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According to the Daily Star, Liverpool are amongst a number of top Premier League clubs interested in signing Leicester City star James Maddison, who enjoyed a wonderful debut campaign in the top-flight.

The report states that Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool have all enquired about the Englishman’s availability this summer, but with the Foxes under no pressure to sell, Maddison’s valuation stands at £60m.

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

That figure is three times what Leicester paid for the 22-year-old last summer when they parted with £20m to sign the attacking midfielder from Norwich, and it looks to have been a shrewd investment.

Maddison scored seven goals and recorded seven assists last season, whilst he also created the most chances in the Premier League to truly announce himself at the top level of English football – his form led to a call-up to the England team.

So, would the former Coventry academy graduate be a good fit at Anfield? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…

Luke Glanville

“I think the thing that many people forget is that Maddison has only been a Premier League player for one season. Yes, he looks to be a real talent, but we need to see if he can produce consistently over two to three seasons in the top flight first. Maddison is not yet the finished article and in my opinion, wouldn’t fit in at any top-six club at the moment, let alone Liverpool.”

Harry Sherlock

“James Maddison would be a great fit at any top-six club. He’s just got the kind of talent that makes him attractive to any potential suitor. He’d fit right in at Liverpool as he’d be able to supplement the ferocious talents of the front three, while adding some dynamism to the club’s midfield. That is perhaps their one weak spot, with Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Naby Keita not the most dynamic, creative trio. Adding Maddison in would be like adding cream to strawberries; it makes all the sense in the world.”

Charles Jones

“Maddison is undoubtedly an incredible player, but Liverpool may be the only club in the top six where he doesn’t quite fit in. Klopp has just won the Champions League and finished the Premier League season with 97 points using a midfield made up of three less creative players. Maddison is at his best when playing as a number 10 and at the moment there isn’t room for a player in his mould in the Liverpool XI.”

‘Roller coaster’ just about sums up Leeds United’s season, who collapsed and crumbled at the final hurdle, when it really counted, much to the dismay of the fans, who desperately wanted one of football’s fallen giants back where they belong.

But where on earth did it all go so wrong?

January transfer window

Not signing a single outfield player in January was unwise, wasn’t it?

Sat in their metaphorical Leeds United promotion party pyjamas fresh from Christmas, Whites fans likely waited in anticipation as the January transfer window rolled in and gave them a chance to refuel, recalculate and rejuvenate their Premier League plans under their bucket-riding commander-in-chief Marcelo Bielsa.

In truth, however, ‘El Loco’ really squandered a great chance to strengthen his team heading into arguably Leeds United’s most important five-or-so months in 15 painful years. And the fact that they actually finished the period with less players than they started is somewhat ridiculous.

Samuel Saiz may have only contributed four assists in the 19 appearances he made before his ill-fated return to Spanish football, where he is now embroiled in a gambling controversy, but he offered that little bit of magic only Pablo Hernandez now seems to possess in the current Leeds squad.

Lewis Baker was another unreplaced casualty, though his pitiful contribution of 220 Championship minutes, in which he provided neither goals nor assists, was far less of a loss.

The rushed and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of then Swansea player Daniel James didn’t much help either. The whole debacle just felt rushed from start to finish, and almost felt like a reaction to the realisation that maybe, just maybe, they should have been a little more proactive earlier in the window. Indeed, the fact it apparently fell down merely due to a disagreement over the payment structure looks all the more damning.

Leeds would ultimately lose two out of four games in January, and continue their poor run of form in February (where they dropped points in three of five games) before completely collapsing in March picking up 10 points out of a possible 21.

In summary, a change in tact is surely needed if they want to secure serious consistency.

Leeds United fans, what would you put your poor run of form down to? Do you think January business would have made a difference? Let us know in the comments below…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has laid down hints to Football Insider that John Terry may soon outgrow the club, claiming he could move on next season.

What’s he said?

Terry has been terrific for the club since arriving, having an impact on the pitch as well as proving to be a valuable asset off it.

Initially signing as a player in 2017/18, he hung up his boots and then became assistant to Dean Smith when he was given the reins in October last year.

The pair of them helped to turn the club around, leading them to promotion after a run of ten games without dropping a single point towards the climax of 2018/19.

Yet, he could be on his way out of the club according to Bent, who speaking to Football Insider, was adamant that he could depart next year. He said:

“I’m pretty much sure that if Villa have another successful season and they stay in the division and everything goes to plan, then the end of next season someone comes to John Terry, I’m sure Dean Smith will go: ‘You know what? You’ve been a brilliant servant for me, on you go.’”

 Terry to become a manager?

The former Chelsea man was a terrific leader during his playing days and he’s also proving to be a likeminded character as part of the backroom staff.

The ex-defender had a valuable impact in terms of his coaching, ensuring Villa kept clean sheets in 50% of their games between March 2 and April 22. The overall percentage for the entire season for Villa was just 26%.

His impact, therefore, has been brilliant.

After all, he was also a major influence in initially bringing Tyrone Mings to the club on loan in January too.

The Bournemouth loanee claimed that he couldn’t turn down the chance to work with the 38-year-old and it’s factors like that which makes it easy to see why he could well outgrow the club and take a managerial job elsewhere.

Terry has shown himself to be a capable coach and the fact he was such a stalwart of the Premier League, appearing 492 times in the top flight, means he could arguably walk into a top managerial job.

Smith hailed his assistant after the play-off final, saying: “John Terry is a top guy and a really good coach and will be a top manager one day.”

Therefore, it’s not only Bent that sees his future potentially lying elsewhere.

As we’ve seen with Frank Lampard, he earned his stripes with Derby before going onto become Chelsea boss, narrowly missing out on promotion with the Rams last term.

A similar sort of journey to Lampard’s could, therefore, be on the cards for Terry.

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Leeds United have been linked with Callum O’Dowda quite often this summer, and a recent report has stated that he has his heart set on a move to Elland Road in the upcoming transfer window.

This article from Football League World has coincided with the Championship fixture list being released. The opening day of the season sees the Whites travel to Bristol City, a game where O’Dowda could be the difference-maker.

O’Dowda’s history

After being frozen out of the squad according to The Times (subscription required) and rejecting three contract offers it is fair to say that the 24-year-old isn’t leaving Ashton Gate on the best of terms.

If he does join Leeds there would be no better way to get one over his former employers than beating them on his debut.

This extra incentive to win could see the Irishman have an extra spring in his step which could, of course, help his new side on their way to victory.

No need for spying

As we saw last season with spygate, Marcelo Bielsa loves to know everything about his upcoming opponents, and if O’Dowda was signed he could play the role of a spy ahead of this game.

The Irishman will know all of Lee Johnson’s tactics and tricks as he has played under the Bristol City boss for the past three years, and the information that he could relay to Bielsa and his coaching staff could prove invaluable.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

This would allow the Argentine the slight advantage he used to get from watching other teams training sessions without breaking the new EFL rule that has been put in place to stop a repeat of the infamous incident between Leeds and Derby.

كشف مصدر بنادي الزمالك عن تلقي جناح الفريق الأول لعرض من الدوري السعودي لرحيله خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ “بطولات”: “محمد أوناجم يتلقى عرضا من الدوري السعودي على سبيل الإعارة”، في حين لم يذكر المصدر اسم النادي.

طالع أيضًا.. لجنة إدارة الزمالك: لم نغلق باب الرحيل أمام مصطفى محمد.. وديون فريق اليد 23 مليون جنيه

وتابع: “هناك اجتماع في الزمالك لحسم موقف اللاعب من العرض المقدم”.

جدير بالذكر أن الزمالك يحتل وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 20 نقطة، حصيلة 8 مباريات فاز في 6 وتعادل في مواجهتين.

[ad_pod ]Hector Bellerin has been sidelined for quite a while now.The young Spanish full-back suffered a serious injury in January that ended his season half-way through. It was during Arsenal’s two nil defeat against Chelsea that the 24-year-old was taken off on a stretcher, and he won’t return until the 2019/20 kicks off in August – or even later – according to recent reports.It was later revealed that he indeed suffered from a cruciate ligament rupture, which was his second injury of the season. Even though he is on a path to recovery, the Gunners will have to wait a bit more until they see him donning that new kit of theirs.Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Be that as it may, Bellerin took to Twitter to post a mysterious message that has fans guessing.

It was just a simple emoji of an hourglass, which could either indicate that something is about to happen or that he is merely patiently waiting to return from injury.

Plenty of fans jokingly suggested that agent Hector was working on something behind the scenes, while others hope that it could be a positive sign regarding his return from injury.

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Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan has revealed that Kalvin Phillips’ agent has given him the inside scoop about the midfielder’s future at the club.

Whelan stated that the 23-year-old’s representative told him that Leeds’ star man wants to stay at the club, despite interest from Aston Villa and Wolves.

What’s been said then?

The BBC Radio Leeds pundit told Football Insider about a conversation he had with Phillips’ agent.

“I know Kalvin is desperate to stay at Leeds,” Whelan said.

“I’ve spoken to his agent, who told me he’d love to stay at the club. There is no hiding that.”

“The club need to put their money where their mouth is,” Whelan added. “I have no doubt Marcelo Bielsa wants Kalvin Phillips at the club, and they need to show him that he is wanted by the club.

“He is away on holiday at the minute and, hopefully, when he comes back, he can agree a new deal. He is a Leeds boy who loves the club.”

Massive boost

These are the words every United fan will have wanted to hear. There has been so much speculation about the midfielder’s future, and to hear that he wants to stay at the club will be a huge boost.

He was clearly critical in Leeds’ promotion push last year, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that he wants to help his boyhood club return to the Premier League by committing to one more season under Marcelo Bielsa.

Phillips plays in one of the most important positions in the Argentine’s system, and keeping the 23-year-old at Elland Road may be the best piece of business the Whites do this summer.

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According to The Mirror, Aston Villa are one of a number of teams interested in Liverpool’s Harry Wilson.

What’s the word?

After achieving promotion from the Championship, Dean Smith has already been busy in the transfer market, signing Anwar El Ghazi permanently whilst also adding Jota to his ranks.

The Villans will clearly need to strengthen ahead of a return to the Premier League but spending big could be a cause for concern after seeing Fulham spend over £100m, only to be relegated.

One player who could make a move for an expensive fee though is Liverpool’s Wilson.

The Mirror claim that the Merseyside club have an interest in the winger who could leave for £21m, per the report.

However, there is plenty of interest in the player so convincing him to join may not be straightforward. Valencia and Getafe are also interested whilst Leicester and Rangers are also possible destinations according to The Mirror.

Mirroring El Ghazi

One of Villa’s main problems this season has been in a wide area. El Ghazi was their most productive winger, scoring six and also claiming the same number of assists.

Boasting the ability to cut inside, he was a constant threat on the left flank, causing numerous problems to opposition defenders.

His form in the final stages of the season was impressive, even scoring in the play-off final.

But it’s on the right where Villa’s wide men have struggled and as a result, the signing of Wilson could be an instant fix.

On loan at Derby last term, he found the net 16 times. In comparison, Andre Green and Albert Adomah only netted three between them.

A left footed player, the Liverpool man could mirror El Ghazi’s threat but from the opposite wing.

The 22-year-old played in a number of positions but it was on the right where he was arguably most impressive – leading to eight of his Championship goals.

He’d regularly cut inside, just as Villa’s most recent signing has done on a regular basis, either carving out opportunities for his teammates or finding the net himself.

Should he join, Wilson’s direct nature will significantly improve Villa’s attack and create impressive symmetry with El Ghazi on the opposite flank.

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As of yet, there are still no signings to speak of at Anfield, and according to Bleacher Report, we should not expect a flurry of arrivals for the Champions League winners. Today’s Reds transfer roundup includes an update on the future of a youth team goalkeeper, a blow in the pursuit of a star full-back and news on the situation regarding one of the club’s strikers.

Grabara to be loaned out

According to Football Insider, Jurgen Klopp is prepared to loan out goalkeeper Kamil Grabara this summer. The 20-year-old Polish U21 international is expected to leave on a short-term basis as he continues his development, having only featured for Liverpool’s U23 side so far in his career.

Sessegnon blow

Ryan Sessegnon wants to stay in London despite interest from Liverpool according to Bleacher Report. The Fulham youngster has been scouted by the Reds but is reportedly on course to join Tottenham instead this summer.

Origi to stay at Anfield this summer

Belgian Divock Origi will not be sold this summer according to ESPN. The player has just one year left on his contract, but Liverpool are not worried about the situation and are even prepared to let the £18m-rated striker leave on a free transfer next year.

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

Celtic have rejected a bid from Arsenal in the region of £25m for Kieran Tierney, according to BBC Sport.

What’s the story?

Tierney has been the subject of interest throughout the summer from Arsenal and Napoli with the left-back’s future far from certain. With Arsenal upping their bid though, the Emirates certainly appears the more likely destination for the 22-year-old.

Tierney has been a key player for Celtic ever since he broke through in 2015 but has been restricted to just nine appearances this calendar year. The left-back has been dealing with hernia issues and is still some way from making a full return.

Neil Lennon has brought Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo in from Rapid Vienna in a £3m deal, yet this is no final nail in Tierney’s Celtic career. Emilio Izaguirre left Parkhead this summer, so Mbombo could just be competition for the 22-year-old Scotland international.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

Tierney staying could hurt future deals

The issue that could arise for Lennon and the Celtic board is that turning down £25m for Tierney (potentially the highest Arsenal will go with their limited budget) might stop other promising players coming to Celtic Park in the future.

We’ve seen in the past that players from Europe come to Celtic knowing if they perform to a certain standard they will likely attract Premier League interest.

The likes of Moussa Dembele, Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk are perfect examples. Those three, and Tierney too, gave so much to Celtic and in return, all were allowed to leave when their asking price was met.

Arsenal’s Tierney bid is the biggest the club has ever received and blocking the deal could put off youngsters like Wanyama, van Dijk and Dembele from coming to Celtic Park and developing.

The pathway is clear – sign for Celtic, play well in Europe and win some trophies, get your dream move to the Premier League and earn the Hoops a hefty profit in doing so.

Blocking this route could see players who view the Scottish Premiership as a stepping stone decide that a move to Scotland will not advance their careers, as it has done for so many in the past.

The club needs to be careful with this deal because it could have drastic ramifications down the line, even if keeping Tierney seems appealing in the short-term.