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Newcastle United’s reported January target Kevin Gameiro, valued at £18m according to Transfermarkt, started and scored in Atletico Madrid’s 4-1 win against FC Copenhagen in the last 32 of the Europa League on Thursday night, and despite his success in that competition the Magpies should still consider making a move for him in the summer – if they stay up.

The Express were one of a number of media outlets claiming that the Tyneside outfit were lining up a deal to bring the Frenchman to St James’ Park during the January transfer window, as Rafa Benitez was desperate to sign a striker before the deadline.

A move never materialised though, and despite the fact that he started alongside Antoine Griezmann and scored against the Danish outfit on Thursday, he has been an unused substitute in their previous three La Liga matches.

That suggests that Gameiro, whose contract is due to expire in 2020, is still relatively out of favour under Diego Simeone for the La Liga giants, and an exit could still be on the cards for him in the summer.

With Islam Slimani only on loan from Leicester City until the end of the season and no permanent deal on the table for the 29-year-old as of yet, Benitez may well be looking for a new striker once again in the summer if his side retain their Premier League status, and rekindling a move for Gameiro could be an attractive option.

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The Frenchman showed the quality he has in his locker on Thursday and with Sevilla previously, and he could prove to be a succcess in the Premier League given the ability that he clearly has.

Tottenham Hotspur paid Roma a hefty £25.8 Million fee for Erik Lamela last year after the promising 22 year old Argentinian winger made a lot of waves in his career with two impressive seasons in Italy.

Having spent his youth at Argentinian side River plate he went on to attract a lot of attention from the European media after scoring a bag full of goals for the youth team in 2004 as a 12 year old. He created similar waves in Europe to his compatriot Lionel Messi who went on to play for Barcelona and has become the best player in the world.

He made his senior début in June 2009 and went on to score four goals in thirty-seven appearances for the first-team before making a move to Italian side Roma, where he spent another two seasons and scored nineteen goals in sixty-two appearances. He caught the eye of many clubs and continued to show a lot of promise as a youngster not only for his club but at international level; to date his has made seven appearances for his country and has an international senior goal to his name already. He had a fantastic spell in Rome earning himself a five year contract with them and playing some top class football which saw him create and score some vital goals in very important games for the Italian side.

Lamela, best known for his sublime dribbling and passing ability, looked like he would be a great addition for any top team and eventually found his way to Tottenham, who paid quite a large but justified price tag for the whiz kid who himself said he wanted to follow in Maradona’s footsteps. After add-ons he became (at the time) the most expensive player in the club’s history, breaking records which had been set earlier in the same transfer window by Paulinho and Soldado – it was a famously expensive summer for the North London side who spent a whopping £100 Million on players and completely revamped their squad. Erik went on to make his debut for Spurs as a 75th minute substitute against Arsenal who beat his new side on the day in a one nil victory then went on to register his first start for the side in the Europa League and got his first assist, providing a goal for Jermain Defoe in a three nil victory over Tromso IL at White Hart Lane. Early signs showed a lot of promise for the youngster and it looked like he would slot in well and continue impressing with his football for his new club, but that never seemed to fall into place for him with Villas-Boas not giving him a Premier League start and saying that the player would have to compete for his place in the starting line up and wasn’t producing half of what he was capable of producing. Even under care taker boss Tim Sherwood, the player couldn’t really find a consistent starting place in the team making the odd start here and there before a back injury terminated his season early.

The player didn’t live up to his price tag in his first season with Tottenham,  and it must have been a frustrating period in the youngster’s career in England, not just for him but for the fans as well who would have expected big things from someone who carried such a hefty price tag.

This season however, he is under yet another new manager with Pochettino and he looks to have fitted in perfectly to his new manager’s team and plans, with his first start of the season coming as early as the first game of the season against West Ham before appearing off the bench against AEL away, providing assists for Soldado and Harry Kane and two further assists in the following game where his side demolished Premiership new boys QPR.

He finally looks like he is justifying his big transfer fee, and I think that under his new manager he is going to keep on shining and improving game by game. The gaffer has already stated that he will be giving the player his chance to prove what quality he possesses and he wants his whole team to play exciting football, saying this in a recent interview : “For me, it is about exciting football, pressing high, playing with flair – this is our philosophy that we want to get down. We want to put all these things in place.” And it seems that Lamela is the perfect candidate to bring that sort of football to the table, as he has been known for it so far in his career wherever he has played and early signs so far this season show a lot of promising times lay ahead for him and his club. 

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I think that Spurs fans will be very pleased with what they have got with Lamela and will enjoy seeing him perform on the pitch. His contribution this season will certainly be a vast improvement on last season’s and he could well help the team to find the back of the net and get the goals that count in aiming for that golden fourth place finish in May.

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Draw specialists Stoke and Sunderland played out a dull goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium that did nothing to improve either clubs league position.

The Potters have now drawn six of their nine matches this season, the same number as Martin O’Neill’s side who have played a game less, and remain entrenched in the mid-section of the table.

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet made a number of crucial saves to ensure the Black Cats return to Wearside with a point but they have won just once in 16 games, a run stretching back to last season.

A stunning double stop from Mignolet was the highlight of the first half, as he did brilliantly to turn Charlie Adam’s free kick onto the bar before diving to keep out Ryan Shawcross’ followup.

Opposite number Asmir Begovic enjoyed a trouble free afternoon in the home goal as Sunderland continued their struggles on the road, with their last away success coming at the Britannia on 4 February.

The Bosnian did have to be on his toes to cut out Craig Gardner’s low cross before Jack Colback could make contact but rarely had to exert himself. Play was held up for five minutes after the break as Marc Wilson recieved treatment for a shin injury before being stretchered off and replaced by Andy Wilkinson.

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The visitors threatened towards the end through and thought they should have been awarded a penalty after Steven Fletcher’s shot struck Robert Huth on the arm, but referee Mark Halsey was having none of it.

Huth then drew another fabulous save from Mignolet before Michael Kightly squandered a good opportunity to snatch victory for Stoke deep into injury time.

Nottingham Forest boss Aitor Karanka is attempting to shape a team that can challenge for Premier League promotion this season.

Numerous transfer targets have entered the fray, and one of those was Aston Villa’s Alan Hutton, who was due to become a free agent next month.

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For months it seemed that the defender’s time at Villa Park was coming to an end, which appeared to have alerted Forest.

The Nottingham Post reported on Tuesday that the Reds had offered Hutton a two-year contract, and all indications were that a deal could go through.

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However, in a big twist on Thursday, Villa announced via their official website that the full-back has signed a one-year contract extension.

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This means that Forest are back to square one, but the blow was softened by the news that Portuguese pair Joao Carvalho and Diogo Goncalves have put pen to paper.

Some fans, though, were left frustrated by the failed Hutton pursuit, while others feel that it is no great loss.

Who is Sardar Azmoun?

The 23-year-old is a striker who is currently enjoying his second spell with the Russian side, Rubin Kazan. Indeed, the forward spent three seasons with Rostov – Kazan’s rivals in the Russian Premier League. During his time with Rostov, the forward amassed a commendable total of 25 goals in 77 appearances.

Additionally, he is incredibly popular with Iran’s national team. Despite his age, Azmoun is Iran’s fifth highest goalscorer of all time. In 30 appearances for his country, the Iranian has scored a stunning 22 goals.

What would he bring?

The forward is primarily regarded for his proficiency when competing in aerial duels. Moreover, he is an incredibly capable finisher.

He is renowned for being a threat when set-pieces are being played, and he has also displayed a tendency to dribble and produce intelligent flick-ons.

While he may not be of sufficient quality to start for Liverpool, he would certainly be a useful option for Klopp to bring on from the bench.

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Considering Azmoun’s age, he is far from reaching the pinnacle of his career, and a move for the forward could be a useful investment from the Reds’ perspective.

Manchester United announced their second major transfer coup in Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, although the move has been coming for a while.

Linked since the end of last season, Man United fans can now officially call Shaw one of their own after completing a massive £30million move from the Saint Mary’s.

The 18-year-old starlet joins Ander Herrera, who arrived from Athletic Bilbao only last week.

But what does Manchester United see in such a young player to justify his hefty pricetag?

Here are FIVE REASONS to be excited about new Man United signing Luke Shaw.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON LUKE SHAW TO SEE THE FULL LIST!

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5. Shaw is still extremely young

Imagine what you were doing when you were 18. Well Shaw became the youngest Southampton player to start in the Premier League, is now the most expensive defender in British history, and has featured for England in the World Cup.

If Shaw can continue his amazing rise to stardom at Manchester United, then the Red Devils will have a world-class left back that can occupy the position for a generation.

Some critics and former players have even praised him as to being better than Gareth Bale, and if so, would mean that £30million would be just 1/3 of his value in the future.

4. He likes to bomb forward

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Luke Shaw, although considered a left-back, sometimes plays more like a left winger than he does a defender. The Englishman likes to bomb forward, doing all he can to help his team-mates score a goal.

Although he only managed one assist last season, Shaw made a total of 142 – around four per game – crosses last season. If your side-backs are able to get that many crosses, it means he has the ability to beat his marker to do so.

Which leads to…

3. Shaw is an exceptional dribbler

Out of all the top left-backs in the Premier League, Luke Shaw has beaten more players in one-on-one situations than any other.

Defenders trying to keep a Man United side at bay will already be having a hard-time marking the usual threats of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. With Shaw also an option marauding down the left, the task of keeping the Red Devils from scoring would almost be impossible.

2. If United didn’t buy him, he’ll be joining a rival

£30million may sound like a lot for a defender, but if the Red Devils didn’t make an early move, he could very well be announced as Ashley Cole’s Chelsea replacement.

Luke Shaw is a known Chelsea fan, publically expressing his desire to one day pay for the Blues. Shaw signing for Chelsea would be nothing less of disastrous, as seen when Cole signed for Chelsea which led to consistent years of glory.

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And with Shaw could follow several other youngsters, who are already looking to emulate his fame.

1. Luke Shaw is English

When was the last time you heard that an English player is set to become one of the world’s best? With England’s recent failings in international competitions, the massive transfer for Shaw represents the Three Lions now following in the path of their national rivals in developing grassroots football.

We are seeing a rise of young English players that now look to take over the so called ‘Golden Generation’, players that show excitement and hunger we haven’t witnessed in quite a while. If Manchester United – the Premier League’s most successful club – are willing to spend £30million for an 18-year-old Englishman, it means the future is looking bright for English football.

Here is finally potential proof that possibly sometime soon, EPL clubs do not have to pay massive amounts for a foreign player, but instead scout them from within England.

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It’s time for UEFA to tackle racism properly once and for all and after another ugly incident overshadowed England under 21’s victory in Serbia.

A series of pitiful fines and inept warnings have meant a minority of fans in some nations have got away with metaphoric murder at the expense of innocent footballers. A footballer should be able to step out onto a pitch to do his job without being subjected to racist chants and having missiles launched in his direction. Jordan Henderson said, “There was a lot of racist abuse out there from the stands and a lot going on after the game.

“There were also stones, coins and seats getting thrown at us,” (BBC). This brutal incident of fan trouble is not the first incident involving unruly Serbian fans. In 2007 Serbian fans singled out Nedum Onouha for racial chants during an England under 21 fixture and received a mere £16,000 fine. With this not the first incident involving Serbian troublemakers it is time to send a real message out, ban them. If Serbia are withdrawn from international competition then maybe those who do cause trouble will think twice before next acting in such a vile way, or maybe those who remain silent around them will act more vigilantly in stopping these despicable acts.

UEFA’s punishment of racism has been farcical and now is the time for change, Porto were fined a mere £16,400 for racially abusing Mario Balotelli in a Europa League clash. The same governing body then charged Nicklas Bendtner £80,000 for having Paddy Power written on his boxers. If Serbia were banned from all international fixtures for at least a tournament it would send a strong message across the globe that racism is not tolerated in football. Banning one of Europe’s stronger nation’s from all international competition would send a strong message out to fans from other countries who England have had deal with poisonous chants before. If Serbia are made an example of the minority who have tarnished Bulgaria vs. England and Spain vs. England matches in the past might get the message.

This unfortunate volatile fixture can hopefully act as the catalyst to new tougher regulations from football’s governing body, as enough is enough, this can’t go on.

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Javier Hernandez was a part of the Mexico side that recorded a 1-0 win over Germany at the 2018 World Cup on Sunday afternoon.

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And he played a key role in the victory having set up teammate Hirving Lozano for the only goal of the match in the first period.

Hernandez entered this summer’s tournament off the back of a frustrating season at West Ham United, with Marko Arnautovic taking his spot in the team in the latter stages of the campaign.

The 30-year-old still managed eight Premier League goals during the 2017-18 season, however, and there are suggestions that new West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini wants the striker to be a key part of his team next season.

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The West Ham fans have been discussing Hernandez on social media, and many still cannot understand why the striker was left out of the starting XI for periods of last season.

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That said, there are also those who feel that Arnautovic is the better option at centre-forward due to his overall game, which is superior in the eyes of many.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the West Ham supporters can be seen below:

Few teams in Europe boast the same quality and depth at full-back as Tottenham Hotspur. Despite losing Kyle Walker to Manchester City during the summer, Mauricio Pochettino still has two fantastic options for either side of the pitch.

That, however, does leave the Spurs boss with key selection decisions to make for every game, so we decided to take the responsibility away from Pochettino earlier this week and give it to Lilywhites supporters – asking them whether Danny Rose or Ben Davies should start at left-back.

And although it remains to be seen if the dynamic England international is fit enough to be involved on Sunday, the slightest majority of Tottenham fans – 53% – want him to replace Davies, who started last time out against Manchester United, for the Anfield clash  – according to our poll.

The Wales international, who Transfermarkt value at £16.2million, has featured more frequently this season due to Rose’s injury problems but it appears Tottenham fans still prefer the 27-year-old at No.3.

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Gus Poyet hopes Connor Wickham will be like a new signing for Sunderland, having recalled the England Under-21 striker from a loan spell at Leeds United, according to the Guardian.

Wickham has struggled at the Stadium of Light since completing a £12million move from Ipswich Town three years ago.

He has managed just one Premier League goal during his Black Cats career so far, but does not turn 21 until next Monday.

And Poyet is hoping Wickham can start to fulfill his potential as his Sunderland side look to avoid relegation over the final few weeks of the season, starting with the game against Liverpool at Anfield tonight.

“We need a big impact now,” said the Uruguayan, whose side have not won a Premier League game since the 3-0 win over Newcastle at St James’ Park on February 1.

“We need something to happen to change the mood.

“If you were in a lower division, you’d probably look to sign a player on loan to have an impact. Another club might sack their manager and bring in another one, although I obviously hope that doesn’t happen here. But it’s that type of thing we need.

“We need something to happen, and I need to find that season-changing moment. Between the Liverpool game and Monday against West Ham at home, I have to find something.

“It could be Connor Wickham because there is a big possibility he will start at Liverpool. Connor’s going to get a great chance now.

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“I would like Connor to look at this as though we have just signed him for the first time. He’s a new player, nobody knows him, and he’s a young English striker with incredible powers.

“He’s coming to help us get away from relegation. If he has that impact, that will be fantastic. It will be the ‘bang’ we need.”

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