[ad_pod ]As the majority of us will know, Everton haven’t been afraid to put their hands in their pockets in recent windows.The Toffees have splashed huge sums on the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yerry Mina, Jordan Pickford, Richarlison and others, but have very little to show for their investments.With the positive-thinking managerial mind of Marco Silva, a man who always looks to play on the front foot, and a wealth of talent at his disposal, you would at the very least expect Everton to be pushing hard for a trophy or be in with a shot at Europe.In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…But no. The Merseysiders are currently sat in ninth place, crashed out of the FA Cup in embarrassing fashion to Championship side Millwall, and also exited the Carabao Cup early on having lost to Southampton on penalties.Whilst all of the aforesaid is the Toffees’ disappointment written in black and white, a recent table constructed by Daniel Storey highlights clearly just how underwhelming they have been.

The graphic demonstrates that, out of all 20 Premier League teams, Everton rank sixth for ‘highest combined transfer fees of 10 most regular starters this season’.

Whilst that in itself isn’t out of the ordinary given how much the Toffees have spent on their side – as previously mentioned – their league position amongst those around them in Storey’s table make for damning reading.

Everton find themselves amongst the Premier League’s ‘Top Six’ – they’re even ahead of 3rd-placed Tottenham – which is a hard-hitting indictment on just how much they are underperforming given the amount of cash they’ve spent.

Whilst their spending hasn’t necessarily been awful, with young players such as Lucas Digne, Richarlison and Jordan Pickford signed under Marcel Brand’s new vision for the club, those players currently aren’t pulling their weight at Goodison Park.

They obviously have bags of potential, but they must do better in the immediate future.

كشف محمد بركات مدير منتخب مصر الأول، حقيقة ماتردد بشأن استبعاد محمود عبد المنعم كهربا لاعب الأهلي من قائمة الفراعنة بسبب ضغوطات من أعضاء اللجنة الخماسية المسئولة عن إدارة اتحاد الكرة المصري، كما أوضح موقف إقامة مباراة مصر وتوجو.

وترددت أنباء تفيد بأن اتحاد الكرة أبلغ الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر بقيادة حسام البدري بعدم ضم كهربا، بسبب المشادة والأزمة الأخيرة مع محمد فضل عضو اللجنة الخماسية، في احتفالية الأهلي ببطولة الدوري هذا الموسم.

طالع | فيديو | اشتباك بين كهربا ومحمد فضل في مراسم تتويج الأهلي بالدوري

وقال بركات خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “أون تايم” على قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “لم نتعرض لأي ضغوط من اتحاد الكرة إطلاقًا”.

وأضاف: “قرار عدم ضم كهربا بالإضافة إلى أحمد فتحي لـ قائمة منتخب مصر في المعسكر الحالي لمباراتي توجو، هو قرار فني بحت أخذه حسام البدري بنسبة 100%، لا يوجد أحد من اللجنة الخماسية يتحدث معه، هذا لا ولن يحدث”.

وأردف: “كان اختلاف في وجهات النظر بين اتحاد الكرة والأهلي ونحن ليس لنا علاقة به، البدري أخذ قراره ولم يتحدث معه محمد فضل أو أي عضو في اتحاد الكرة”.

وبسؤاله هل من الممكن أن نرى كهربا في المنتخب الفترة المقبلة؟ أجاب: “بالطبع حسام البدري له مطلق الحرية في ضم اللاعب أو استبعاده”.

وأستطرد: “نحن على تواصل منذ شهر قبل بداية المعسكر مع سفير مصر في توجو، ولا يوجد أي جديد ولم يتم إبلاغنا بأي شىء، ومباراة توجو مقامة في موعدها، ولدينا ثقة في لاعبينا لأبعد الحدود”.

منتخب مصر يواجه توجو في الجولتين الثالثة والرابعة من التصفيات الإفريقية الموهلة لكأس الأمم بالكاميرون، وذلك يومي ١٤ و١٧ نوفمبر.

وأتم: “المعسكر المغلق لمنتخب مصر سيبدأ يوم 9 نوفمبر، نتمنى أن يكون معسكرًا موفقًا ونحقق نتائج إيجابية، والاستعداد يكون أفضل من ذلك، ولكن راضين عن هذه الفترة”. 

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Manchester United fell to a dismal 4-0 defeat against Everton on Sunday as their poor run of form continued under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and club-record signing Paul Pogba was one of a number of hugely disappointing performers on the day.

If the Red Devils want to qualify for the Champions League next season then they need to turn their form around quickly, as they once again failed to show up against the Toffees at the weekend.

Because of his price tag Pogba will always be one of the players that fans scrutinise first, and there wasn’t a lot to be impressed by from the Frenchman on Merseyside.

While he did produce a neat pass through for Marcus Rashford early on, he once again failed to exert himself on a game like we know he can.

It was a hot day but that is no excuse – the 26-year-old hasn’t been good enough for the majority of the time since his return to Old Trafford.

Who would win out of Man Utd’s treble winners and Man City today? Fans discuss in the video below…

While some United supporters may feel that the 2018 World Cup winner doesn’t really care about the club, there was one image from the heavy loss that suggested that isn’t the case.

In a photo where Nemanja Matic and Chris Smalling are pictured with their hands on their hips looking dejected, Pogba is at least showing some raw emotion and some leadership skills as he shouts at his teammates.

While the Frenchman clearly shouldn’t be devoid of criticism having not turned up again, this does disprove any possible myths that he may have given up on the club.

It’s a small positive step, and now he needs to step up and help the team secure a top-four finish in the coming weeks.

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Ajax have been given a major boost before their Champions League semi-final clash with Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Sun.

The Eredivisie have postponed an entire round of fixtures to allow the club time to prepare to take on Mauricio Pochettino’s men.

What’s the word?

Ajax, of course, have been one of the great underdog stories of the competition this season.

They have beaten Real Madrid and Juventus back-to-back and now come up against a Tottenham side that dumped Manchester City out of the competition in the quarter-finals.

The Sun report that Ajax were scheduled to play two days prior to them travelling to London, in an Eredivisie encounter with De Graafschap.

But the league’s powerbrokers have postponed every single fixture that weekend to give Ajax the time they need to get ready for one of the biggest matches in their modern history.

KNVB president Eric Gudde said: “We have looked at all kinds of ways to move games with Ajax progressing so far in the Champions League.

“We have presented our plans to all of the clubs. It is not ideal for everyone, I appreciate that, but this is not just helping Ajax.

“It is being done to help Dutch football as a whole because it means so much to be successful in Europe.”

Tottenham, as it stands, play West Ham United three days before the first leg, and face AFC Bournemouth just two days before the decisive second leg.

A damning indictment on the Premier League

The Premier League ought to follow the Eredivisie’s lead.

They do nothing to ensure that their clubs are well prepared in Europe and, as it stands, it would not be a surprise to see Mauricio Pochettino’s squad stretched to breaking point by the current fixture list.

One has to think that the Bournemouth game will be changed but, if it isn’t, Ajax have a major advantage.

It is not their fault, of course, that their league are exercising common sense.

Spurs, surely, will be bitterly disappointed that there is precious little chance of the Premier League following suit.

Frankly, Rangers need to upgrade nearly every position in their squad this summer. In an ideal world, they wouldn’t have had to touch Joe Worrall’s position though, but he looks like he’ll return to Nottingham Forest as it stands, so Timm Klose is the best option.

It’s not ideal for Gerrard to have to bring new players into positions he wouldn’t have wanted to alter. But that’s the situation.

Indeed, it’s looking like he’s got his eye on Swiss 30-year-old Klose from Norwich according to The Scotsman, having been linked with towards the back end of April. 

The centre-back’s contract is up in the summer so at least it won’t drain money from areas like centre-forward and the number 10 role where the club really do need to spend their money. To that end, he’s in his prime and Gerrard needs more experienced players to go with the young lads he’s brought in.

He’s played 31 times for Championship winners Norwich this season, even bagging four goals and an assist. All in all, he’s been a rock, and that’s exactly what Ibrox needs to allow the creative players to do their thing without the worry of leaking goals.

Next season is massive for the Gers. The fans are expecting improvement from this season and that means winning silverware. Having an experienced centre-back who has achieved success can lead them to victory.

He might not be as young or dynamic as Worrall, but he brings qualities that a young lad like him will only acquire with age.

Klose would be the perfect replacement if Gerrard can tempt him to Scotland.

Rangers fans, who would you sign if Joe Worrall doesn’t return next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Everton fans will be happy to see the back of Theo Walcott! He’s been bang average this season, but Marseille Lucas Ocampos could be about to give the Goodison faithful something to get excited about.

The 24-year-old has played 30 times in Ligue 1 this season, scoring four and making eight assists. He’s an exciting forward with plenty of pace who could work wonders in the final third where Everton have been hit-and-miss this season.

Calciomercato believe Everton are targeting the Argentinian and that would most likely spell the end for Theo Walcott on Merseyside. He’s even been likened to Cristiano Ronaldo when Liverpool and Chelsea were reported to be interested, so he can’t be that bad!

Marco Silva is building a squad full of quick, youthful and dynamic talent. Oscampos fits this bill perfectly and would have the freedom down the left to supply any forward Everton can bring in too. Next season could really be exciting if this winger wants to play for the Toffees.

Anyone would be better than Walcott in the eyes of Everton fans, so he’ll have some patience initially to find his feet in a new country. His confidence on the ball should mean he’ll have no issue settling in among like-minded players such as Bernard.

Buying Lucas Ocampos, who’s rated at just £12.6m on Transfermarkt, could kill two birds with one stone. It’d get rid of Theo Walcott and finally give the Goodison faithful s more youthful and exciting winger to get them on their feet.

Everton fans, who do you want to start on the wings next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Marcus Rashford remains one of few current Premier League footballers to have broken through the academy traps, earning himself a place as a Manchester United regular and building on the fast start to his career that his potential suggested he could achieve.

But if he remains at Old Trafford for another 18 months, at which point he’ll turn 23, the England striker will belong to an exceptionally rare breed. 

Indeed, while Rashford remains an inspiration for all, it’s becoming harder and harder for young footballers to break through and have a career as a footballer, especially at Premier League clubs.

The nature of society is so that possessing the talent isn’t enough. Social media, agents, contracts, sponsors and a greater public-watch than ever before are all factors that negatively impact the opportunities available to young footballers to grow their career.

Even those who deal with all these factors immaculately, such as Harry Kane, may have to deal with life on loan and the prospect of foreign talent arriving to take your place. Having a career as footballer is one of the hardest journeys you could possibly pursue.

You need a manager who’s brave enough to trust youngsters like Rashford and give them the opportunity to shine, rather than field an out-of-position option just because they have more first-team experience. A good example of this now is Chelsea starting Eden Hazard up front when Tammy Abraham is on loan at Aston Villa and scoring goal after goal.

To highlight this issue and quite the severity of it, two Sheffield Hallam University researchers found that only around 5% of players signed to Premier League sides at the age of 18 were still with their club by 23.

Dr Chris Platts and Melissa Jacobi, of the university’s Academy of Sport and Physical Activity department, followed the progression 142 18-year-olds in 21 different academies and centres of excellence in the four top divisions. 55 of these players were signed to Premier League clubs. By the end of the study, only three of them remained in the top flight, with ten of them in the Championship.

Who would win out of Man Utd’s treble winners and Man City today? Fans discuss in the video below…

The statistics from this research is damning on football clubs, especially those in the Premier League. At the age of 18, a footballer is beginning to truly blossom and all the talent and attributes that one needs to scout a player should be fairly easy to evaluate. The idea that players arrive at the age of 18, and by 23 have slumped down the pyramid is a great problem for scouts of these mega-rich clubs who should be able to determine more crucially and ruthlessly whether a player is cut-out for the top level or not.

Whether young footballers always make the right societal decisions come the age of 19 and 20 is a debate in itself. Dr Platts said: “Contemporary debate about professional footballers’ working lives is dominated by supposed high wages, excessive endorsements and the celebrity lifestyle.

“One consequence of this romanticised view of professional football is that the everyday realities of working in such a precarious career remain largely ignored. The research paints a picture of the complex, precarious, unequal and relatively short careers of the majority of footballers, particularly those signed to Premier League clubs.”

The responsibility is on football clubs to encourage the promotion of young footballing talent and to ensure their scouting teams are far more efficient with signing young players. Along with that, managers must be hired who are willing to trust young players and blend them into a squad of experienced professionals who can pave the way for the youth to break through.

This is all easier said than done, as the financial reward for football clubs’ success these days is so vast that short-term results will always take precedence over long-term gain. Ultimately, the road for youngsters is getting harder, and we’ll see fewer and fewer Marcus Rashfords in England despite the undoubted potential for so many more. 

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According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace are interested in signing Aston Villa star Jack Grealish if Wilfried Zaha does depart the club this summer.

The Ivory Coast international recently revealed that he is keen to experience Champions League football.

If the Eagles No.11 did depart Selhurst Park this summer it would be a real blow to a fanbase who have watched him develop into a player of real pedigree since swapping Manchester United for Palace but, having said that, Grealish is a real talent himself and would be a great signing.

Has this guy found the worst stadium in English football? Decide for yourself by watching the video below…

Let’s take a look at the potential consequences of the Villans academy graduate arriving in south London…

Immediately high expectations and potential failure

If the 23-year-old is signed with the Zaha money and deployed in place of where the Ivorian once stood, it may not bode well for Grealish. Zaha is the club’s talisman, the one who makes them tick, and any man signed as a ‘replacement’ for the former Cardiff winger will immediately find themselves under a lot of pressure to perform to his level.

This definitely won’t be an ideal scenario, especially as Grealish has spent a few years out of the top-flight, and it could potentially see him fail at Palace as a result.

Other problem areas not sorted

It is no secret to the Selhurst Park faithful that the club still haven’t adequately replaced the talents of Yohan Cabaye, a calming presence in the middle of the park alongside Luka Milivojevic.

Additionally, when Michy Batshuayi returns to Chelsea this summer at the end of his loan spell, Roy Hodgson will have just the goal-shy Christian Benteke and the injury-prone Connor Wickham as his striking options – both of the aforementioned areas need investment.

United shrewdly inserted a sell-on clause when they sold Zaha back to Palace, which would entitle them to 25% of the profits if the Eagles did sell the forward – as a result, there may only be enough money for Grealish, who Spurs saw a £25m bid rejected for back in the summer.

Still no game time for Max Meyer?

The majority of Max Meyer’s few appearances since arriving on a free transfer last summer have come as an attacking midfielder, predominantly on the left where Grealish usually plays for Villa.

It has been a source of constant frustration for the Palace fans this season that the Germany international has not started more games, and if Grealish, a man who plays in the same position as him, arrives in a big-money deal, it would almost certainly push him even further down the pecking order.

That isn’t to say that the former Schalke man will leave the club, but he most certainly won’t be happy if Grealish does arrive.

كشف عمرو الجنايني رئيس اللجنة الخماسية المكلفة بإدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، سبب زيارة محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي الأهلي لمقر الجبلاية قبل أيام.

وقال الجنايني في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر فضائية “تن”: “رئيس النادي الأهلي زار مقر اتحاد الكرة، للحديث والاستفسار عن أمور خاصة باللوائح ورابطة الأندية الجديدة وفترة القيد”.

طالع | رئيس سموحة: مبروك على الأهلي بدر بانون.. وطلبنا استعارة لاعب الزمالك

وأضاف: “الحديث كان وديًا، واتحاد الكرة بيت كرة القدم ومفتوح لكل الأندية، وأي شخص يريد المجيء (فوق راسي)”.

وتابع: “هذه ليست الزيارة الأولى للخطيب، وبيننا حديث متبادل بشأن أشياء كثيرة جدًا، والقيد واللائحة ليست كلها عوامل تخص اتحاد الكرة فقط”.

واختتم: “توجد عوامل أخرى تخص الاتحاد الإفريقي (الكاف) والدولي (الفيفا)، وتحكمنا اللوائح في النهاية، ونراعي مصالح الجميع ولا نظلم أحدًا”.

Can you think of a player that’s had a season as unique as Fernando Llorente? For much of his time at Tottenham, he’s struggled to get off his feet, with the Spaniard unable to challenge Harry Kane for a starting berth in north London.

As a result, he’s not been given a regular run in the first team, and generally when he has played, he hasn’t looked particularly good.

Of course, that doesn’t matter if he’s scoring goals, and that’s exactly what he did when Tottenham took on Man City in the Champions League. He popped up with a crucial goal – and one that helped send Spurs into the semi-finals.

Despite that, though, it’s fair to say that he’s still facing an uncertain future at the club. That goal will have made him more popular at the club, but with Harry Kane still out, Llorente has a big point to prove during Spurs’ last four Premier League games.

A strong end to the season may be enough, but if he finishes poorly, you’ve got to wonder if he’ll be a Spurs player next season. Despite occasionally important goals, more often than not, he’s an incredibly inconsistent player, and that’s not what you need from your back-up forward.

Not to mention, at 34-years-old, he’s not going to be getting any better, and that’s something else to consider. His form will only worsen, unless he’s able to step up.

Llorente is in an interesting situation, given that his contract expires at the end of the season, according to Transfer Markt. He’s not just needing to prove himself to prevent being placed on the transfer list, but rather, he needs to impress so that he isn’t moved on. Man City was a good start, but he must continue to impress.

Tottenham fans – would you move him on? Let us know below!