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According to reports from Football Insider, Leeds United are out of the running in the race to sign Harry Wilson as he has made it clear that he doesn’t want to join the Yorkshire club on loan next season.

The attacking midfielder spent the last season out on loan at Derby County, and he was instrumental in inflicting heartbreak upon the Whites at the end of last season.

What’s the story?

The 22-year-old has apparently told Liverpool that he doesn’t want to go out on loan again next season, and although Leeds have been heavily linked with a move for him, his arrival at Elland Road now looks unlikely.

The report states that the midfielder is ready to leave Anfield permanently, but the Merseyside club value their young prospect at £25m, meaning it’s incredibly unlikely that the Whites will be able to secure a permanent deal either.

Bullet dodged

Even though Wilson was one of the star performers in the Championship last season – scoring 16 goals and providing 4 assists  – Leeds may be dodging a bullet by not signing him.

Liverpool apparently want £4m from any club looking to loan him for a season, which is an extortionate amount for any player on loan, especially considering Bielsa needs both quantity and quality this summer.

Leeds’ finances in this upcoming transfer window may be limited as it has been speculated they will have to sell before they buy, and they will have to look at PL loan moves to bolster their options.

The monetary aspect isn’t the only reason the Whites should count themselves lucky that they won’t be signing Wilson.

The midfielder openly mocked the club on social media and was filmed singing songs that made fun of the Whites after Derby beat them in the play-off semi-final in May.

With the heartbreak from that defeat still lingering fresh in mind,  those acts surely wouldn’t be forgotten by the supporters or his teammates.

For those reasons, he may have never been accepted at Elland Road and it may be best for all parties that this deal is now off the table.

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According to The Sun, Young Boys defender Loris Benito has arrived in England ahead of a potential move to Newcastle United.

The 27-year-old, who is a two-time Switzerland international, has helped Young Boys win the Swiss Super League in each of the last two campaigns.

The defender’s contract with his current club will expire at the end of June, though, suggesting that he will be seeking pastures new.

According to The Sun, Benito has touched down in England to undergo ‘final talks’ with Newcastle ahead of a potential move to St James’ Park.

Should the move go through then Benito could become Newcastle’s first signing of a new era at the club, funded by UAE billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Indeed, Magpies owner Mike Ashley is said to be in talks to sell to the cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.

A selection of the Twitter reaction in relation to a potential swoop for Benito can be seen below:

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Marcus Rashford is one of England’s finest talents, but there’s no question that his form massively tailed off towards the end of the season, just when Manchester United really had the chance to get Champions League football and set up the perfect base for a summer of rebuilding.

On the chalkboard

Manchester United were in turmoil when Jose Mourinho was sacked back in December.

The Red Devils, to their credit, regrouped and made the brave decision to abandon the Mourinho project and bring in a fan favourite – Molde’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

His appointment as interim manager was so successful he’s since been given the job full-time, not only for the incredible improvement in results but for the way some of the club’s best and most expensive prospects had since found form under the new boss.

However, things have come to an abrupt halt since, with Solksjaer realising what an enormous job he has to not only build a United side capable of competing in the big games but one that’s got the hunger, desire and fitness to compete over a whole season.

Team’s confidence killed Rashford’s support

While the desire of the United players will be called into question, could the issue really be the team’s confidence? If this is the issue, it would go a long way to explaining why Rashford has struggled so much in recent weeks.

Dents in confidence have occurred throughout the whole season and it’s even trickled into the most reliable of players like David De Gea, the ever-performing, match-saving goalkeeper. These last few months, he’s been just as much part of the problem.

So how does confidence in the team impact Rashford so much? Perhaps it’s too kind on the young man to hide him behind these excuses, maybe he’s just thrown in the towel for the season, but nothing in his past would suggest he’s of that nature. What’s more plausible is the idea that every bad result and every bad moment sent a ripple effect through the spine of the team. With every De Gea mistake, the defence dropped slightly deeper. With every goal conceded, the midfield felt they had to sit back more and lay off the press.

This has a huge impact on young Rashford. The more the team retreats and sits back, the more isolated  United’s number 10 is going to become.

Solskjaer then himself seemed to lose confidence, and that was evident in his line ups at the end of the season. He was suddenly playing a back five rather than being brave like he once was and leaving three forwards up the pitch to counter attack.

Rashford has struggled on his own account, but the on-field support from those around him hasn’t been there because of the breakdown in confidence of the team. Suddenly his team-mates weren’t close to him and weren’t attempting high-risk, high-reward passes. The team then stopped pressing, and the England youngster was left more and more alone up front, even with a striking partner.

Rashford can only do so much, and the team’s lack of belief resulted in him becoming more isolated as the season went on. That perhaps was the biggest cause of his slump in form, and it’s a much wider problem at United right now than simply one young player not performing to his best.

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Sunderland face Charlton at Wembley on Sunday, and Jack Ross should select a starting XI that has not started once together this season.

Ross has one of the biggest and best squads in League One, but combined with a spree of poorly timed injuries, this has led to never having one settled first choice XI.

The Black Cats usually rely on Lee Cattermole and Grant Leadbitter in midfield while Jon McLaughlin has started a whopping 54 games in goal, but almost every other position is seemingly up for grabs.

Now, with everything on the line, Ross simply must unleash this XI brimming with energy, flair and enthusiasm.

Ozturk’s physicality is needed at the back, with the error-prone Jack Baldwin dropping to the bench, while the energy of Luke O’Nien and Bryan Oviedo will dominate the flanks.

The tried and tested duo in midfield keeps the balance and defensive stability of the side, while the three behind the striker will cause absolute mayhem due to their versatility.

In truth, it doesn’t really matter where each of Morgan, McGeady and Maguire line up, as the creative trio can all interchange and play in any of the three roles behind the striker. George Honeyman is a notable absentee, but he simply doesn’t have the goal threat to warrant a place in an attacking role.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Up front it simply must be Charlie Wyke who gets the nod, Will Grigg has not lived up to expectations and the former’s physicality will occupy defenders and leave space for the three M’s to operate in.

This XI has not started a single fixture together this season, could they make their collective debut on Sunday? Sunderland fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

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Arsenal fans on Twitter have surprisingly welcomed the news that manager Unai Emery could depart the Emirates this summer.

Despite only arriving in north London one year ago, Emery could already be on his way out with Mundo Deportivo suggesting him as a potential replacement for Ernesto Valverde as Barcelona boss.

The Barcelona newspaper has placed Emery on a shortlist of four prospective managers should the Catalan club decide to part ways with Valverde.

Emery’s first season at Arsenal has yielded mixed results as a dramatic capitulation in the final weeks of the Premier League season saw the Gunners miss out on a top-four finish, although the club still has a chance at redemption with the Europa League final against Chelsea on May 29.

A victory in Baku would see the former PSG manager win Arsenal’s first European trophy since the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup and qualify for next season’s Champions League, but some Gunners fans on Twitter are still hoping that Barcelona bring Emery to the Nou Camp.

Check out the best of the reaction below…

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West Ham United fans have savaged Andy Carroll after the club posted a tweet showing all of his goals for the club.

The Hammers have confirmed that he will leave upon the expiration of his contract.

It brings to an end a seven-year spell in east London; Carroll originally joined on loan from Liverpool in 2012 prior to the deal being made permanent for a fee of £15million.

His spell was ravaged by injury, however, and he managed to score just 34 goals for the side across a total of 142 appearances.

In the 2018-19 season, indeed, Carroll enjoyed 12 Premier League outings but completed the 90 minutes just once in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in February.

Ankle surgery meant that he missed the final 10 games of the campaign and he is now searching for a new club.

But fans have hit out at his time at the club, insisting that he did nothing to repay any of the £15m lavished upon him, plus his wages.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have been offered the chance to sign Ousmane Dembele for a fee in the region of £90m, with Barcelona keen to recoup some money having already splashed out on a major transfer already.

The Spanish champions parted with £65m to lure Frenkie de Jong to the Camp Nou, and Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has said that Antoine Griezmann will go to Barcelona too – a huge move that they will need a lot of money to sanction.

If the French international did turn up at Anfield, it would be an extremely exciting move for a player with all the talent in the world, whilst he would also be in a fast-paced, attacking system where he would thrive.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

But where would he fit in and how would he compare to the man in his position, Sadio Mane?

Dembele appeared as a left forward 14 times last term as opposed to eight on the right, so it could be assumed that he would also play on the left if he signed for Liverpool, where Mane plays.

As you can see from the above, the former Rennes star appears to be less direct in comparison to the Senegal international, but a far greater creative source.

Dembele takes 1.1 less shots per game than Mane, and makes 0.3 more key passes than the former Southampton man, suggesting that he is more selfless when in possession.

His assist tally further reinforces that fact. The 22-year-old managed to grab five league assists last term in comparison to Mane’s one – there is no reason for the 27-year-old mustering up just a single set-up other than his lack of creativity, given the proficiency of his teammates Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in front of goal.

Dembele also embarks on almost a whole dribble more than Mane per game, suggesting that he likes to get on the ball and take people on with the intention of making things happen, whereas the Liverpool No.10 has become somewhat more of an off-the-ball player who finishes moves off.

If Liverpool did manage to sign the former Borussia Dortmund man, who signed for Barcelona in a £96.8m deal, then they would have two amazing options out on the left flank who offer vastly different qualities.

A true embarrassment of riches.

أكد لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كاسيميرو، على أهمية تحقيق الفوز في مباراة الغد أمام بوروسيا مونشنجلاباخ في الجولة السادسة والأخيرة من مجموعات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ريال مدريد على ملعبه “ألفريدو دي سيتفانو” غدًا، الأربعاء في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” منافسه الألماني بقيادة الحكم الهولندي الدولي، بيورن كيوبرس.

وتحدث كاسيميرو عن المباراة المنتظرة في المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بها منذ قليل، وقال: “الجميع في ريال مدريد يعتبرونها مباراة نهائية، علينا أن نكون مستعدين وجاهزين لخوضها”.

وأضاف: “ريال مدريد متخصص في مثل هذه المباريات، فهو يخوضها ليس من أجل لعب مباراة ما ولكن ليفوز بها، نحن نتحلى بالروح والإصرار وسنُقدم كل شيء على أرض الملعب”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ريال مدريد يعلن غياب لاعبه عن مواجهة مونشنجلادباخ بسبب الإصابة

وتابع: “لن أتحدث عن استعداداتنا لتلك المباراة، لكن الجميع يعرف ما يقوم به ريال مدريد في مثل تلك المواجهات الحاسمة، ونحن لا نفكر سوى في هذا اللقاء وما يحدث بعده سواء نجاح أو فشل لا يشغلنا حاليًا، لكننا بالطبع نستهدف الفوز ولا غيره أمام بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “نحن نواجه فريقًا كبيرًا يلعب في دوري أبطال أوروبا، بطولة مهمة ولا توجد بها أي مباريات سهلة لذلك علينا التحضير لجميع المواجهات بقوة وعلينا تقديم أداءً أفضل من المباريات السابقة”.

وماذا عن زيدان: “نتحدث عن تاريخ صنعه في هذا النادي، في الموسم الماضي فزنا بلقبين والبعض يتناسى ما فعله بسبب الموسم الصعب الذي نمر به حاليًا مع ضغط المباريات وفترة الإعداد غير الكافية، لسنا آلات وهناك العديد من الفرق التي تعاني مثلنا، وبالتالي، سنحتاج إلى فترات من الراحة”.

ورد كاسيميرو على سؤال “أيهما تفضل المشاركة في الدوري الأوروبي إذا خسروا غدًا أم الخروج من البطولات الأوروبية تمامًا؟” أجاب: “لا أضع هذا الاحتمال أمامي أعرف أنه موجود ولكن إذا لم تتمكن من الاستمرار في دوري أبطال أوروبا، فلن نكون سعداء لكننا نريد أن نلعب في الدوري الأوروبي والفوز به لأن هذا النادي يعيش على الألقاب”.

واستمر: “أنا لست هنا لتقديم الأعذار بسبب الأداء، أو الحديث عن المشاكل لكنني أقول الحقيقة وما مررنا به كفريق قبل الموسم”.

واختتم كاسيميرو تصريحاته عن عودة راموس: “الحديث عن سيرجيو شرف كبير، إنه قائدنا ويتواجد في النادي منذ فترة طويلة وعلينا أن نقدر مثل هؤلاء اللاعبين، لدينا ناتشو وفاران ولكن راموس هو أحد أفضل اللاعبين في التاريخ وسعداء بعودته”.

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Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to slam Roberto Carlos’ reasoning behind why he prefers Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson over Alisson Becker.

The former Real Madrid left-back told the Raw Take podcast: “I like Alisson because he is tall and has good positioning but Ederson can play in any position – goalkeeper, centre-back, midfielder – he has great quality.

“So I am sorry Alisson, but to me Ederson is a bit better because he plays better with his feet.”

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

Some Reds supporters down below have taken exception to these comments as they feel a goalkeeper should be judged on things a keeper is expected to do, not for their ability to play in a position away from the goalmouth.

One fan sarcastically said that Andres Iniesta is a better goalkeeper than Iker Casillas in a humorous retaliation to Carlos’ strange comments, whilst more fans are just outright baffled by the former Brazilian international’s reasoning for his choice.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Alisson completed more passes per game in the Premier League last season in comparison to the former Benfica goalkeeper anyway, recording an average of 28.3 compared to Ederson’s 24.2 – Carlos really doesn’t have much weight behind his argument.

Let’s take a look at some of the best tweets…

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According to ExWHUemployee, West Ham United have identified Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey as a potential transfer target this summer.

However, it would be fair to say that the majority of the Hammers fans are against their club moving for the 27-year-old.

Shelvey only made 18 appearances for Newcastle during the 2018-19 season.

The midfielder will see his contract at St James’ Park expire in little over two years, meanwhile, and according to ExWHUemployee, Shelvey is a target for West Ham.

The six-time England international struggled with injury last term and missed 22 of his team’s 38 Premier League matches.

There is no question that the former Charlton Athletic youngster is a talent. However, his career appears to have stalled over the last 12 months or so.

The West Ham fans have been on social media offering their views on his potential arrival.

And it would be fair to say that not too many want their club to move for the Romford-born midfielder – a selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: