Since Gareth Bale made the huge move to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2013, he has regularly been mentioned in the transfer gossip pages.
Initially, rumours of feeling homesick stirred reports that he could make a return to the Premier League, and now his fitness has become an apparent issue in the Bernabeu.
According to Spanish publication AS, Los Blancos are open to offloading the Wales international this summer, but will not accept less than £88m for his signature.
Bale has had a hugely successful time in Spain given that he has won 10 trophies, including three Champions League crowns, but this season he has been affected by injuries.
The attacker has made 29 appearances in all competitions so far and has still managed to score 12 goals, but it spells on the sidelines have reportedly made Madrid bosses consider their options.
Manchester United are the first club that tend to be mentioned with regards to Bale’s future, but Tottenham have entered the rumour mill in recent months.
After hearing of the 28-year-old’s alleged £88m price tag,
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According to reports in The Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur could be ready to sell midfielder Mousa Dembele this summer if they receive an acceptable offer for him, and Spurs fans have been quick to react to the rumour.
The Mirror says that while the north London outfit aren’t actively looking to move the 30-year-old on at the end of the season, the situation could change if they receive a large offer for the £80,000-a-week man, who has previously attracted interest from the Chinese Super League and was linked with a move to Juventus last week.
The Belgium international has been a key player for Mauricio Pochettino’s men over the course of the last few seasons, and he has been in particularly impressive form in 2018 so far.
Tottenham supporters have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said “it is time to shift him on and make a huge amount”, another disagreed and said “no chance”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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When Luka Milivojevic first arrived in the Premier League, he quickly became a crucial part of Crystal Palace’s survival bid under Sam Allardyce – adding physicality and defensive awareness to the engine room while netting some hugely decisive penalties.
And yet, he was still seen merely as a defensive midfielder, someone to sit deep and provide positional discipline rather than make opportunities for Palace to score.
Under Roy Hodgson though, the 26-cap Serbian has played an increasingly expansive game. He’s still an integral buffer in front of the Eagles defence, but he’s also contributed so much more going forward this season.
His return of goals, albeit mostly still spot kicks, has jumped up from two last season to a whopping ten this term, while he’s also become one of Palace’s key creative assets – especially from dead ball situations.
That was evident once again on Saturday as Palace edged out bitter rivals Brighton in a thrilling five-goal first half at Selhurst Park.
Milivojevic finished the match with the most created chances to his name of any player on the pitch, four, including the assist for Wilfried Zaha’s second goal with a delicious, dipping cross into the path of the Ivorian international. And although he wasn’t credited with the setup due to a deflection of Maty Ryan, it was the 27-year-old who made Zaha’s opener too – his drive across goal eventually falling into the winger’s path.
That’s why Milivojevic is fast becoming one of the most underrated midfielders in the Premier League; combining the defensive nous and physicality he showed in the English top flight last season with telling contributions in attack this time around.
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As much as Zaha, Andros Townsend or club-record signing Christian Benteke, Milivojevic – who Transfermarkt value at just £9million – could have a decisive impact on Palace avoiding the drop this term.
Manchester United fans are delighted with Alexis Sanchez after the Chilean’s sensational semi-final showing on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho proved once again that he is a winner on Saturday, as the Red Devils cruised past Tottenham into the FA Cup final.
Despite going behind early, United never really looked in too much trouble after Sanchez found the equaliser with a superb header in the 24th minute.
Alexis has of course struggled since his move from North London, with fans starting to question his motivation after some dire recent performances.
The 29 year-old put all that to rest on Saturday though, as he crowned the man of the match thanks to his fantastic header and tireless work rate.
Not only did Sanchez pull his side back into the match with a lovely cushioned header, he made two key passes, made two tackles and absolutely worked his socks off for the cause.
If any Manchester United fans were worried about the form of the Chilean superstar, they certainly won’t be now, and this could be just the performance he needed to kick start his Old Trafford career.
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Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Leeds fans are once again bashing their club’s decision making, as loaned out midfielder Mateusz Klich put in a simply wonderful performance this weekend.
There aren’t many clubs with a worse recent record in the transfer window than Leeds, as the club have constantly sold their best players and replaced them with below average players from below average leagues.
That looked to be the case when they signed Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich last summer, as the 27 year-old was loaned out to Dutch side Utrecht after just six months in a Leeds shirt.
Many fans felt the tough tackling midfielder deserved more chances having made just one Championship start though, and he is now proving them right in his loan spell in the Eredivisie.
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Utrecht drew 2-2 at Heracles on Sunday, and Klich scored an incredible 9.54 rating on WhoScored.
As well as providing an assist, the Leeds loanee had three shots, made a remarkable 11 key passes, completed three dribbles, and also added two tackles and two interceptions.
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It is exactly this kind of box-to-box, creative, hard-working performance Leeds are lacking in midfield, and fans have been bashing their club for loaning the Polish international out.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
According to various reports, Xherdan Shaqiri has a €14million (£12.75m) relegation clause, and the stats show exactly why Newcastle should take the plunge.
Every year there are several Premier League standard players that jump ship from relegated clubs.
Stoke City are the first team to suffer the drop this season, and two players that have been heavily linked with moves are Jack Butland and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Newcastle certainly don’t need a new goalkeeper thanks to the amazing signing of Martin Dubravka, so that just leaves Shaqiri.
The Swiss winger has some problems with consistency, but he has still managed eight goals and six assists this term in a Stoke side that rarely scores more than one in a match.
The dazzling wing wizard has also created 13 big chances, which shows his assist numbers could be doubled if he played in a more clinical side.
Whether or not Islam Slimani and Aleksandar Mitrovic stay or go at Newcastle is yet to be seen, but either way it is pretty clear that Rafael Benitez likes a target man.
With that in mind, Shaqiri’s 200 crosses this season could be right up Rafa’s alley, as he looks to add the goals to his well organised side.
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One area that the 68-cap Swiss international will need to improve if he wants to be a Magpie is his defending and work ethic, making just 24 tackles this season.
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To put that in perspective, Newcastle’s current right midfielder Matt Ritchie has made 44 tackles this season, something Benitez expects from his front players as the bare minimum.
Shaqiri has a rare star quality that very few players have, and with a bit of fine-tuning and motivation from Benitez he could be everything Newcastle fans want from this summer transfer window.
Newcastle fans, would you back bargain summer swoop for Shaqiri? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Everton’s 2017-18 Premier League campaign ended with a 3-1 defeat at West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.
The Toffees still managed to secure eighth in the table, however, after Leicester City lost at Tottenham Hotspur.
There is no question that the majority of Everton fans are unhappy with what they have seen from their team this season, and many want Sam Allardyce to leave ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Tom Davies is still just 19 years of age, but the midfielder played in 33 of Everton’s 38 Premier League matches during the 2017-18 season, which is very impressive.
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The midfielder has not impressed the Everton fans with his performances in recent weeks, however, and many took to social media at the weekend to criticise the Englishman.
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Davies does not turn 20 until the end of next month, and there is no question that he has made steps forward this season. The Everton fans, however, are not convinced that he has what it takes to become a first-team star.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Should lifting the FA Cup on Saturday prove to be Antonio Conte’s last act as Chelsea boss, he’ll join a strangely unique club. Just one manager to serve under Roman Abramovich has lasted longer than a year at Stamford Bridge after winning England’s most coveted cup competition, yet the calibre of the personnel involved is beyond exceptional – Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Guus Hiddink are not only amongst the greatest managers in Chelsea’s modern history, but also amongst the greatest of their eras.
So in many ways, for Conte to be formally dismissed after beating Manchester United on Saturday is as much an endorsement of his potential for further success elsewhere as it is an indictment on Chelsea’s disappointing title defence, ending the Premier League campaign in fifth place.
It also highlights why although Abramovich has brought unprecedented success to Stamford Bridge, 14 major trophies and counting so far, there’s always a feeling that the club’s hire-and-fire culture has resulted in wasted opportunities, and prevented a real dynasty from growing in west London. Only once since Mourinho’s first dismissal in 2007 have Chelsea held onto any trophy for more than one season – Hiddink ending his interim spell with the 2009 FA Cup and Ancelotti pulling off a successful defence a year later.
So, what happened after each manager brought the FA Cup to Abramovich’s trophy cabinet, and what does that mean for Conte? Here’s a brief but important history…
Jose Mourinho
FA Cup final: Chelsea 1-0 Man United. Failing to hold onto the Premier League title for a third consecutive term, Didier Drogba brought a positive end to the Blues’ season by scoring a 116th-minute winner over the Red Devils during the first ever cup final at the new Wembley.
How long did he last? 124 days later, Mourinho and Chelsea unexpectedly agreed to a contract termination by ‘mutual consent’. It followed a slow start to the new season by Mourinho’s standards, losing to Aston Villa and drawing with Rosenborg in the Champions League. But the backdrop was the Portuguese’s resentment towards the club’s transfer policy, something Conte can undoubtedly sympathise with.
What happened next? A year later, Mourinho was appointed by Inter Milan. His first season ended with the Serie A title and his second ended with the San Siro giants completing an illustrious treble, including the 2010 Champions League title. Three years on from that, Mourinho would find himself back at Stamford Bridge after a turbulent spell at Real Madrid.
Guus Hiddink
FA Cup final: Chelsea 2-1 Everton. Stepping in for the short-lived Phil Scolari, Hiddink ended a hugely popular interim spell with silverware as Chelsea fought back to beat Everton 2-1 after Louis Saha had opened the scoring in the first minute.
How long did he last? Officially, Hiddink’s reign came to an end just one day later, although it was as much his decision as Chelsea’s not to make his temporary appointment a permanent one. The Dutchman had only been brought in to steady the ship, doing so with a 77% win rate, and wanted to return to international management.
What happened next? That actually proved to be the last great success story of Hiddink’s managerial career, one that has seen him take underdogs to the semi-finals of major international tournaments and win the European Cup with PSV. Spells with Turkey, Anzhi and the Netherlands bore little fruit and Hiddink ended up stepping in at Stamford Bridge once again in 2016, following the disastrous end to Mourinho’s second stint with the west Londoners.
Carlo Ancelotti
FA Cup final: Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth. Ancelotti marked his first season at Chelsea with a domestic double, setting a Premier League record for goals scored in the process. They required another Drogba goal to overcome a resilient Pompey side that exited the Premier League in bottom place.
How long did he last? Just over a year. Ancelotti brought instant success back to Chelsea – who hadn’t lifted the Premier League title for four years prior to his arrival – but paid the price the season after when he couldn’t follow it up with more silverware. The Blues were eliminated from the Champions League by Manchester United and finished as runners-up behind them in the top flight after losing to them again in May. Following a defeat to Everton on the final day of the season, the Italian was sacked.
What happened next? Ancelotti went onto establish himself as one of the greatest managers of all time, becoming only the second to lift Europe’s top title on three occasions during a short and sweet spell with Real Madrid. Either side of that, he guided PSG and Bayern Munich to domestic titles. Still one of the best in the business, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him return to Stamford Bridge and replace Conte this summer.
Roberto Di Matteo
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FA Cup final: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool. Di Matteo pulled off the most unexpected of doubles after replacing Andre Villas-Boas. A severely weakened Chelsea team not only beat Liverpool 2-1 but also overcame Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena to lift the Champions League in 2012. Still the club’s greatest achievement under Abramovich.
How long did he last? 201 days. There was always a feeling that Abramovich had only given Di Matteo the job permanently because he felt obliged to, and the club legend inevitably struggled to live up to his early success. The following season, the Italian oversaw Chelsea’s early elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Juventus and a Premier League defeat to key title rivals Manchester United. Rafa Benitez was controversially brought in as his interim successor and guided Chelsea to a Europa League title.
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What happened next? In fairness to Abramovich, Di Matteo’s struggles since leaving Chelsea largely justify his decision to swiftly part with the former midfielder. He lasted less than a full season at Schalke, missing out on Champions League football following a run of just two wins from his last ten games, and was ousted after just twelve games at Aston Villa, winning one of them before being replaced by Steve Bruce. Di Matteo is yet to find another job since.
Antonio Conte?
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FA Cup final: Due to face Manchester United this Saturday, a team Chelsea have won and lost to already this season in the Premier League. Especially when combined the fact Conte’s never won a cup as a manager, varying league form probably means United enter the weekend as the favourites.
When will he be sacked? It’s all rumours and conjecture at this moment in time, but it’s unlikely Conte will survive Chelsea’s poor Premier League campaign regardless of whether the Blues win on Saturday, especially bearing in mind how public he’s been in criticising the club’s transfer policy. The timing feels right for both parties to move on, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Conte’s departure was announced immediately after the FA Cup final.
What next for Conte? There’s no question Conte will be in demand should he leave west London this summer. He won’t be returning to the Italy job and a Juventus reunion seems unlikely, but Arsenal will have a vacancy this summer – could the Italian make the bold step across the London divide? There’s also a chance of an opening at Real Madrid, which would represent the most illustrious job of Conte’s career so far.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was spotted in the crowd at Austria’s friendly with Russia on Wednesday night, and while many reported that he was there to watch West Ham United attacker Marko Arnautovic, Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba, rated at £45m by Transfermarkt, may have been another player he was there to scout.
The 25-year-old has established himself as the Bundesliga champions’ first-choice in that position in recent seasons, and it would certainly be an audacious move by Mourinho if he was somehow able to prise the 62-cap international away from the Allianz Arena.
The Portuguese boss seems certain to bring in a new left-back/left wing-back this summer having seen Ashley Young been his preferred choice there during the 2017/18 campaign, and it is something that the Old Trafford faithful, who have delivered their verdict on a potential move for a 23-year-old Portugal international described by one fan as “worse than Rashford”, would like to see.
We asked Man United supporters to vote on our poll to see whether they would back an ambitious move to bring Alaba to Old Trafford, and a huge 72% said they would, which is rather unsurprisingly given the quality and experience he clearly has.
It would certainly take a large offer from the Red Devils to convince Bayern to sell, but Mourinho has certainly been backed well in the transfer market previously and there is no reason why that wouldn’t happen again for the right player.
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According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United are lining up a summer move for Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina, who is rated at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, but could face competition from Napoli and Manchester City for his signature.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that the Irons are keen to bring the Gabon international to the London Stadium, with new manager Manuel Pellegrini wanting fresher and younger legs in the middle of the park next season – something that will please supporters, who have been quick to respond to a link with an exciting 22-year-old attacker with one fan saying “he reminds me of Dybala”.
The Mirror says that Saints boss Mark Hughes faces a battle to keep hold of the 24-year-old, who showed glimpses of the quality he has in his locker during the 2017/18 campaign following his move from Juventus last summer.
Pellegrini’s need to strengthen his midfield options has become even more of a priority following the news that Manuel Lanzini could be out for around nine months having ruptured his ACL while in World Cup training with Argentina ahead of the tournament in Russia later this month.
How did Lemina do last season?
It was a difficult campaign for the 24-year-old and the team as they struggled down the wrong end of the table under Mauricio Pellegrino, before Hughes led them to safety.
The Gabonese midfielder suffered a couple of injury niggles throughout the campaign that clearly hampered his performances at times, and while he produced some brilliant displays, he also endure his fair share of poor ones as well – including in the 3-0 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium in March, where he was dominated by Irons man Cheikhou Kouyate in the centre of the park.
Lemina certainly has that energy and ability to take on opponents and bring the ball forward however, as proved by the fact that he successfully completed 55 of the 62 dribbles he attempted in 25 Premier League outings, as per WhoScored.com.
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Would he be a good signing for West Ham?
He certainly would be, and perhaps a more realistic one than someone like Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore given they are struggling to meet his £190,000-a-week wage demands, according to Sky Sports.
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The 24-year-old would certainly help plug the gap that Lanzini’s absence will undoubtedly leave, although Southampton are likely to demand big money for a player they signed less than 12 months ago.