandez’s performance against Braga has given him a selection headache.
The Mexican striker netted twice as United came back from a two-goal deficit against the Portuguese team in their Champions League tie.
Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney appear to be Fergie’s first choice strikers in the Premier League, but the Scotsman has admitted that Hernandez’s performance may cause him to rethink his best XI:
“He (Hernandez) has got me thinking. Him, Van Persie, Rooney… I don’t know what to do with them to be honest.” He told ITV after the game.
The 24-year-old front-man was an instant success in his first season at Old Trafford, but with the summer arrival of Van Persie he has slipped down the pecking order.
Hernandez has made five Premier League appearances so far this term netting one goal, but his displays have come largely from the bench.
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With United far from struggling for goals having notched 21 in the league, the highest of any team, it’s unclear as to whether the hit-man will be called upon for United’s next encounter, away at Chelsea.
By all accounts, Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles is a wanted man this summer.
Indeed, if recent reports are to be believed, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are all interested in signing the centre-back ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Lascelles was certainly impressive at St James’ Park last season, and he can count himself unfortunate to have missed out on a spot in the England squad for the 2018 World Cup.
According to the London Evening Standard, it might well cost interested clubs as much as £45m to land Lascelles in this summer’s transfer window.
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Newcastle are desperate to keep hold of their captain this summer, but it is going to prove difficult to hold off the interest if the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton decide to start putting serious offers on the table.
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That said, the Newcastle supporters are confident that Lascelles will still be with the club entering the 2017-18 campaign.
Indeed, the fans have been reacting to the latest developments on social media, and a selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: