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At the beginning of the week, Sky Sports came together to list their best signings of the season. Speaking to pundits, Ron Walker was under the opinion that Wolves’ Raul Jimenez deserved to be in the conversation.

What’s been said?

A major reason behind Walker’s claims appears to be just how pivotal he has been to the Midlands club fantastic season, with Nuno Santo’s men sitting in seventh.

Signing on loan from Benfica, he has been a revelation but despite a slow start to the campaign, the Sky Sports pundit has explained that his form over the middle months of the season means he’s been one of the best signings of 2018/19.

Here’s what Walker said about the Mexican striker.

“Despite scoring 82 goals on their way to promotion to the Premier League last season Wolves’ top-scoring striker, Leo Bonatini, netted only 12 times in all competitions. Enter stage left Raul Jimenez, the latest in a long line of imports from Portuguese clubs, and having a difficult time of it at domestic champions Benfica.

“A season-long loan to Molineux took its time to get going, with three goals in Jimenez’s first 13 Premier League games.

“But the Mexican has got his mojo back and his quality as a traditional number nine, as well as the 15 goals he has scored for his loan club, have both played a big part in their success this season.”

Is he right?

It’s incredibly hard not to admire the way Wolves have played this season. They’ve become one of the best teams to watch in the Premier League and are without a doubt one of the most impressive newly promoted sides ever seen.

Jimenez has played a major part in that and without him, Wolves would be far worse off. That means he should easily be in the discussion for the best new player to arrive in England’s top flight.

We’ve found Raul Jimenez’s No. 1 fan and… it’s a little scary. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

He hasn’t necessarily been the best signing this term but he’s scored some crucial goals this campaign which have made him an instant hit in Wolverhampton. Finding the net against Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea provides evidence of just how influential he’s been.

The players in behind the 27-year-old, such as Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves, means that he is able to flourish and the club simply has to make his temporary loan move into a permanent one this summer.

أكد البرتغالي جايمي باتشيكو المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، أنه يرغب في تحقيق هدفين خلال الفترة الحالية مع القلعة البيضاء.

وكان باتشيكو تولي قيادة الزمالك خلال الفترة الماضية، بعد رحيل الفرنسي باتريس كارتيرون، حيث تعادل في مباراة وحقق الفوز في مباراتين في الدوري، بجانب انتصار أمام سموحة في الكأس، والفوز في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا علي الرجاء.

وقال باتشيكو خلال مقطع فيديو أذاعته قناة الزمالك: “حلم الجماهير هو حلمنا وهو أن نحصد المركز الثاني في الدوري ونحقق دوري أبطال إفريقيا”.

وعن تأجيل مباراة الزمالك والرجاء في الإياب لدور نصف النهائي، أوضح: “بعيدًا عن أن التواريخ تغيرت أم لا، هذا لا يقصر على تركيزنا، ونستعد جيدًا للمباراة”.

طالع | رسميًا – كاف يعلن تأجيل مباراة الزمالك والرجاء

وواصل: “تأجيل لقاء الرجاء يساعدنا أكثر على نكون قريبين من بعضنا ونثق في الفوز، أطلب من الجماهير أن تثق فينا وسنعطي لهم السعادة والفرحة”.

وأتم: “الجهاز الفني وإدارة النادي واللاعبين مركزين، ولدينا هدف في المباريات المتبقية حتى نهاية الموسم”.

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Reports of Paul Pogba’s possible departure from Manchester United are heating up, so how could the Red Devils work his departure to their advantage?

What’s the story?

According to The Daily Star, Pogba has already told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he is leaving for Real Madrid this summer.

The report cites Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda as saying: “He has let Solskjaer know that he wants to go, he has been offered £500,000 pounds, but he wants to go and the signing is almost done.”

Meanwhile, The Mirror claim that James Rodriguez will be left looking for a new club this summer, as Bayern Munich will not make his loan move into a permanent one and Real Madrid do not want him back.

So, should the Red Devils ask for Rodriguez as part of any potential Pogba deal?

Who is your club’s worst ever January signing? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked theirs in the video below and they didn’t disappoint…

A long-running problem solved?

It goes without saying that the two players are completely different, and in no way, shape or form will Rodriguez replace the role Pogba played in Solskjaer’s team.

However, a switch to a 4-2-3-1 could accommodate the Colombian, while also solving a problem that multiple managers have had at Old Trafford in recent years – the lack of a dynamic, do-it-all midfielder.

Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho both suffered for a lack of midfield quality, but if the Red Devils play their cards right they may become more balanced without signing that box-to-box presence Solskjaer’s predecessors were crying out for.

By placing James in the number ten position, surrounded by the electric skill and pace of the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and potentially Jadon Sancho, Solskjaer could focus his two holding players more on the defensive side of the game.

This would in effect end the incessant and unsuccessful hunt for a true box-to-box midfielder, of which a world class one is extremely hard to find, because the 4-2-3-1 formation does not require one.

Defensive midfielders who read the game well and spray the ball about are a lot easier to find and cheaper to purchase, and they would of course allow James to do what he does best – score and assist goals.

If Pogba does leave this summer, getting some cash and a new number ten as part of the deal would surely soften the blow, and Solskjaer’s team may actually become more balanced as a result.

[ad_pod ]Sheffield United fans on Twitter have laughed off conspiracy theories invented by Leeds fans after their 3-0 win against Hull City.Leeds fans believe there was foul play at work as the Blades dispatched of Hull with ease as Sheffield born former goalkeeper George Long started between the sticks for the Tigers.Fans have accused the goalkeeper of throwing the game after the first three shots that Long faced found the back of the net including a 25-yard-screamer from David McGoldrick.Unsurprisingly Blades fans have laughed off this speculation and labelled it no more than a coping mechanism as Leeds now look unlikely to be promoted to the Premier League automatically this season.Fans of Marcelo Bielsa’s side seem to be losing the plot as the promise of promotion slips away from them with just a few games to go.On a day where Leeds lost and their closest rivals won Sheffield United fans have taken great pleasure in mocking the meltdown that the results have caused.Here’s the best of the reaction on Twitter…

تحدث سيد عبد الحفيظ مدير الكرة بالنادي الأهلي، عن تأهل فريقه للمباراة النهائية من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا عقب تخطيه منافسه الوداد المغربي في نصف النهائي.

وكان الأهلي قد صعد للمباراة النهائية من البطولة القارية بعد تخطيه عقبة الوداد بنتيجة 5-1 في مجموع لقائي ذهاب وإياب نصف النهائي.

وقال سيد عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات إذاعية عبر آثير “أون سبورت إف إم”: “الحمد لله فوز مهم في توقيت مهم وخضنا مشوارا صعبا بها ولكننا لم نفز بالبطولة حتى الآن”.

وتابع: “نحن اقتربنا جدًا والبطولة هذا العام مؤثرة وامتدت لعام وشهرين وأتمنى تحقيق حلم الجماهير بتحقيق اللقب”.

وأردف: “موسيماني مدرب الفريق رفض المخاطرة بمعلول في مباراة الوداد بعد شكواه من آلام الخلفية واللاعب أراد اللعب وهذا يدل على الروح والجماعية”.

وواصل: “معلول يعاني من إجهاد في العضلة الخلفية وبنسبة 90% سيتواجد في مران الغد، أما محمد الشناوي كان يعاني من آلام الضامة وعاد للمشاركة في مباراتي الوداد، وهو لم يطلب التغيير ولكن حرصًا على سلامته تم تغييره”.

وأضاف: “لم يتم إبلاغنا بموعد مباراة كأس مصر أمام أبو قير للأسمدة، وهناك اتجاه للدفع باللاعبين الشباب والبدلاء في مباراة طلائع الجيش المقبلة بالدوري ولكنه قرار فني للمدرب”.

ويستعد فريق الكرة بالأهلي لخوض مباراته الأخيرة بالدوري المصري أمام طلائع الجيش والمقررة يوم السبت المقبل.

طالع | مدرب الأهلي: صالح جمعة سيشارك في مباراة طلائع الجيش

وأكمل: “موسيماني يمتاز بأنه يحب إعطاء الفرص للجميع للمشاركة والإحساس بالأهمية والمشاركة في أي وقت ونحن لا نعلم من سيكون سبب الفوز باللقب القاري”.

واستطرد مدير الكرة بالأهلي: “كرة القدم بها متغيرات كثيرة وهذا ما نقوله للاعبين ومتأكد أن مروان وحسين الشحات لاعبان مميزان بشدة ولهما دور مؤثر مع الفريق”.

واختتم: “موسيماني يعمل طوال الوقت ولا يبخل بأي مجهود منذ يومه الأول، وأتمنى لعب النهائي في استاد القاهرة بالطبع”.

Man Utd have a rich history of developing young players, and on the 28th of February 2016, another young Red Devil made his first Premier League start. With Louis van Gaal’s team taking on Arsenal, the Dutch boss had a shortage of attackers, and he turned to a young Marcus Rashford in pursuit of glory against the Gunners.

What followed has since gone down as a huge moment in the modern history of the Red Devils, with Rashford emerging onto the Premier League scene with a bang. Scoring two goals, he was later nominated as the Man of the Match, and unsurprisingly, lots of Man Utd fans hailed their new boy wonder.

Sometimes, initial impressions can be deceiving. There have been countless players that have made one fantastic appearance as a youngster and failed to follow it up with further quality. After all, it’s easy to make an initial impression; it’s a different task entirely to keep it long-term.

Loads of Man Utd fans were quick to pass judgement on Rashford, touting him as the next big thing in England, and in hindsight, they weren’t wrong.

The attacker is now a regular at Old Trafford, and he’s apparently on the verge of earning a contract worth an astonishing £300,000-per-week. Not bad for a player that was originally brought in just to plug a gap.

It’s a testament to not only his quality, but also the power of the Man Utd Academy. There’s clearly so much talent there, and Rashford serves as evidence for the suggestion that all a player needs is a chance. In a period of one game, Rashford went from an unknown to a Premier League wonderkid – and now he’s taken it to the next level.

Who knows how far he will go. He’s got all the tools to make it to the top. And the signs were there when he made his Premier League debut against Arsenal just over three years ago.

Man Utd fans – what were your first impressions of Rashford? What is next for him? Let us know below!

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Hector Bellerin has sent Arsenal fans wild with a genuinely inspiring quote, posted on the club’s official Twitter account.

The Gunners right-back has been on the sidelines for the majority of this season after sustaining a number of injury problems.

A cruciate ligament injury suffered versus Chelsea in January has ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign but he has maintained a prolific online presence.

And on Monday, the Spaniard told the club’s official Twitter account: “I know it’s comfortable to sit at home and stay with your family and friends and not worry about anything.

“But with the platform we have, we should be the people that scream at the social issues and put them out there so as a society we can move forward.”

The quote has seen many Arsenal fans profess their love for a player who, at the age of 24, appears to understand the many challenges faced by the average football fan.

Bellerin made a donation of over £19,000 to help victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and spoke out about his experience of homophobia in football in 2018.

His latest foray into goodwill and social issues saw an outpouring of affection from Gunners supporters on Twitter. Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

What’s more surprising that being the shock FA Cup winners? Getting to the final again.

For Portsmouth, this is a story they know too well. After claiming the FA Cup in 2008 in a surprise run to the final that saw the south coast side claim their first piece of silverware in over 70 years, Pompey managed to get to final yet again in somehow more dramatic fashion than what they achieved two years ago.

Although there weren’t any giant killings on their way to the final, the way they won their matches is something to behold. A 90th-minute equaliser from Stephen Wright and a 120th-minute winner from Aaron Mokoena in their third round replay against Coventry City was just a taster of what was to come.

A moment in time – Portsmouth, FA Cup final 2010

Four late goals against rivals Southampton saw Pompey enter the quarter-finals, and the semi-final against Spurs was won in extra-time with goals from Frederic Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

And so the final beckoned again, although this time it wasn’t against another Championship side, it was against Premier League giants Chelsea, and unlike against Cardiff City, Portsmouth were dominated in the final.

Although Boateng came close to converting from the penalty spot had it not been for his lacklustre effort, Chelsea was unlucky to only win by one goal, that goal coming from Blues legend Didier Drogba in the 59th minute, sealing the west London club’s first ever English domestic double.

The Blues also had a penalty go astray during the game, and in the first-half Chelsea hit the woodwork five times as Carlo Ancelotti’s side somehow failed to score more than one goal in a game where Portsmouth was lucky to get nil.

The final was a sign of what was to happen next for Portsmouth. Financial problems tainted the club for years as the south coast side drop down the divisions all the way to League Two, where only now their fortunes have turned following their recent EFL Trophy win against Sunderland.

Most fans forget the other cup final Portsmouth were in, but for fans of the club, it was a signal of the end for the team and their golden years in the top-flight.

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According to Bild, via Sports Witness, Everton are keen on signing Chelsea youngster Daishawn Redan in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Redan joined Chelsea from Ajax in the summer of 2017.

A right-footed forward, the 18-year-old has managed 11 goals in 28 appearances for Chelsea’s Under-18 and Under-23 team during the 2018-19 campaign.

According to Bild, via Sports Witness, Redan feels that he has ‘no chance’ of making it into the first team at Stamford Bridge, which could lead to a summer exit.

The same report has claimed that Everton are interested in the teenager, but the Toffees will face competition from the likes of Leicester City, West Ham United, AC Milan and Roma.

Chelsea have 43 players currently out on loan, which is an incredible statistic.

It appears that Redan does not want to become another youngster sent away from the club to continue his development, which could lead to a permanent summer exit.

Where would Redan fit in at Everton?

There is no getting away from the fact that Everton have had problems in the final third throughout the 2018-19 campaign.

Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been in decent form, but the likes of Theo Walcott, Cenk Tosun and Ademola Lookman have struggled.

Redan is, of course, untested at the top level, but his statistics at Under-18 and Under-23 level this season are very impressive indeed.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

He will not actually turn 19 until next February, meanwhile, suggesting that there is plenty of time for the Dutchman to develop into a top player.

Chelsea’s official website have described the teenager as ‘a versatile forward who can also play wide-left or as a number 10’.

And his arrival would certainly boost an Everton side needing an injection of something different in the final third of the field.

As football league fans will agree, it is a proud moment watching products of their clubs travel through the system and make names for themselves on the big stage.

It is a glorious thing, is it not? The journey of a small fish making it in a big pond. The likes of Jamie Vardy, Ian Wright and other such players making the huge leap from non-league to Premier League. The stories of those who had almost given up but made it at the last.

James Tarkowski is not one of these, but his story of success is romantic nonetheless.

In an age where scouting systems extend to the far reaches of the world and where gems are being unearthed from the favelas of Brazil to the professional grade park pitches of the Netherlands and beyond, it is refreshing to see a prospect rise from the old textile towns of England onto the biggest stage of them all.

Once upon a time, James Tarkowski was kicking about Oldham Athletic, living not 15 minutes from the ground – Boundary Park. After being dumped into a relegation battle by former manager Paul Dickov, Oldham handed youth development coach Tony Philliskirk the temporary responsibility of guiding the side to safety. And this appointment is where it all began.

Philliskirk knew all about Tarkowski having seen his through the early stages of his career. He had a place in his squad, as long as he was manager. He trusted him.

The faith he showed paid off, Oldham’s form drastically improved. The Englishman established himself in the side, scoring a vital winner in a victory away at Stevenage, kick-starting a journey that would take him to Wembley as a full England international years later.

“What Oldham Athletic gave James Tarkowski was an opportunity to develop, to make mistakes and learn by them,” Philliskirk says. “In the modern era it’s very easy to pick young players, then they make a mistake or two and it’s very easy to leave them out.”

Lucky Tarkowski.

The Englishman joined Brentford in 2014, a club renowned for making incredibly astute signings, where he spent two years before leaving to join Premier League side Burnley. Tarkowski initially found it difficult to break into the squad past Michael Keane, but when he made his big money move to Everton, the stage was set.

Tarkowski was a key member of Sean Dyce’s squad who reached Europe (yes, Burnley in Europe) after guiding the club into seventh place in the Premier League with the sixth best defensive record (39).

He was awarded his England debut by Gareth Southgate in March 2018 and found himself on the standby-list for the Russia World Cup. Not bad going.

Oldham fans, what are your standout memories of James Tarkowski? Join the discussion by commenting below…