All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal’s upcoming season is set to be an exciting one for fans of the Gunners, who will have been impressed with what they saw from manager Unai Emery last term. Well, in part anyway. 

The Gunners manager did enough it seems to win over the doubters following his taking over from club legend Arsen Wenger, and it will be interesting to see what steps he takes in the coming weeks in terms of incomings and outgoings from the club.

Indeed, one player who has been linked (via the Telegraph) with a move away from the club this weekend is right-back Hector Bellerin, who has seemed to stall somewhat in his progress in the last 12 months.

Bellerin is of course a class act on his day, but injuries and loss of form have played their part in the French speedster not quite living up to the potential he showed in his very early days as a Gunners player.

This weekend’s news has seen Bellerin emerge as a target for Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, and it is thought the Spanish club could offer money plus forward Vitolo to the Gunners, a player who is well known to manager Unai Emery from their time together previously.

And it is this addition of Vitolo in any deal which spikes our interest here in the Tavern, and we think that Arsenal need to listen carefully if this is indeed a package they are set to be offered.

While Bellerin is a top right back, recovering from his latest injury might well be a step too far for the Frenchman, and it’s one of those injuries which could hamper his career going forward in terms of his ability to get back to his very best.

A nice cash sum, plus the addition of a forward like Vitolo who can cover various positions and bring goals to the table, should well be enough to convince Emery and his board that this is indeed a good deal.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are much happier after Phil Hay confirmed that the club would be receiving an initial fee of around £10m for Jack Clarke.

It was previously thought that the initial sum that the Whites would receive for the 18-year-old would be £8.5m. This first report from The Sun caused uproar amongst the fanbase.

The Whites still aren’t getting close to the £20m they wanted earlier this summer, but supporters are pleased that it is still a higher fee than what was originally reported.

It’s hard to argue that getting £10m for a player who has started just four games in his entire career isn’t a good bit of business.

Of course, the teenager has potential, but there is always the risk that he won’t reach the heights that are expected of him.

With United apparently working on a sell before they buy policy, this deal may allow the Yorkshire side to begin bringing in new faces.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

Whilst optimism might be high at Luton Town following their promotion to the Championship, surely losing another star player is a scary thought following the departure of James Justin to Leicester City.

The Hatters face the difficult task of replacing one of their star players from their League One title-winning squad, and if that wasn’t bad enough, Luton could be about to lose another important figure in the form of Jack Stacey.

According to the Daily Record, Celtic remain interested in the 23-year-old right-back despite Neill Lennon being quoted in the Daily Mail as saying the rumours surrounding Stacey were mere ‘speculation’.

With Celtic on the hunt for a new right-back this summer per the report from the Daily Record, it makes sense as to why Celtic would target Stacey after the season he had for the Hatters that saw the defender being named in the EFL League One Team of the Season as well as pick up four Player of the Season awards at the end of season Luton Town award night per Luton Today.

At four goals and eight assists, Stacey was the most productive right-back in League One last season per Transfermarkt well as the second most productive defender overall in the division, behind Wycombe Wanderers’ Joe Jacobson, which is why he’d be such a miss.

As the club head into the Championship for next season, Luton should be aiming to keep hold of as many of the stars from last campaign as possible, and with one already gone in Justin, Stacey can’t be allowed to walk too.

Luton fans, can the club keep hold of Stacey this summer? Let us know!

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A goal-scoring hero in Liverpool’s Champions League final victory over Tottenham at the end of last season, it’s safe to say Divock Origi has probably done enough to etch himself into Anfield folklore.

The Belgian has endured a rather hit-and-miss career at Anfield and has struggled to nail down a place in Jurgen Klopp’s first-team since arriving on Merseyside.

However, after some of his exploits last season, ESPN claim Liverpool will push on with contract talks for the 24-year-old this summer and that they are determined not to lose him.

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After hearing the news Origi’s long-term future could still be with the club, many fans of the Merseyside club took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the matter.

Despite his goal against Spurs, many Liverpool supporters seemed rather unimpressed that Origi was set for a new deal and cautioned whether he was actually good enough for the side.

Some however felt that his knack of scoring goals in big games was more than enough reason to keep him at the club, and hoped he could continue to provide a spark from the bench.

Check out some of the divided reaction of Liverpool fans below:

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are hoping that the club sign Gary Cahill on a free transfer after Football Insider reported that he has been offered to them this summer.

The Whites have a serious lack of depth at centre-back after getting rid of Aapo Halme, Paudie O’Connor and Pontus Jansson already in this transfer window.

The former Chelsea captain would bring an element of quality to Marcelo Bielsa’s backline as he is a former Premier League and Champions League winner.

Although Cahill is 33 years of age he can still be a quality player at Championship level, as shown by how well his former Chelsea teammate John Terry did by leading Aston Villa to a playoff final in 2017/18, playing 35 games despite being well into his 30s.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

United certainly need defenders and Leeds fans are hoping that they bring in the former England international to boost their options.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

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

As he bids to enjoy an Anfield career rid of any more injuries, Adam Lallana’s change in position in pre-season this summer could well be the making of the Liverpool midfielder.

On the chalkboard

Despite having the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho on his books, Jurgen Klopp has intriguingly redefined Lallana’s role this summer. The former Southampton midfielder has predominantly been an attack-minded midfielder during his career, whether that be as a traditional number one or someone dovetailing from in off the flanks.

In the Reds’ opening two pre-season games however, Lallana has been used in a much deeper role; a number six position so to speak. Whilst he may not possess the kind of defensive attributes that may be commonly associated with the position, the technique and skills he brings from his time further forward could give him a rather defining advantage.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

The England international has always operated at his best in tight spaces, manoeuvring the ball around with his quick feet and control. As Liverpool’s deep-lying midfielder, Lallana would be more than comfortable when sides decide to press the ball, and even have the skill and technique to potentially bypass the press with his dribbling – he completed eight of the 11 he attempted in the Premier League in 2018/19 – and completely open the game up.

Indeed, speaking after his second performance in the role against Bradford, Klopp remarked: “Adam is the kind of player who can play that and he enjoys this ‘Jorginho’ role – I hope Maurizio Sarri doesn’t see the games or he will make an offer.

“It is about getting Adam rhythm, bringing him in early and doing things he is naturally good at: small spaces, passing the ball, and then from time-to-time offering the runs in behind as well and together with Milly (James Milner) that is possible. For us it is another option.”

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And that’s precisely why Lallana could thrive in this new role. In games where the Reds are expected to dominate, using Lallana as the deepest-lying midfielder could allow Klopp to get an extra attacker in and really take the game to the opposition. The 31-year-old could carry the ball forward with ease and dictate the tempo, and would offer the player himself a greater opportunity at making the starting line-up.

So whilst it may not be his natural position, Lallana’s injury-blighted Anfield career could be set to take off in the most unfamiliar of circumstances.

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Tottenham Hotspur have arrived into their 2019 pre-season in some style.

Spurs’ first challenge was an extremely difficult one – Mauricio Pochettino’s troops were tasked to deal with Juventus and their former Premier League rival, Maurizio Sarri, who took charge of the Old Lady earlier this summer.

And Harry Kane’s halfway line wonder strike deep in the stoppage time clinched a 3-2 victory as the Lilywhites left Singapore with smiles on their faces.

And judging by the most recent social media activity, that smile is still very much there.

Dele Alli has shared a new Instagram snap from the training grounds in Shanghai and the squad seem to be in very good spirits.

The young Englishman captioned the photo with “I just wanted to talk”, suggesting that Son is making a desperate scramble to escape his grasp.

Of course, that was only friendly banter as the duo seemed to be having a lot of fun gearing up for the next challenge that awaits them on the tour, though the look on Son’s face suggests it’s not all fun and games in a gruelling pre-season regime.

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And now it is official – Patrice Evra

/B0f3VTDAMOO/” data-lasso->has confirmed his retirement from the beautiful game and we are yet to see what the future holds for the ex-Manchester United man.

And this is exactly what he will probably be most remembered by – his days at Old Trafford, defending the colours of the Red Devils.

The now 38-year-old left-back played a total of 379 games for Manchester United, even scoring ten goals and assisting an impressive 40 in the process.

Paul Pogba, the current Manchester United superstar, shared a video on Instagram to pay tribute to Evra’s great career.

The Frenchman also followed the video up with a heartfelt message to his friend and ex-teammate with whom he used to share the locker room.

He wished him all the best in the future and also stated that he hopes Evra won’t stop hanging out with them now that he is hanging up his boots for good.

As for Pogba’s own ventures in the footballing world, his future at Old Trafford is still up in the air as Real Madrid are still lurking around in order to land their target before the window closes, with United expecting things to ramp up once Gareth Bale’s next destination is decided according to The Mirror.

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

According to Norwegian media outlet VG, three clubs are interested in signing out-of-favour Southampton attacker Moi Elyounoussi, which could lead to the club getting exactly what they want.

What’s the word, then?

Well, VG report that Turkish giants Besiktas, as well as La Liga duo Celta Vigo and Sevilla, are all keen to sign the Saints outcast.

VG report that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is prepared to let the 25-year-old leave St Mary’s, and while the English transfer deadline is on Thursday the south coast outfit would still be able to sell or loan the Norway international out to the aforementioned teams with theirs not due to slam shut until September 2.

Watch Southampton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Elyounoussi joined Southampton in a £16m deal in the summer of 2018, but only made 19 appearances in his debut campaign.

Just what Southampton wanted

The south coast outfit have been actively trying to move players on during the summer transfer window, but names such as Charlie Austin, Mario Lemina, Wesley Hoedt and Cedric Soares who they reportedly wanted to get rid of earlier in the summer all remain at St Mary’s as things stand.

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So, the fact that Saints potentially have three teams wanting Elyounoussi is a boost, as it could easily lead to something of a bidding war between them whether the club decides to loan him out or sell him on a permanent basis.

Removing at least part of the flop’s £60,000-a-week wages, as per Spotrac, would be hugely beneficial from a financial point of view, given they haven’t been able to bring in any new players until they can offload some more with centre-back previously named as a priority position.

Given how much of a disappointment he was – he only played a total of 790 top flight minutes in his debut campaign in England, while he failed to make the matchday squad in six of the club’s last seven Premier League matches of 2018/19 – his departure would be no great loss.

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Lots of Everton fans have taken to Twitter in fury after Melissa Reddy said that she thinks Wilfried Zaha should aim higher than a move to Goodison Park.

Whilst that opinion naturally won’t have gone down well anyway, Reddy’s comments seem to have triggered the Everton supporters on Twitter even more due to the fact that she is believed to be a Liverpool fan, and is a contributor to a lot of Reds-related content.

Reddy stated that she feels the Crystal Palace forward should do what Luis Suarez did when holding back on pushing through a move to Arsenal, and instead getting a much better switch to Barcelona the following summer.

Zaha handed in a transfer request a day before the deadline in a bid to force through a move to the Toffees, although nothing materialised with the Eagles standing firm on their valuation of the Ivory Coast international.

You won’t believe which of Liverpool’s Champions League winning side of 2005 is still playing in the video below…

Let’s take a look at how the furious Everton fans on Twitter reacted…

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