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The wait for Miguel Almiron goes on.

The 25-year-old has now turned out on 22 occasions for Newcastle United but is still waiting to find the back of the net, or register an assist for that matter.

Almiron showed at his previous club that he knew how to score – netting 22 times in 70 outings for Atlanta United before moving to the Premier League.

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The Paraguay international fired another blank against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, but Newcastle still managed to collect all three points courtesy of goals from DeAndre Yedlin and Ciaran Clark.

And many of the club’s supporters have taken to social media to lavish praise on the 5 ft 9 attacker for his performance, even if it did not bring a goal.

According to WhoScored, Almiron had two shots, completed one dribble and boasted a pass success rate of 84% during an energetic display.

And the Newcastle fans have taken to social media to praise the January arrival, as shown by the tweets below:

Steve Bruce remains keen on Hull City’s Jarrod Bowen, and according to the Northern Echo he will continue to recommend his signing to the Newcastle board.

Bowen was a name mentioned over the summer and he was frequently linked with a move to the north-east, though a deal never looked like being completed.

Instead, the Magpies went for Allan Saint-Maximin, who has since been a success, but with Bowen continuing to impress in the Championship it is understandable that Bruce hasn’t yet given up hope of signing him.

The 22-year-old started out at Hull and has served them well, especially in recent years with 22 league goals scored last term, and since his contract could last until 2021 they are not yet in a position where they need to consider a sale.

That explains the asking price of £20m, which is quite a significant fee for a player who has never played above the Championship, though given Bruce’s desire to bring him in it is possible that Mike Ashley could back him once more.

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So, would he be a good addition for Newcastle? Here’s what our Football FanCast writers think.

Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“Having been monitored by the club earlier in the summer, a Newcastle swoop for Jarrod Bowen makes perfect sense. The Hull City winger has been in prolific form for the Tigers this season, notching ten goals in just 17 games across all competitions.

“Despite the capture of Allan Saint-Maximin, Steve Bruce’s side could really do with a goal-scoring winger, particularly in light of the troubles Miguel Almiron has faced since his arrival at the club. The Paraguay international has gone 22 games without finding the back of the net for the club, and Bowen could end Almiron’s misery.

“The 22-year-old has played 13 times in the right-wing role for Hull this year, the exact position Almiron currently occupies without success at St James’ Park. A January move could bring Newcastle an added goal threat, and someone to replace their struggling Paraguayan. It really would be a case of killing two birds with one stone.”

Billy Meyers

“I have nothing against Newcastle signing Jarrod Bowen, and I feel that it would be a good move for both the Magpies and for the attacker himself. 

“However, given the fact that the Hull forward plays in the same role as Miguel Almiron, I feel that Steve Bruce should instead try his best to squeeze some decent form out of the misfiring £20m Paraguay international before he spends another sum of around £20m on someone else. 

“Bowen is a prolific scorer at Championship level but he is unproven in the Premier League – Newcastle simply can’t afford to be lumbered with two expensive flops, and it wouldn’t be a good scenario to be in as Mike Ashley may not be encouraged to spend any more after seeing two costly signings struggle. 

“There are definitely more pressing areas that need investment at St James’ Park, such as in the full-back areas, so for now I think Newcastle should steer clear of a move for Bowen.” 

Lewis Blain

“Jarrod Bowen is going to be an outstanding piece of business for someone in the Premier League, so Newcastle need to ensure it’s them. At first glance, another winger is certainly not needed with Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron holding down either spot alongside Joelinton, but any opportunity to add such a goal threat should be capitalised on. Per Transfermarkt, Bowen has netted ten goals from 17 appearances, primarily from the right-wing. A position where Almiron is yet to score or even assist from.

“Spurs came calling in January for him so if he’s able to attract the Champions League finalists, then he’s going to be well-sought after in the near future. The St James’ Park faithful will love him too. He’s hard-working, young and English. They’d get right behind him to succeed. No player in the Magpies squad records more shots per game than he does with an average of 3.5 while his ability to come back and defend only opens up the playbook for Bruce with the 22-year-old averaging 1.4 tackles per game.

“The best teams in the division do not stop improving and just because they already have options in the role doesn’t mean they should avoid a potential upgrade. They could well rue the decision not to act here.”

Kealan Hughes

“This is the type of signing Newcastle should be making and the only thing that raises any doubt is the price tag, as like other recent signings he is yet to prove himself in the Premier League.

“He has undoubted quality though, and is still young. Bruce could be the ideal manager to integrate him into life in the top division but you feel he’d have to play regularly to adjust properly, and that could not only disrupt players like Almiron but also the squad as a whole.

“While Almiron is yet to display the necessary quality in the final third, he does work tirelessly for the team and his absence could be noticeable, particuarly if Bowen takes a while to get up and running.

“Despite that, it is a deal Newcastle should look to get done, as if he does well it could benefit the club on the pitch, and possibly off it too as his value would increase dramatically due to him being young and English.”

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Mundo Deportivo have recently come out with a report outlining Barcelona’s planned signings for 2020 and Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen was mentioned as one of the players the Catalans have been following.

What’s the word, then?

As per the same source’s report, the club will prioritise a centre-back, a right-back and a striker in the upcoming transfer windows and one of the names that is currently interesting the Blaugrana is Christensen.

The now 23-year-old might not be a priority for now but Mundo Deportivo mention that Barcelona have been following him for quite some time and he seems to be someone they like.

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Even though there is potential behind Chelsea’s young defender, he is actually not someone they should be targeting at all.

When it comes to young centre-backs, the Blaugrana are definitely well-covered and pretty safe for the future.

Pointless exercise

Christensen is definitely one of the talents for the future.

So far this season, however, he hasn’t played a major role at Chelsea under Frank Lampard’s stern but just hand.

The Dane started the 2019/20 season pretty strong, playing the full 90 minutes in the opening couple of clashes. However, his game time started dipping as a result of injuries and Lampard simply benching the young centre-back.

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It remains to be seen what kind of a role will he be given by his coach in the remainder of the campaign but let’s not forget that this is a player that was once tipped to become Chelsea’s next captain by their former manager, Antoine Conte.

Speaking in February 2018, the Italian said: “I trust Christensen. I think this player is the present and also for the future for Chelsea. He can also become the captain of this team.”

But even with that being said, Barcelona currently have four centre-backs in their squad, one of which is the 19-year-old Jean-Clair Todibo, who could suffer with Christensen’s potential arrival.

Not to mention that the Catalans have a couple of promising defenders in their B team that could potentially make a step-up in the not so distant future.

If they really want to strengthen the backline, maybe going for a more developed and safe option rather than bringing in another young talent is the better option.

But as it currently stands, even that might not be of such importance at the moment.

Leeds fans won’t want to think of life without Marcelo Bielsa at the club, but the reality is that he’s turning 65 soon and he won’t be around forever.

The Whites will struggle to replace a manager once hailed as the greatest coach in the world, but depending on which way they want to go, they could already have his replacement at the club.

Indeed, Carlos Corberan has been learning the manager’s way, coaching the U23 side over the past 18 months with a similar philosophy to the Argentine’s.

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Phil Hay has recently noted how similar the U23s style of play is to the first-team, and if Leeds want to continue to grow their club based around Bielsa’s legacy, then Corberan could be the perfect man to take up the mantle.

“He picks the 23s line-ups and a lot of that crop (and some 18s) work with the first team in training. If you watch the 23s you’ll notice that the style is very similar. It’s not an accident,” Hay stated.

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Of course, Leeds may want to move away from Bielsa’s style once he departs, and they have reportedly been keen on Lee Bowyer as a replacement, but if the Argentine’s tactics work upon the Whites’ ascension to the Premier League, they may not want to veer too far from what they know works.

If they want to continue the Bielsa way, their best bet could be to look towards a man who has been coaching a team in that mould for two seasons at this point and working alongside the Argentine.

Fans wouldn’t be too adverse to the Spaniard succeeding the former Marseille boss, as they’ve previously picked him out as a future Leeds manager, and if he did take the reins you have to imagine he would do quite a decent job.

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He’s not been managing the U23s unsuccessfully either, last season they were PDL champions, and he has them third in the table this season.

Leeds may not need to worry when Bielsa leaves – Corberan looks like a ready-made successor.

In other news, Leeds still need to replace this man.

Despite there being uncertainty over when football will return, that hasn’t stopped talk of big-money summer transfers dying down.

And in Liverpool’s case, it appears they are drawing up contingency plans if they lose one of their high-profile stars at Anfield.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the Reds have earmarked a potential move for Wolves winger Adama Traore in case either Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah make their departures from Merseyside.

It further claims that the “club’s recruitment team have placed Traore on their shortlist of attacking targets as they assess potential wide forward options”, and that “his profile also fits that of the super-quick, technically gifted and mobile forwards demanded by manager Jurgen Klopp”.

And based on his performances throughout this season, it is little surprise to see why the Reds have got Traore in their sights. The Spaniard has enjoyed a barn-storming campaign at Molineux, proving himself to be a potent attacking weapon for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

As per Transfermarkt, he has scored six times and provided a further ten assists across all competitions, and when looking at his underlying numbers, he does seem like a Klopp prototype.

He averaged a ridiculously impressive 5.2 dribbles per game in the top-flight this year, putting him first amongst all players in the Premier League. He also managed 1.1 tackles per match too, and that kind of willingness to track back, and embrace the defensive side of the game, will only put him in Klopp’s good books.

The Liverpool manager himself meanwhile has also been left in awe on a couple of occasions this season, first describing him as a “big, big talent”, before simply admitting that he is “unplayable” after a 2-1 win at Molineux. Having seen first-hand what he can do, Klopp may be able to take his game up a level just like he has done with Salah and Mane.

If either of the Reds’ attacking duo do end up leaving Anfield, that will leave a massive gap for Liverpool to try and fill. But having now established himself as one of the Premier League’s elite wingers, there can be no question Traore would represent a logical signing to help replace that lost quality.

It would be the kind of Michael Edwards masterstroke that can help ensure the Reds continue to move forwards, and not feel as though their dominance is coming to an end.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to this James Pearce tweet. 

Just how do you go about strengthening a Liverpool squad that won the Champions League last season and was cantering to the Premier League title this year?

That of course is the million dollar question, but there’s a real argument to be made that actually, the Reds just need to get more strength in depth, rather than actually splashing the cash on someone to go straight into the first-team.

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And reports in recent days had suggested Chelsea winger Willian could be a potential cut-price target for Jurgen Klopp’s side this summer. But now, The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle has refuted that suggestion, insisting he is “not one of the players being considered” at this time.

After hearing Doyle’s update on their rumoured swoop for Willian, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One Liverpool fan meanwhile outlined how Willian’s age and prospective wages meant he wouldn’t have been ideal for the club.

On a free transfer, it may be slightly short-sighted to simply turn your noses up at Willian.

After all, the Brazilian has still shown signs of being a Premier League-quality player for Chelsea, scoring seven times and providing six assists in just 37 games across all competitions.

As a squad option, it would be an incredibly shrewd piece of business, but at the same time, it’s not something Liverpool should be having sleepless nights over if they don’t sign him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed a loan deal for Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, according to reports in Turkey.

What does the report say?

Karius has spent the last two seasons on loan at Besiktas, but appears keen on a return to England this summer.

The German is contracted at Liverpool until 2021 and is now being linked with a move to Wolves.

According to reports in Turkey, Wolves have agreed a deal to take Karius on loan next season, whenever that is set to begin.

The current number one at Molineux is Rui Patricio, but it appears Karius is being targeted as a back-up option given that the existing number two John Ruddy is set to see his contract expire in the summer.

Bizarre move

Any move for Karius from Wolves would be something of a surprise given the German’s reputation for high profile errors.

Ruddy, a former England international and a player who made 45 starts during Wolves’ promotion campaign, is a solid back-up option and while he may be out of contract, offering him a new deal would appear the smarter – and safer – option.

Of course, Ruddy could be keen to earn a number one shirt elsewhere, but swapping him for Karius does not appear the best decision and appears to be a risky move given Karius’ current reputation.

A lot of Aston Villa fans are talking following some banter over Twitter from centre-back Tyrone Mings, who replied to a tweet by journalist Mat Kendrick.

Kenrick’s tweet said: “This is the worst defending I have seen for a very long time. And I watch Aston Villa,” in reference to Boris Johnson’s public address on Sunday defending Dominic Cummings.

Mings spotted Kendrick’s post and replied by saying: “This is some of the most garbage I’ve read for a while… & I read the Birmingham mail! I joke Matt, I enjoy your writing.”

This is clearly the entertainment that Villa fans didn’t know they needed whilst football is currently postponed, and they have been enjoying his witty comment, whilst others have highlighted the poor defensive performances from the club this season.

It has been a rollercoaster of a season for the defender, as the club sit 19th in the Premier League, but are only two points from safety with a game in hand, via SofaScore.

They have conceded the most goals in the league, letting in 56, but Mings has received a lot of praise this campaign, and it saw him get a call up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad back in October 2019, via Transfermarkt. He has now made two appearances for the Three Lions and looks to be in Southgate’s future plans.

Here is what fans had to say following the tweet:

Do you think Villa can stay up? Comment below!

Many Everton fans are drooling over a couple of concept kit images with their newly partnered Cazoo sponsor that was posted by a designer from the established company SDX Creative on his Twitter page.

As per the Merseyside club’s official website, Cazoo, one of the United Kingdom’s fastest-growing new eCommerce businesses, have agreed a multi-year partnership with the Toffees that will see the innovative online car retailer become their new main partner.

The Cazoo brand will feature on the front of the Blues’ first-team playing and training kits for the men’s team from the beginning of the 2020/21 season. It comes on the back of another new agreement for the Toffees, who recently announced that they had dropped Umbro and that their kits would be made by Hummel for the next three years (The Guardian).

Putting the two new together, SDX have produced a concept EFC home shirt which boasts the traditional blue and white colours, with the away one looking like a primarily yellow jersey with blue shorts and yellow socks with a blue strip.

These supporters drooled over the images, which could potentially be very similar to the official kits when released:

Evertonians, are you happy with the Cazoo sponsor? Comment below!

Key information about Pride Park Stadium

Pride Park Stadium was built in 1997 and has since then been the home of Derby County who are currently playing their football in the Championship. It’s located on Pride Park – hence its name – a business park on the outskirts of Derby’s city centre.

Pride Park Stadium has an impressive capacity of 33,597 with a 105m x 68m pitch that’s not surrounded by a running track and has natural grass on the surface with undersoil heating installed as well.

The record attendance stands at 33,597 and was achieved during an international clash between England and Mexico on 25 May 2001.

A history of Pride Park Stadium

Pride Park Stadium has a long and rich history with Derby County. But still, prior to their move to a new ground, the Rams’ home was at the Baseball Ground, where they have been since 1895. But with the issues regarding the reduced capacity after the Taylor Report that followed the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, and the fact the stadium had wooden components – which was unacceptable after the tragic Bradford City Stadium fire – the club decided to move to a different and improved ground.

It would still take them a while to settle on a definite plan – with some wanting to build an expensive new ground and the others preferring to just improve the old one – but after securing the then-redeveloping Pride Park business park, settling with Derby City Council for a smaller site than previously agreed, they finally announced they would move to a brand new £16 million stadium for the start of the 1997/98 season.

There was also an idea to potentially just name it the ‘New Baseball Ground’ but that was scrapped in favour of its current name, Pride Park Stadium. Interestingly enough, the ground was then officially opened on 18 July 1997 by none other than Queen Elizabeth II and the first match would then be played about two weeks after against Sampdoria in a friendly clash.

Over the years, of course, Derby County would indeed make further improvements to their ground, adding additional seats to increase the capacity and in 2006, they even announced huge plans to add 10,000 more to align with their success in the Premier League. However, since the team ended up being relegated, the plans had to ultimately be scrapped.

Initially, however, once Pride Park Stadium was converted into an all-seater, as was required of all grounds in the top two English tiers, its capacity shrinked to 17,500 but would reach the current figure of 33,597 over time and with further investment.

It is also interesting to note that between 7 December 2013 and 18 November 2016, the stadium was actually called the iPro Stadium due to sponsorship rights after the club made a £7 million deal with global sports drink company iPro. However, that wouldn’t last as the club announced the cancellation of partnership just three years later, reverting the stadium’s name back to Pride Park Stadium.

Tickets to watch Derby County at Pride Park Stadium

All the tickets to watch Derby County at Pride Park Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The price of said tickets varies depending on multiple factors but the adult ticket costs around £30.

The club also offers memberships, family discounts, group tickets and season tickets, all of which can be used to decrease the initial fee and save money over time or on certain events. More information can be found on their official website.

Related links

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/ – Official website of Derby County

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/ticketing-useful-information?k=fe88ed3b36b97f746b0b1dc4af36319a1d64204e – Derby County Ticket Office