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West Ham are interested in signing Troy Deeney, according to a report in The Daily Star,

Late move for Deeney

West Ham were quiet on transfer deadline day, but it seems they will be busy before the domestic window shuts on October 16th. They are said to have agreed a deal for Said Benrahma, and are now looking at Deeney as back-up to Michail Antonio.

The Hornets are reportedly open to offers for the 32-year-old, with West Brom also interested.

Controversial but effective foil to Antonio

Antonio has been in fantastic form so far this term for the Hammers. In the first four Premier League matches of the campaign, he has scored twice, helping David Moyes’ side to two wins along the way.

Deeney is, therefore, unlikely to come in as a first-choice option if he does sign, but he could be a fantastic back-up. Although Watford were relegated last season, he scored 10 goals in 27 league games, and has 160 strikes throughout his career. Deeney also won 7.3 headers per game last term, showing just how much of a handful he can be.

It could be a controversial signing, though. Deeney has previously admitted that West Ham fans give him a lot of stick, with him goading supporters on one occasion after scoring at The London Stadium. Whether the fans would take him is up for debate, but he certainly has plenty to offer on the pitch.

Let us know what you think below!

Australian defender Matthew Jurman has reflected on his time with Sunderland and revealed that he would like to return one day.

The 30-year-old has recently seen his contract expire at Western Sydney Wanderers and is available on a free transfer this summer.

Having spent the majority of his career in his homeland winning the A-League title on three occasions, Jurman also had a spell in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ittihad.

With Sunderland now looking to bolster their side ahead of a third spell in League One after failing to gain promotion to the Championship for a second successive season, Jurman has seemingly offered himself to the Wearside club.

Speaking to FTBL, Jurman who had a trial with Sunderland at the age of 18, said: “I’d been in Scotland trialling but after they said they wanted me back in pre-season. So I got a trial at Middlesbrough.

“Then I got a chance to trial with Sunderland. I was at Sunderland for a week. The facilities at the training centre in Sunderland were absolutely unbelievable.

“While I was there I watched one of Sunderland’s Cup games at the Stadium of Light. Honestly, it was incredible.

“I stayed near the water in Roker I think, and they really looked after me. It was a nice place.

“I have good memories. Seeing all the training facilities. Everything was really professional. I met Roy Keane [then Sunderland manager] but I was a bit intimidated by someone like him. I was excited to meet him but I mainly worked with Sunderland’s youth coaches.

“And while I was training at Sunderland, they had another young player called Jordan Henderson. I’m a Liverpool fan and now he’s their captain, so that was pretty amazing and I recall the striker Martyn Waghorn was there, too.

“It’d be a mad experience to play at a club like Sunderland.

“You don’t quite know where you’ll be with the way the world is now, but that’s also quite exciting.”

Aside from Jurman’s comments, the FTBL article also comments on Sunderland reported plans to sign Australian defender Bailey Wright this summer.

Why not have a look at Jurman if you are Sunderland? Linking him up with Bailey Wright could be a good thing.

Indeed, the Black Cats do need new recruits at centre-back given that they have already lost three players in that position this summer, including Alim Ozturk.

One thing that may halt a potential deal for Jurman to Sunderland is the fact that he has never played in English football before, and that could be a gamble in itself. But in the current climate where all walks of life are facing financial restraints, he could be worth a punt on a free.

Do you think Jurman would be a good signing for Sunderland? Let us know in the comments section below…

It wouldn’t be summer without Wilfried Zaha being linked with a move away from Crystal Palace, and predictably the Ivorian attacker has once again been linked to Everton.

The Toffees were one of the frontrunners for his signature this time 12 months ago, but the former Manchester United man stayed at Selhurst Park for another season.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

It seems as though he’s once again pushing for a move away from the London club, and Greg O’Keeffe gave the latest update on Everton’s potential move for the Palace star.

What’s been said then?

It’s bad news for any Toffees fan hoping to see the Ivorian lineup on Merseyside next season as The Athletic journalist has been told that a deal is unlikely.

“What we’ve been told is that while Everton harbour some interest, and I stress the word some there, I’m not saying that he’s a top top target, while they harbour some interest, we’ve been told at this stage that it’s unlikely that Wilfried Zaha will be an Everton player next season,” O’Keeffe said (Gwlad Tidings podcast (31/6/20 30:50).

“I think there are a range of impediments from transfer fee, to wages, to potential other interest in Zaha.”

Dodging a bullet

While Zaha is a star at Palace, he wouldn’t be Everton’s number one attacking outlet and that may not suit him all that well.

The Toffees have plenty of talent going forward, be that £50m man Richarlison or Dominic Calvert-Lewin who hit 13 league goals last term.

Zaha is the absolute focal point of Palace’s attack, and while it’s quite easy to look great when everything is centred around you, it may be a bit more difficult to shine when part of a more complete outfit, which is surely what Everton are aiming to become.

With the Ivorian supposedly valued at £80m last winter, it’s fair to say that the Merseysiders may be better off spending that sort of money on other areas of the squad.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has opened up about Everton’s return to training and the effects of his recent positional shift.

Speaking to Sky Sports (via Liverpool ECHO), the Blues midfielder has given his take on returning to Premier League action and how long he thinks he needs back on the training pitch.

“I think it all depends on how long we’re going to train with three, four or five players at a time,” Sigurdsson said. “Until we’re training with the full squad. I’m guessing somewhere around four weeks maybe? But I think everyone is different.”

The Toffees, along with the rest of English football, have been waiting to return to action for more than two months. The Premier League was put on an abrupt hiatus back in March and the latest update predicts a return in June.

Sigurdsson also commented on the change in position to which he has adapted since the implementation of Duncan Ferguson as caretaker manager. The 4-4-2 setup sees the 30-year-old without a prominent position in the middle of the park, operating from a flat, central role instead of further up the pitch (as per Transfermarkt).

“Of course I’ve played there for Iceland, but this is maybe a little bit different,” Sigurdsson said. “It’s not my natural position, but I’ve played most of the games and I think have got used to playing in that position under the manager.

“It doesn’t give me the chances to go forward as much as I’d like! But it’s something different and I enjoy it.”

This sudden change could be the reason why the Iceland international’s goal return has been scarce this season. During his final season with Swansea, Sigurdsson operated from a number of positions and dominated them all. Across 40 appearances in the 2016/17 season, he scored 10 goals and supplied 13 assists (via Transfermarkt).

These goal contributions came from either up front as a centre-forward, on the wing or in an attacking midfield role. Similarly, last season Sigurdsson tallied 14 goals and seven assists, with all bar two goals and two assists coming from the more pressing midfield position.

This could be the reason why the playmaker has struggled to find his shooting boots this season. A current return of two goal and two assists for the campaign is very out of character for Sigurdsson.

Adapting to a formation that helps feed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison is something with which senior players must cooperate, even at the risk of their personal performances dipping.

Everton fans, do you think Gyfli Sigurdsson deserves more time at the club? Join the discussion in the comments below…

Key information about Dens Park

Dens Park, or now officially known as Klimac Stadium at Dens Park for sponsorship reasons, was built in 1899 and is the home of Dundee FC. The ground is located on Dens Road in Dundee, Scotland, and also shares part of the same road – Sandeman Street – as Tannadice Park, the stadium that belongs to their city rivals Dundee United F.C.

Dens Park has a capacity of 11,850 and a pitch that measures 100m by 68m. It also doesn’t have a running track surrounding it and the surface of the field is covered by natural grass with undersoil heating installed in 2005.

The record attendance of 43,024 was set on 7 February 1953 for a clash with Glasgow Rangers.

A history of Dens Park

Prior to their move to Dens Park in 1899, Dundee had been playing their football at Carolina Port since the club’s formation in 1893. And intriguingly enough, even though the ground does have a couple of claims to fame with big events and huge clashes taking place there throughout the years, the facilities itself haven’t really been renovated that often.

In fact, it was not until the late 1990s that Dens Park finally got its modernisation plan after a rather successful league campaign in the 1998/99 season. Of course, the biggest reason why it got a revamp was to adhere to the new Scottish Premier League seat-capacity guidelines. For that reason, both the East and West terraces had to be completely redeveloped.

In a construction frenzy that lasted only 82 days – setting a new record – they got two new concrete terraces and two 3,000-seat stands – the so-called Bobby Cox and Bob Shankly Stands. Apart from that, Dundee FC also added a new Club Shop and ticket office to their facilities.

Dens Park also became the first stadium in Dundee to have its floodlights upgraded in the twenty-first century and in 2005, they also had undersoil heating finally installed. Soon afterward, big things followed with the stadium hosting a plethora of high-profile events such as the Scottish League Cup finals and UEFA European Under-19 Championship Elite Round games.

The highest ever attendance of 43,024, however, was set back in 1953 for a huge clash against Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Cup.

There have been various plans to revamp the stadium in their recent history but none have ultimately come to fruition. Also, there were numerous plans for a new stadium, one even in a bid to host the 2008 European Football Championship alongside their local rivals Dundee United but that failed altogether. Even though the plan was indefinitely postponed, it could still be resurrected in the future. However, for the 2020 European Championship – which was moved to 2021 – Hampden Park was chosen instead.

In August 2016, club owners John Nelms and Tim Keyes reportedly purchased some land in the Camperdown area of Dundee in order to construct a new stadium for the club due to the increasing maintenance costs of Dens Park. But that is yet to happen and latest reports state that we will see the application for the new ground being submitted this year.

The American duo, however, have managed to improve the stadium by adding two new training facilities – the Regional Performance Centre and Michelin – and managed to upgrade a third facility by adding DFC-only pitches at Riverside. Apart from that, new women’s toilets in the South Enclosure were constructed, a new laundry facility added, new electrical system, new sound system, new IT systems and much, much more.

Tickets to watch Dundee FC at Dens Park

All tickets to watch Dundee FC at Dens Park can be found on the club’s official website. The price for an adult ticket costs around £18 while the price for younger age groups as well as the elderly and disabled are cheaper.

Dundee FC also offer a season ticket which can save you a lot of money over the course of the season. More information can be found on their website.

Related links

https://dundeefc.co.uk/ – Official website of Dundee FC

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has discussed recent speculation surrounding striker Harry Kane this summer in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Kane has been a revelation for Spurs during that last six seasons, with the academy graduate scoring at least 17 Premier League goals in each of the last five terms.

However, the England captain’s recent comments about not saying at the club for the sake of it have inevitably lead to doubts over his future.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy stil sees Kane as part of the club’s plans, but Robinson seemingly doubts that and has given his verdict on the situation.

“It is difficult when a player of that magnitude and that quality says that they want to leave a club, it’s just like with Gareth Bale,” he told Football Insider.

“But the deal has to be right. In the past, Daniel has made sure the deals are right and he has got excellent value for players. The deal would have to be right for everybody and it would have to be a very large sum of money that could be reinvested into the squad.

“The squad needs strengthening. To take Harry out of the equation you would need to reinvest the money very sensibly. You only have to look at Gareth Bale.

“There will be an interesting conversation with Spurs next season if they are not challenging on any front midway through.”

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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Decision to be made

The 2019-20 season has been one to forget for Kane and Spurs, with the North London club eighth in the league table and the England man restricted to just 20 Premier League appearances and 11 goals due to injury.

Approaching his 27th birthday, Kane is entering his prime and could see this as the ideal time to make the move in order to challenge for some of the biggest trophies in European football.

The potential impact of the season’s suspension on the transfer market is yet to be seen, but if the money is on offer, both the player and club will have a decision to make.

As we adjust to a period of no football, we look back over the good and the bad times in some of England’s most successful clubs.

Here’s a list of some of the uglier times Tottenham Hotspur fans have experienced over the years…

Dimitar Berbatov’s move to Man United

The Bulgarian’s controversial late transfer to Old Trafford still makes Spurs fans clench their fists. But not only did Berbatov drop the transfer bombshell on the club with just ten days left of the window, he refused to play when called upon.

On two separate occasions, the forward refused to take part in two Premier League games and then a year later announced he wanted out of the club that put him on the map.

Daniel Levy admitted Berbatov’s attitude had a ‘detrimental effect’ on the dressing room, as well as the illegal approach from Manchester United which saw the back of a great player.

His decisions whilst at Tottenham certainly didn’t wash with fans either, who still resent his decisions to this day.

Isolation Busters: The only quiz you need to cure your boredem

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Sol Campbell’s move to Arsenal

Nothing is more unforgivable than joining a rival side, especially when you walk straight from one club to their biggest known enemies, for free.

The transfer was before the time of Twitter fume, but that didn’t stop fans being absolutely irate over it. Spurs supporters had branded him the ultimate Judas after he made his move to the Emirates in 2001. Campbell went on to rub salt in the wounds of his former fans by becoming an Arsenal legend and key asset to their successes, including two league titles and three FA Cups.

The Englishman revealed he had turned down offers from the likes of Barcelona in order to join Tottenham’s arch-nemesis, could he have twisted the knife any more?

Daniel Levy’s furlough decision

Players and fans alike were furious with the club’s latest decision regarding wages during the COVID-19 crisis. It was announced that Tottenham have placed non-playing staff on the government furlough scheme, becoming the only Premier League club to be doing so at that time.

Supporters were in uproar over Daniel Levy’s decision and considered going as far as boycotting the club, with players also refusing to take a wage cut in order to make a stance.

The club decided not to top up any wages not paid by the government and fans were disgusted by the decision.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

After enjoying a rapid rise over the course of this past year, Mason Greenwood finds himself in the England U21s squad for their games against Albania and the Netherlands. The Manchester United starlet was a part of the team that shocked PSG in the Champions League last season, and enjoyed a fine pre-season too, scoring against both Inter and Leeds.

In the limited game-time he has been offered by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, the 18-year-old hasn’t disappointed either, notching in full starts against FC Astana, Partizan Belgrade and Rochdale. Whilst he has impressed, one key concern surrounding the teenager is where his best position may lay. In his time with both the academy and the senior set-ups in the current campaign, Greenwood has played in four different positions: centre-forward, second striker, right-winger and right-midfield.

As per Transfermarkt, in his nine Premier League appearances, the United academy product has played as a right-winger on five occasions. This despite Solskjaer exclaiming that he is the most natural finisher the club has got on its books at the moment.

“Natural finisher? Well, they’ve (Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford) still got a way to go, because Mason’s more of a natural finisher than those two.”

So when England U21s boss Aidy Boothroyd calls upon Greenwood over this international break, it will provide an intriguing insight to Solskjaer over where a fellow manager believes the prodigy can be best used. In the pressures of club games and needing to pick up wins at any cost, players’ natural strengths may be sacrificed in order for the team’s gain.

But in a far more relaxed environment, Boothroyd’s use of Greenwood could open the United boss’ eyes to where his best position may be in the future. The likes of Martial and Rashford have proven throughout their careers that they are more than capable of playing on the flanks (they have played on the left-wing 111 and 58 times respectively). That could allow the Red Devils’ academy prospect the chance to stake his claim as an out-and-out number nine.

Whilst Solskjaer may cast a keen eye over Rashford’s performances with England’s senior set-up, he would do well to take notes from Boothroyd’s handling of Greenwood over these next couple of U21 games.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have praised Lucas Moura’s performance after their 3-2 victory over West Ham United on Saturday.

The Brazil international scored his side’s second goal at the London Stadium, turning home Son Heung-Min’s pinpoint cross at the back post.

He had another chance to add a fourth for his side, going through one-on-one with goalkeeper Roberto, but he was unable to convert, screwing the effort embarrassingly wide.

However, it mattered little in the eyes of supporters, who were pleased to see the winger turn in a match-altering performance.

Indeed, this was Jose Mourinho’s first game as Spurs manager following the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino and it remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old will become a fixture in the Portuguese’s teams.

Lucas had made just four starts for the club in the league under the Argentine and only played four minutes in their most recent domestic fixture, the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.

Take a look at the best of the reaction 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…Man City journalist Sam Lee has stated it could be a “blessing in disguise” that Rodri may miss the crucial fixture against Liverpool. What did he say?

City will clash with league leaders on November 10 and it is set to be an early battle for what looks like another long and tense title race. The current Premier League champions are six points behind Liverpool and a win for the Reds could put them a comfortable nine points ahead.

City are likely to be without Rodri, after the Spaniard injured his hamstring against Atalanta in midweek. Lee, however, does not think this is overly damaging, quite the opposite in fact.

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic, he said: “Blessing in disguise giving the relatively minor problems with his pressing? Obviously he’s been very good overall, but against Liverpool that’s not the kind of fault you want to have.

“Would’ve liked to see how he fared at CB but that would’ve been risky too (obviously he would’ve had 3-4 games beforehand to get ready, which he won’t now have). ” Guardiola has enough numbers

If this injury had happened a few weeks back, it would have been utterly disastrous, as John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Nicolas Otamendi were all sidelined. Now, however, both Stones and Otamendi are fit and available, although the Frenchman will be out for some time.

Fernandinho could also step in at centre-back alongside John Stones and push Ilkay Gundogan back into defensive-midfield. This is Pep Guardiola’s best option and should be one that gives City supporters great confidence.

Gundogan has been in brilliant form for City since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, with the German scoring six times and providing three assists in the league last year. Plus, the return of Stones could be perfectly timed as the former Everton man looks to prove he has what it takes to be a consistent starter for the champions.

In truth, no injury is a positive one. But not playing Rodri in this game could make the more experienced members of the team step up defensively against an almighty Liverpool attack, and spare the Spaniard from the worst possible team to face up against if you are struggling against pressing teams.