All posts by h716a5.icu

According to Radio Solent’s Sports Editor Adam Blackmore, Southampton have ended their deadline day transfer hunt for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

What’s the story?

Recent reports have suggested the 23-year-old was seriously being considered by Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, with the Gunners open to letting him leave on loan.

But now, Blackmore has claimed that the Saints have ended their interest in the Premier League ace, “after becoming increasingly frustrated in negotiations with his reps”.

The journalist added however that Southampton will continue to pursue other targets.

Hasenhuttl will be fuming

Given the injury crisis that Southampton are in at the moment, both in central midfield and in the full-back areas, Maitland-Niles’ addition on deadline would have been a real coup for Hasenhuttl.

The Arsenal man is as versatile as they come, and would have offered the Saints boss a real stop-gap for a number of positions. The fact Maitland-Niles now won’t be coming to St Mary’s seemingly, will come as a bitter blow.

The 23-year-old would have covered a lot of bases for Hasenhuttl and ensured Martin Semmens wouldn’t have to pursue multiple deals on deadline day to try and address the number of glaring holes and issues in the Southampton squad at the moment.

It now puts massive pressure on Semmens’ shoulders to try and figure out a last-minute solution that can help ease Hasenhuttl’s concerns. At the moment, the Saints boss would be forgiven for being incredibly frustrated and angry at how things have developed.

From looking like they were going to complete a move – Football.London’s Arsenal correspondent Chris Wheatley even suggested late morning today that Southampton were “growing in confidence” over his signing – to now pulling out, it’s been a rollercoaster for Hasenhuttl. And one that won’t be leaving him happy whatsoever.

Meanwhile, David Ornstein has revealed Southampton are in for this Championship star…

Craig Dawson was lucky not to be punished defensively by Aston Villa having let boss David Moyes down in West Ham United’s 3-1 win on Wednesday night.

The Watford loanee has become a pivotal cog in the Hammers backline in recent weeks, with his no-nonsense style proving tenacious beside Angelo Ogbonna.

The pairing restricted Dean Smith’s Villans to only two shots on target during the midweek affair at Villa Park, of which both come in the final 35 minutes.

Aston Villa relentlessly found themselves restricted in the final third as West Ham took control of the game to record the double over their fellow claret and blue side, an accomplishment last achieved in the 2005/06 season.

But the tone was almost set on the other foot in the 27th-minute, when Jack Grealish pounced on a miscontrol from Dawson and played a brilliant reverse pass through to Ollie Watkins. The striker could only bend his shot around Lukasz Fabianski and onto the outside of the post, though.

Watkins’ effort came moments after Michail Antonio had failed to break the deadlock and minutes before Ross Barkley sent a good chance wide from a Villa set-piece, and either of those strikes nestling in Fabianski’s goal would have placed the Villans in the ascendancy.

Instead, West Ham rallied with Aaron Cresswell, Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal all having attempts on Martinez’s net, before Antonio thread Soucek in to score early in the second period and Jesse Lingard hit the first of his debut double to take the wind out of Aston Villa’s sails.

Dawson’s first-half error was a rare misstep from the £40,000-per-week brute, who was Moyes’ hero at Everton on New Year’s Day in a 1-0 win that sparked West Ham’s run of four straight Premier League victories.

He continually got his body in the way of shots as the Irons beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 last month, as well, and there was little more the 30-year-old could do to prevent Liverpool from winning at the weekend.

But his poor touch that freed Grealish to play Watkins in during the first half was not Dawson’s only error. He also turned over possession in dangerous positions a few times that on another day, could have seriously cost West Ham had Villa made the most of their opportunities.

And had those chances been taken by Villa, Dawson would not have been able to atone for his off moments by producing two vital stops in the second period, with a block and a pivotal diving challenge to deny Watkins a brace.

At worst, his off night resulted in Dawson committing his first error in claret and blue that led to a shot being taken on goal, per SofaScore. And Moyes will be keen for Wednesday’s performance to be a rare blip and not a tone-setter ahead of Saturday’s London derby with Fulham.

AND in other news, West Ham eye future swoop for prolific £30m striker with “absolutely superb” movement…

Many Wolves fans have been left lauding Jonny as Tim Spiers analysed his latest impressive display versus Leicester City in his piece for The Athletic.

The football journalist was particularly impressed with how the 26-year-old handled Ayoze Perez, who barely got a sniff in the first half of the game playing up against him.

Despite only playing the one half, Jonny won four of his duels and also managed to make one dribble, interception, tackle and accurate long ball, recording no fewer than 39 touches of the ball in total and achieving an 80% pass accuracy (Sofascore).

After his long absence from the squad due to injury, several members of the Molineux faithful were nothing short of delighted to have the Spain international back and playing for them once more.

Wolves fan reaction to Jonny analysis

These Wanderers supporters lauded Jonny on Twitter after reading the analysis of the left-back by Spiers, with one WWFC supporter even going as far as to call him ‘fantastic’:

“And Hoever was the 8th. In 26 games. Having to constantly change an important position has been just as big an issue for me as the Raul injury. Showed yesterday with Jonny’s will to stop the ball passing him how much he has been missed. A truly underrated consistent performer.”

Credit: @danquinton

“7th and by far the best! #missedhim”

Credit: @evago53

“Fantastic player! He owns LB.”

Credit: @MarioEnzo69

“Top, Top player!! This is the standard of player Nuno should be signing, not a bunch of misfit teenagers.”

Credit: @SteveWiles20

“Hadn’t realised how good he was until we lost him. We look do much more balanced with him in the side.”

Credit: @MrRSimmonds

“I think he just has a presence on the pitch and inspires other players. The size of his thighs.”

Credit: @DChappleton

In other news, find out what Nuno Espirito Santo revelation has left fans gutted here!

With Neil Lennon out of the picture at Parkhead, Celtic have been putting the feelers out for their new permanent manager. Assistant head coach John Kennedy will stand in as interim manager for the time being, but big names are being linked to the Scottish giants.

Heavyweights like Roberto Martinez and Rafael Benitez have been discussed, along with the still fairly new Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry. However, one man who makes a lot of sense is current Scotland manager Steve Clarke.

Bookmakers are all over this situation right now and many have tipped the 57-year-old as the shock favourite to take the job at Celtic, according to the Glasgow Times. Should these rumours come to fruition, his appointment could hugely benefit one man in particular and that’s Scotland international Leigh Griffiths.

Steve Clarke appointment could help Leigh Griffiths

The 30-year-old Celtic veteran slipped heavily down the pecking order this season under Lennon. Things started to turn bleak for Griffiths when the former boss slammed him for returning to camp out of fitness and “overweight”. He has made just 16 appearances out of a potential 30 this campaign and was part of the starting lineup on only seven occasions, as per Transfermarkt.

Lennon opted to start the likes of Albian Ajeti, Mohamed Elyounoussi and even Ryan Christie alongside Odsonne Edouard over the Scottish striker. His lack of game time will have undoubtedly knocked his confidence, but Clarke could help resurrect this if he joins the Glaswegians.

The Scotland manager named Griffiths as part of his international team which secured an emphatic and historical qualification into the European Championships, so Clarke clearly sees something in the Edinburgh-born striker that. perhaps, Lennon did not.

If he takes the move to Celtic Park, he could work closely with Griffiths and potentially guarantee him more time on the pitch both domestically and internationally.

This would not only benefit Griffiths but equally the club. He recently spoke out about wanting to make it into the top 20 highest scorers for the Bhoys, which shows his passion and determination.

Equally, if Edouard leaves, Celtic will need a tried, tested and reliable man to operate at the forefront of the attack. Griffiths may well be the man for the job still, under the right manager.

In other news, Dean Windass makes claim over Odsonne Eduard future under potential new Celtic manager…

Many Liverpool fans were not happy with the update given regarding Diogo Jota’s fitness at Jurgen Klopp’s press conference on Wednesday.

Speaking in his pre-Chelsea press conference (via Paul Joyce), manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed that the Brazilian duo Alisson Becker and Fabinho would return for their Premier League clash against Chelsea.

However, he added that the 24-year-old Portuguese forward still has to be assessed after missing their 2-0 win against Sheffield United due to a sudden illness.

Jota has not been seen in a competitive game for Liverpool since their 1-1 draw to FC Midtjylland in the Champions League back in December – where he sustained a serious knee injury.

Because of this, supporters are starting to become impatient due to the Reds’ recent misfortune in front of goal, making their feelings clear to Joyce on Twitter.

Fans getting restless over Jota whereabouts

“What are we assessing him for now? Lord almighty”

Credit: @kaytayking

“They lie all the time”

Credit: @TalkingRed23

“Assessed from an ‘illness’ that kept him out Sunday?”

Credit: @Azza79_

“WHY IS JOTA IN DOUBT I HATE THIS GAME”

Credit: @TheJotaEra

“Assessed for what? It’s March”

Credit: @tsrbys

“Really tired of waiting too”

Credit: @tedcipher

In other news, Liverpool fans split regarding transfer update on 22-goal Klopp star.

Several Aston Villa fans have been reacting to the club’s official social media post regarding winger Bertrand Traore.

The 25-year-old, who arrived from Lyon back in September in a deal worth £17m, earned an 18th league start in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Friday evening.

Traore’s early injury

However, unfortunately, Traore had to be replaced after just 21 minutes for Anwar El Ghazi.

Traore was shoulder barged by Newcastle defender Paul Dummett, with the Burkina Faso international ending up over the advertising board and crashing into the first set of barriers.

Two members of Villa’s medical staff checked on the wide man, who was holding his left side as a result. He managed to walk back to the away dugout but couldn’t carry on, with many fans left worried following the incident.

Villa fans react

Villa tweeted a picture of Traore on Saturday morning with the caption ‘Speedy recovery, Bert.’

This is what these Villa supporters had to say to the official post, with one describing the incident as ‘painful’.

“Dont tweet this and not tell us what he’s done?”

Credit: @Dr_coxy

“Looked very much like a broken rib last night, such a tricky injury to deal with. Get well soon Bertie”

Credit: @JackJenningss_

“Let’s hope we get to see him play again before 2025”

Credit: @Connor__AVFC

“Looked like broken ribs, hopefully not. One of our few bits of genuine quality”

Credit: @B6Utfv

“Hopefully he is back before his contract runs out”

Credit: @12cw04

“That looked really painful. I hope you are back soon.”

Credit: @FreyaSavidge

In other news: Villa learn price for 23 y/o target, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting to the latest update on Kylian Mbappe, as the forward’s future continues to dominate the headlines.

The 22-year-old is one of the world’s best players currently, performing at a consistently world-class level for Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe has now scored 116 goals in just 157 appearances for the Ligue 1 champions, outlining why he is seen as such a special talent for years to come.

The £162million-rated (Transfermarkt) superstar’s contract expires at the end of next season and he is yet to agree a new deal at PSG, raising doubts over his future.

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Both Liverpool and Real Madrid have long been considered the front-runners to snap up the France international, with a potential summer switch on the cards.

Now, a fresh update has been provided, with L’Equipe [via Sport Witness], claiming that the Reds have a ‘real chance’ of getting their man.

Mbappe is still believed to be ‘taking his time’ over signing a new contract, giving Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards hope of a deal happening.

Liverpool fans reacts to Mbappe update

Here’s how a selection of Liverpool supporters reacted to the news on Twitter, with skepticism the general order of the day.

“Don’t give me hope”

Credit: @JamesHegarty28

“On 500k a week, don’t think so”

Credit: @NeloSean

“We don’t qualify for champions league, don’t see this happening”

Credit: @SadaMichaell

“Whoa whoa whoa wait. Swear LeEquipé is like the French version of sky… But wont believe it until Fabrizio Romano says it’s happening”

Credit: @RF9LFC1

“He’s an intelligent boy and he knows there isn’t a better coach to make him a world world class player”

Credit: @IshimweSteve1

“No Champions League unless we win it. It’s not happening unless he just wants to win the league next year with us then Champions League year after”

Credit: @swgharry

“It’s the hope that kills. I’m 99.99% sure it won’t happen”Credit: @AdamLFC87In other news, some Liverpool fans are fuming about the referee appointment for Monday’s clash with Wolves. Read all about it here.

Red Bull Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch has emerged as the latest contender for the vacant Celtic managerial position.  

The 47-year-old has been tipped to become Neil Lennon’s potential successor by some ex-players recently, with Marsch claiming it is an “honour” to be linked with the Celtic job, describing the role as “interesting”.

Celtic admirers of Marsch

The Scottish Sun have now provided an update on the American and the possibility of moving to Parkhead.

They claim that “Hoops chiefs are admirers of Marsch”, who has averaged 2.12 points-per-game during his 82 matches in charge of Salzburg.

Transfer Tavern take

The likes of John Collins, Pat Bonner and James McFadden have all touted Marsch as a potential Parkhead boss, and it seems as if their suggestions could come true.

Celtic will reportedly look to bring in a new director of football prior to appointing a new manager, so whoever the DoF is will have to be on board with a possible Marsch swoop.

The American boasts an impressive CV – he won the double in Austria last season and was also named as MLS Coach of the Year with New York Red Bulls in 2015.

It seems as if the Hoops have their eye on Marsch, so he could possibly be making the move to Scotland over the coming months, providing Celtic step up their interest.

In other news: Celtic are chasing an 18-year-old with 10-goal involvements in his last eight games; could cost just £150k, find out more here.

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to end a winless run of eight straight matches this afternoon, though standing in their way are not just their arch-rivals but a team vying for a spot in the playoffs too.

The Owls make the short trip to Oakwell to face Barnsley in the south Yorkshire derby in a game that is second-bottom against fifth place.

Darren Moore has plenty to ponder over team selection, so with that in mind, here’s the XI we’re predicting today…

There could be as many as three changes from the side drew to Huddersfield Town in midweek.

Moore will be sweating on the fitness of Sam Hutchinson, who has been filling in at centre-back amid the Owls’ mounting injury problems. Joost van Aken, Chey Dunkley and Dominic Iorfa are all sidelined through injury.

Hutchinson was withdrawn early at Hillsborough after picking up a knock and according to the 46-year-old,  his potential involvement is “an eleventh-hour decision,” so we’re expecting the 31-year-old veteran to not be risked.

That would mean a recall for Osaze Urhoghide, who comes back in to partner Tom Lees and Julian Borner, in front of goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

Adam Reach is expected to continue at left wing-back, with Kadeem Harris dropping back into a similar role to allow a change further up the pitch.

Skipper Barry Bannan should also remain from midweek, though this time he’s joined by Celtic-bound 20-year-old Liam Shaw, which means Joey Pelupessy is axed. The Dutchman’s display on Wednesday was rather poor, as we outlined here, so he’s an obvious casualty from the starting XI.

Calum Paterson could return to the line-up in the third and final change, replacing Liam Palmer. He may have scored an own goal against the Terriers, but is still their joint top goalscorer.

Moore may also continue with a front two of Josh Windass and Jordan Rhodes, meaning Elias Kachunga and Jack Marriott will have to continue to wait for their opportunities.

AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday have another Almen Abdi in £18k-p/w flop…

Leeds United could clinch a bargain deal for Liverpool striker Divock Origi amid Noel Whelan’s transfer claim.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Belgian’s long-term future at Anfield is up in the air following a disappointing campaign, and that with the forward’s valuation plummeting, “a bid of as little as £12m could be enough to persuade Liverpool to sell”.

And now, former Leeds man Whelan has claimed Marcelo Bielsa’s side should be all over a potential deal for the 25-year-old this summer.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “I think we’ve got to keep our options open. Divock Origi for £12-15m, would you turn your nose up at that? No, you wouldn’t.

“He can play a number of roles, left side, right side, through the middle. You’ve got to look at these things seriously. It’s not a lot of money. It’s so cheap. You could maybe go out and get two strikers if he’s available at that price. We need options, especially attacking ones. We know Bielsa likes players who can be versatile and we know Origi is that.

“Like a potential Harrison deal, it’s not much of a risk. You’re not breaking the bank and you know what you’re getting. He knows the Premier League. He’s a good age and we play a style of football that will suit him because it’s similar to Liverpool’s.”

Orta’s perfect chance

Dubbed as someone who “always comes up with massive goals”, and who’s “got a taste for the big games”, Origi has built himself into folklore at Anfield with his match-winning moments – you’ve only got to look at his last-minute winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton, or his goal-scoring display in that famous Champions League comeback over Barcelona.

The £75k-a-week ace just needs more of a regular opportunity to shine, rather than knowing he will always play second fiddle to the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The Belgian probably knows that even a stellar display is unlikely to convince Jurgen Klopp to move out one of his much-vaunted front three to accommodate him, and that surely does nothing for a player’s confidence.

Bielsa will be confident that he could be the man to really kick-start Origi’s career again, and given the price being touted, it’s got all the makings of being a bargain for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds should reignite their interest in this Raphinha-esque star…