Whether he’s loved or hated, fans can’t deny that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy certainly has a nose for a profit. Snatching up Dele Alli for a mere £5million five years ago is one great example of his business savvy choices. Another is his decision to cash in on Spurs reject Kevin Wimmer, who surprisingly brought in 318% more than the initial £4.3million they paid for him.
The centre-back’s career in north London lasted just two years before Spurs moved him on. He made a total of 31 appearances, often finding himself out of favour under former manager Mauricio Pochettino (via Transfermarkt). Wimmer only played 15 Premier League matches before Levy and co decided his time in the white and blue of Tottenham was up.
Spurs pocketed huge profit on Wimmer
The castaway Spurs defender was valued at just £6.3million during his last season with the Premier League side. Stoke City came knocking and forked out £18million to bring him to the bet365 Stadium in 2o17 – his move saw his Transfermarkt value hit a huge spike, but this would prove to be a mere smokescreen before a big decline.
After just one season with the Potters, Wimmer left the club on loan to join Hannover 96, followed by another temporary spell away from the Championship side as he joined Belgian team Mouscron. His back-to-back loan stints have harmed his position with Stoke as he now finds himself out of favour at yet another club. Wimmer is yet to make a senior appearance for Stoke this season and has instead been demoted to the reserve league, despite being 28 years of age.
His market value has also dropped dramatically and he is now worth a reported £1.8million – a mammoth plummet from what Spurs pocketed for his sale three years ago.
With just two years left on his contract, it looks likely that the Potters will simply allow his deal to run down and take a hit on his £18million transfer. Quite the opposite of the position Spurs are in after Levy’s clever deal.
In other news, Spurs have perfect chance to offload Dele Alli as Leeds are linked…
Despite producing a resilient display last weekend – particularly in the first-half – West Brom opened up their return to the Premier League with a 3-0 defeat at home to Leicester.
The Baggies held firm for 56 minutes before Timothy Castagne fired Brendan Rodgers’ side in front, and a couple of penalties from Jamie Vardy late on sealed the deal.
Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?
A mid-week Carabao Cup win over Harrogate Town would surely have boosted the confidence inside the camp, and Slaven Bilic may already be contemplating making some important changes from the line-up that started against Leicester.
Below is a look how West Brom could play against Everton on early Saturday afternoon.
Sam Johnstone is sure to resume his duties as first-choice goalkeeper at Goodison Park, with David Button dropping to the bench following his involvement in the Carabao Cup in mid-week.
Tactically, Bilic may look to ditch the five-man defence that he employed against Leicester, and instead go with a regular back-four – a switch that saw them clinch a 3-0 win over Harrogate.
If that’s the case, Semi Ajayi could be the man to make way and lose his starting spot from last weekend, with the Baggies boss favouring Darnell Furlong, Kyle Bartley, Dara O’Shea and Kieran Gibbs.
In midfield, Romaine Sawyers was arguably the worst of the bunch in the defeat to Leicester, with West Brom fans making their frustrations clear on Twitter after the game.
Bilic could make a real statement by dropping him to the bench, replacing him in the starting line-up with starlet Rekeem Harper, who scored on Wednesday.
And whilst Callum Robinson may have not netted on the opening day, Bilic is likely to retain his confidence in the former Sheffield United man, and could help him out immeasurably by choosing to play Hal Robson-Kanu alongside him – another who scored in that victory over Harrogate.
Momentum will undoubtedly be key, and choosing to go more attacking and adventurous in his team selection could see West Brom pick up their first league points of the season on Saturday.
West Ham United are in need of defensive reinforcements quickly with the season just a mere two weeks away, and fresh reports may have opened to door for that to happen…
What’s the word?
According to Cadena SER, reported Irons target Samuel Umtiti could have his contract cancelled at Barcelona as they look to shift him from the wage bill this summer.
It’s claimed that no club has come forward with an offer for the 26-year-old but it remains to be seen how likely this is given he has a contract until 2023.
The Hammers were linked with interest back in July by Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness). Umtiti is now valued at £28.8m by Transfermarkt.
Fills a need, for free?
David Moyes could do with another centre-back if West Ham are to avoid another relegation battle this season with the futures of Winston Reid and Fabian Balbuena up in the air; Angelo Ogbonna isn’t getting any younger at 32 and Issa Diop could miss the opener through injury.
Splashing in excess of £25m on Umtiti wouldn’t be a wise move whatsoever, but if he becomes available for free, then it’ll make the world of difference.
It means the club’s hierarchy will only have to fork out on his wages, which are currently reported to be around £210k-per-week but given his injury troubles, he may well have to accept a lower amount if he’s to be given an opportunity.
The 26-year-old played 19 times this season and averaged 2.4 clearances, 1.7 interceptions and an impressive 92.4% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.
Ex-Barca defender Eric Abidal once claimed that Umtiti was “a world-class player” whilst current teammate Sergio Busquets lauded him as someone with “great potential”.
The World Cup winner has always been a player that has read the game well but injuries have hindered his playing time severely, so perhaps a move elsewhere is exactly what he needs to become revitalised.
He’d help fill a crucial need at the London Stadium, but it’s only worth it if he becomes available for free.
AND in other news, West Ham signing “special” £16m star could help bring the best out of Haller…
After 30 years of ups and downs, nearly’s and maybe’s – Liverpool have finally achieved their long-awaited desire to win the Premier League title.
It is safe to say the Red’s did it in style as well, winning the trophy with a staggering 18 point lead over second-place Manchester City – but what happened in that time for the club to achieve such an impossible feat? From incredible goals to surprise standouts, we’ll be looking at the highlights of Klopp’s team this season, from their player of the season to the defining moment, all the way down to their signing of the season.
This campaign has been jam-packed with high’s and low’s, and even a three-month sabbatical due to COVID-19, but this didn’t stop one of the clubs best seasons in their history. Now sit down and enjoy, as we give Liverpool’s title-winning campaign a FootballFanCast review for the ages…
Player of the Season – Sadio Mané
The Senegalese starlet has been incredible since joining the club in 2016, and marked the beginning of Klopp’s tenure at the club, having developed into one of the best players in the world.
With 18 goals and 7 assists this season, Mané has been incredibly important in Liverpool’s surge for the title, coming up with some important goals in the clubs run.
It would be easy to nominate Mohamed Salah or Jordan Henderson as Liverpool’s player of the season, but Mané has proven this year he is just as important as any in this Liverpool team.
Goal of the Season – Mo Salah vs Newcastle, Nov 10th ’19
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With 85 incredible goals to choose from this season, it has proved difficult to name just one as the Reds’ goal of the season – but these decisions have to be made, and Mo Salah’s effort against Newcastle at home back in November has just nipped it for me.
Fabinho’s pass to Salah, who plays it into Firmino – in which the Brazilian shows of his samba and produces one of the most tantalising flicks you’ll ever see in a 1-2 back to the Egyptian, who drives forward into the box and makes the most acute finish across Dubravka into the bottom right corner.
Simply put, wow.
Breakthrough Player – Curtis Jones
This seemed an easy decision overall. The young scouser has been introduced to the best team in the league, and it was obvious that an opportunity to play was going to be difficult given the caliber of players at Liverpool’s disposal.
Despite this, Jones has proven he is a talented young player, and many Reds fans will be willing him on to become an important part of the team in years to come.
With a cracking goal against rivals Everton in the FA Cup in January, as well as scoring his first Premier League goal vs Aston Villa at the beginning of July – Jones has proven to be the club’s breakthrough player of this campaign.
Flop of the Season – Divock Origi
Before we break this one down, it is key to point out that not really any of the players at Liverpool have been a flop this season given it has been their best ever in the club’s history, totaling a club record 99 points and winning their first league title in 30 years – but a decision has to be made, and given the Belgian producing some big goals in big games, he’s been rather poor overall.
With just 4 goals in 28 league appearances, Origi has never quite met the expectations that many fans have expected of him, hence his inclusion as the club’s flop of the season.
Defining Moment – 2-1 win vs Aston Villa, Nov 2nd ’19
Liverpool’s comeback against the Villans back in November of last year proved Klopp’s men meant business, and their fight for the title was far from over.
The win saw the Reds move to six points clear from second place Man City after just 11 games, and in previous seasons Liverpool probably would have gone on to lose games such as that, but this season was different. The squad had a hunger and desire, having cruelly missed out on the title last season by one point.
This late comeback showed a side to Klopp’s team that proved they were destined to win the title this year and was my defining moment for the club this campaign.
Signing of the Season – Adrian
There had been a lack of arrivals at the beginning of the season for Liverpool, with just Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg looking like the only signings during the summer transfer window – this was until the departure of Simon Mignolet at the beginning of August, which saw the former West Ham goalkeeper join the Reds on a free transfer.
The Spaniard’s arrival proved to be as important as any, with Alisson coming off in Liverpool’s first game of the season after just 40 minutes against Norwich – which saw Adrian go on to play the next seven league games, winning all seven and keeping two clean sheets.
Hit Expectations? YES
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Overall, Klopp and his players have been astronomical this season, and have more than hit any expectations of themselves this season.
It was clear that the club’s aim was to win the title this year, but they went above and beyond in the way in which they did so.
An 18 point lead with 99 points in total, winning 32 out of their 38 league games, winning the title with seven games still to play – the city of Liverpool will forever be indebted to the German and what he has done for the club, and all eyes will be looking toward next season, and the clubs attempt at retaining the coveted Premier League title.
Crystal Palace have seen some incredible talent come through their ranks over the years with the likes of Jon Bostock and Victor Moses springing to mind and although the latter is only one that has come close to fulfilling their undoubted potential; neither have the mercurial talents of Wilfried Zaha.
Despite a brief stint at Manchester United, Zaha has been Palace’s best player for the past decade without question and every transfer window he is subject to multiple transfer bids. None of them ever meet Steve Parish’s asking price; therefore the Ivory Coast international forever remains at Selhurst Park.
So how much do Palace fans know about Wilfried Zaha’s career at Palace? This will test even the most knowledgeable of supporters.
Liverpool fans can only be cursing their bad luck that a worldwide pandemic would come when their first league title in 30 years was all but inevitable.
The Reds are currently top of the Premier League table by a huge 25 points – the biggest such margin in the division’s history. That means they are just six points and two wins away from confirming their status as champions – yet the current situation has thrown that into doubt.
There may be some good news for match-going fans, at least. On Monday, the Anfield outfit announced that season ticket renewals have been suspended, and that the price for tickets next season will be frozen. They have also said that if the games need to be played behind closed doors, all tickets will be refunded.
It seems the supporters are very happy with this update. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.
Despite arriving in a big-money deal from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Naby Keita has struggled to make a genuine impression at Liverpool.
The Guinea international has played 51 times for the Reds, scoring just six times and providing only two assists, and this year has been a particularly difficult one.
Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?
The midfielder has played just 18 matches across all competitions this season, with only nine of those coming in the Premier League – injuries playing a big part in stopping Jurgen Klopp from playing him more.
And Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on the former Leipzig ace, and some of them have tipped him to eventually come good at Anfield.
One Liverpool fan even suggested that if his former teammate at Leipzig, Timo Werner, joined, then their link-up could be something to watch out for at Anfield.
At only 25, Keita still has plenty of time on his side to turn things around on Merseyside.
But with niggling injuries continuing to disrupt his ability to play in a consistent run of games, there will be major questions as to whether Klopp can continue to persist with him or whether they should just simply cut their losses.
Judging by the reaction of some of these Liverpool fans, Keita deserves a second chance.
Manchester United have been handed a major blow in the race to sign Jadon Sancho this summer.
Recent reports claimed Borussia Dortmund have rejected an opening offer of £89m from the Red Devils.
However, that doesn’t appear to be the case. According to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, Man United have not launched a bid for Sancho. Furthermore, the two clubs haven’t even held formal talks over a possible transfer as of yet.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear Sancho is the signing he needs to revamp the Red Devils in time for the 2020/21 Premier League season.
Dortmund have reportedly been preparing for his potential departure, as they have been eyeing up Werder Bremen’s Milot Rashica as an ideal replacement, but the fact that the two sides have not entered negotiations suggests otherwise.
The Bundesliga challengers are ready to let him leave for the right price. Nevertheless, they seem to be in no rush to sell their star player.
Sancho, 20, scored 20 goals and supplied 18 assists in all competitions the 19/20 campaign(via WhoScored).
Dortmund have issued United an ultimatum of August 10 to reach an agreement as the German giants are playing hardball over the England international.
With the deadline fast approaching, Ed Woodward will have to work quickly if he wants to sign Sancho in the summer. The fact there are just two weeks left is rather foreboding as the club have not opened official discussion as it stands.
Solskjaer will want a deal wrapped as quickly as possible as he is keen to add to his firepower before the start of next season. Most importantly, he will not want to miss out on his top target, after he failed to sign Erling Braut Haaland from RB Salzburg, as he ended up at the Signal Iduna Park instead.
The Norwegian has already done the hard part after the Red Devils secured a spot in the Champions League by beating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium. Everything ultimately rests on Woodward’s shoulders and fans should expect plenty of twists and turns as the transfer window heats up.
United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!
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…
Santi Cazorla has insisted that Arsenal can thrive under Unai Emery while speaking about his former club to The Independent.
What did he say?
Cazorla, who won Arsenal’s Player of the Year for the 2006/07 season, was discussing the fortunes of his former club which he has come to “miss everything about”.
The Spaniard played a total of 180 games for the Gunners, scoring 29 goals and adding 45 assists throughout his career in red and white.
Now, looking at the club from the outside in, having moved to Villarreal in 2018, Santi Cazorla has insisted they can thrive under their current manager, as reported by The Independent.
“Unai Emery is a good coach and it’s a very good team, I watch them play often, but he needs time, it’s a new generation and it’s very difficult to compete against teams like Man City and Liverpool.
“It’s difficult to know [why the club has stalled]. They have the players, they have the fans, the stadium, they have everything to do it but they have to believe it.”
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Overcoming struggles
This message comes while Arsenal are enduring a run of five games without a win in all competitions, which includes draws against Crystal Palace and Vitoria de Guimaraes.
It is also a time where Emery is under severe pressure, with plenty of fans, and even some former players, claiming it is time for the Spaniard to go.
However, it seems as though the former Sevilla boss will be staying firmly put, which angered fans, so he will likely be thankful for the support of a popular figure like Cazorla.
With fans now able to put high levels of pressure on figures at Arsenal, Emery can use all the support available to him.
Arsenal’s next four Premier League games come against Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion, Norwich City and West Ham United, who are all in the bottom half of the table, so this is arguably Emery’s best possible chance to turn things around.
Despite Arsenal currently experiencing their worst start to a league season for over 30 years, a tweet from the club celebrating former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann’s birthday has proven to be a source of some positivity amongst a number of fans; despite the difficult predicament that Unai Emery’s side currently find themselves in.
Lehmann, who made 148 Premier League appearances for the Gunners across a five-year spell, won the league title and the FA Cup during his time in north London – accolades that the club’s fanbase could seemingly only dream of under the current regime and with Emery in charge of the side.
Although Lehmann’s time with the club and the present-day display a clear disparity, there can be no doubting that these fans were quick to celebrate their former man’s birthday.
Following an official club tweet, here are some of the best reactions to Arsenal’s birthday post for their former shot-stopper.