Birmingham City forward James McFadden has played down rumours suggesting that he is pushing for a new contract at St Andrew's.
The 27-year-old Scotland international's current deal runs until the end of next season and McFadden is calm about the prospects of a future agreement.
He told the Birmingham Mail:"I was asked the question and, yes, I would like to get it sorted, but I am in no rush.
"My contract runs out at the end of next season and the club have got a two-year option.
"But if I play a certain amount of games I get one for myself, so it is not a big drama.
"There are other players speaking at the moment about contracts. There is not a lot of progress, but I am not worried.
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"I would like to get it sorted but I'm not going to complain. I'll wait and see what happens."
McFadden joined City in January 2008 from Everton and has since scored 13 goals in 83 appearances in all competitions.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United ensured they will finish second in the English Premier League this season with a 0-0 draw away to West Ham United on Thursday evening.
Although challenging for the title is clearly what they want, the point earned at least ensures they will finish ahead of Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal, who all share similar ambitions to the Red Devils.
The performance wasn’t the most exciting from Jose Mourinho’s side against the Hammers, setting up with three centre-backs and two defensive wing-backs, leading to criticism from supporters who are rapidly losing patience with his negative tactics.
Fans want to see a more dynamic and expansive United side that brings an attacking style to their opponents, designed to go out and win games.
Some are so fed up that they’re calling for the Portuguese to go this summer.
Mourinho and his team will be hoping they can cheer supporters up by lifting the FA Cup when they meet Chelsea in the final next week.
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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after Thursday night’s performance…
Let the hyperbole begin. Arsenal’s Community Shield victory, just the latest episode in their growing ever bitter rivalry with Chelsea, brings with it high expectations for the upcoming season.
The Gunners may be ready to mount a serious title challenge for the first time in years, only time will tell. What is for sure, however, is that the fortune of England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be crucial to their chances.
Scoring the winner in the tradition curtain-raiser, ‘The Ox’ terrorised one of the best defences in Europe all afternoon. Right sided wing rivals Raheem Sterling and Theo Walcott have earned pay increases this summer, making headlines in the transfer window. Meanwhile, the ex-Saint has quietly been getting on with his business, trying to overcome his injury problems.
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Walcott has recently signed an extension at the Emirates, reportedly earning £140,000-a-week. After almost a decade of service, perhaps he is more entitled than Chamberlain to earn that sort of money, but the 21-year-old should not be too far behind.
He is one of the most exciting young players in Europe, and often gets forgotten about behind flashier names.
Sterling completed a protracted saga to Manchester City in a £49m deal earlier this summer. In that sort of mega-money world, what would Oxlade-Chamberlain be worth? Man City’s new man is also a hugely exciting prospect, but his international team mate has already achieved more.
Two FA Cup medals and two Community Shields is not the most packed of trophy cabinets, but still quadrupoles’ that of Sterling’s. It is hard to directly compare two versatile, dynamic young internationals at this stage of their careers, and the term ‘better’ may not be the best to use.
However, the Gunner provides a lot more of an end product than the £49m man. The City bosses are unlikely to have shelled out that sort of money for what Sterling has done, more at what he might do. This is not to say that Oxlade-Chamberlain is the end product, but using that kind of logic, he would surely be worth more.
Stunning performances in big games, against the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester United and now Chelsea are what ‘Chambo’ is all about. His all action approach is reminiscent of team-mate Alexis Sanchez, and his versatility allows him to operate either out wide or through the middle.
End product is the only product to write home about in top level football. The belter to secure a second Community Shield was only half the story in an excellent performance at Wembley. This was £49m-esque performance against the current champions. It is not his first. Surely it will not be his last.
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Injury problems may affect any hypothetical price for the Gunner, but at just 21-years old, it is still likely to be upwards of £40m. Perhaps Sterling comes as more of a marketing package, but ‘The Ox’ is undoubtedly stronger.
Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk is being linked with a move to Spurs after his agent admitted a switch to England could be on, according to the Metro.
The frontman has been linked with a move to Spurs in the past because of his connection with Andre Villas-Boas, who was his manager at Porto, and the speculation has resurfaced once more.
Big-spending Monaco have recently been linked with a mega money bid for the Brazilian but the players agent, Teodoro Fonseca, has denied this and admitted a move to England was currently more likely for the 26-year-old Zenit St Petersburg striker.
“There are two great teams of the Premier League to have made their interest known,” Fonseca told OJogo.
“It is normal that such news would arise because it was with Andre Villas-Boas and Porto where Hulk had his best time.
“The future of Hulk is with Zenit, but I have never made such statements [about Monaco], I have not spoken to anyone from France.”
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Raheem Sterling’s meteoric rise to stardom continues, as Stuart Pearce admits he is considering placing the talented 17-year-old in the England Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Championship Qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway. The Daily Mail reports.
Sterling’s great progress into the Liverpool first-team has attracted the admiring glances of Pearce, after the youngster’s man-of-the-match performance in the Europa League against Hearts and the equally impressive display against Champions, Manchester City.
Sterling was originally picked to play for the Under-19s to face Germany in Hamburg, but is now likely to be fast-tracked into the Under-21s.
It is promising news for Liverpool and Manager Brendan Rodgers, who has been delighted with the progress of Sterling.
“I have seen a lot of development in him in a short time. He takes on a lot of the concepts and he is very good with instructions. Normally wingers want to do their own thing but, tactically, Raheem is improving every day”, he said.
Sterling is also eligible to represent Jamaica as he was born in Kingston, something which his mother desires, but this latest development could see Sterling commit his future to England.
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Arsene Wenger took charge of his final home game as Arsenal manager against Burnley on Sunday.
The Frenchmen walked out to a rapturous reception and guard of honour before his players paid tribute by convincingly thrashing Burnley 5-0.
Goals from Alecandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Iwobi and a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ensured Wenger’s 22-year reign as Gunners boss ended in style on home soil.
Wenger brought in free-flowing attacking football to Arsenal and this game summed up his footballing philosophy.
Club legends watched on, while many fans will be left wondering where this type of performance has been all season.
Addressing the crowd at the end of the game Wenger wished Sir Alex Ferguson a swift recovery before saying: “Thank you for having me for such a long time. Above all, I am like you an Arsenal fan.
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“I would like to finish with one simple phrase – I will miss you. Thank you for being such an important part of my life and I hope to see you soon.”
Football fans reflected on Wenger’s time as manager via Twitter afterwards…
Despite a 1-0 home defeat to Swansea this week ending an unbeaten run for Arsenal, the general feeling around the Emirates Stadium is one of optimism.
The Gunners look like a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title next season, while a number of summer signings would drill the point home further.
However, there will also be players on their way out of the North London club at the end of the current campaign, with attacking outcast Lukas Podolski surely amongst them.
The experienced Germany international has spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Inter, while he did not start a single Premier League game in the 2014 segment of the season.
With Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez arriving last summer, Podolski is well down the attacking pecking order, with a player of his stature and track record craving regular first-team football.
As such, the former Bayern Munich forward will surely depart this summer; here are three Premier League sides that could land a bargain addition by moving for Podolski in the off-season…
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Newcastle
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Assuming that the Tyneside outfit stay in the top flight this season, there is set to be a major overhaul at the club this summer.
A new manager will arrive with plenty of players seemingly set to be sold and a real necessity for quality in the St James’ Park squad.
Podolski could be a shrewd acquisition that would bring the versatility to play in a number of different positions and bolster Newcastle’s limited options in the final third.
With goals in short supply in the North East, the German’s addition as either a central striker or someone to start in a withdrawn role would add menace to the team’s attack.
Aston Villa
One of the key issues that Tim Sherwood will need to address this summer at Villa Park is nullifying the over-reliance on Christian Benteke to get goals for the team.
When the Belgian has been injured or out of form the club have struggled, while his return to prolific showings in recent times has sparked an upturn in fortunes for the Birmingham-based outfit.
There will be a chance that Benteke could leave Aston Villa this summer, but whether he does or not attacking reinforcements would be most welcome.
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Partnering Podolski with Benteke would be an exciting proposition, while if the worst case scenario does occur and the Belgian leaves, the German would be a canny alternative to get goals for the side.
Swansea
Following the sale of Wilfried Bony in the January transfer window, Garry Monk’s attacking options are looking very limited, with Bafetimbi Gomis the only recognised number nine of real calibre at the Welsh club’s disposal.
As such, someone with Podolski’s eye for goal and ability to play as the main striker or amongst the supporting cast would be a smart option.
The Germany international would thrive on the creative supply of the Swansea midfield and wingers, with every chance he could be a revelation at the Liberty Stadium.
Dwight Tiendalli is set to hold talks with Swansea this week over a possible new deal to stay at the Liberty Stadium.
Tiendalli was a free agent when he was drafted in at the start of the season after a horror injury ruled Neil Taylor out for the entire campaign and he hopes to have done enough to earn a new deal.
The form of Ben Davies means Tiendalli did not play as much as he would have liked and with Taylor now back to full fitness it remains to be seen if there will be room in Michael Laudrup’s squad for him.
That will become a lot clearer when talks take place this week and Tiendalli has admitted he would like to stay with the Swans.
“Me and the club are going to talk about the future and we will see where it ends,” he revealed. “We’re going to talk this week. It’s not just about the last couple of weeks, it’s about all the games.
“I have a feeling I did my job well and we will see what happens. Of course I want to stay. I like Swansea.”
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Leeds fans are absolutely furious despite Saturday’s huge win, after news broke that Victor Orta will stay at the club this summer.
It’s been an up and down season for Leeds fans. “Up and down” in this instance literally meaning up then down, down and further down.
After a good run of form before Christmas, fans have watched on in despair as their side’s playoff push has completely evaporated.
With pressure mounting on manager Paul Heckingbottom, his side did him proud on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Barnsley.
Heckingbottom moved to Elland Road from Barnsley in February, so he would have certainly enjoyed the win that came courtesy of goals from Tom Pearce and Ezgjan Alioski.
It’s fair to say fans might not have enjoyed today so much though if they saw the news about Victor Orta.
Orta has taken plenty of stick for his awful recruitment since coming to Elland Road, and Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post reported before the match that reports linking Orta with a move to Deportivo are wide of the mark.
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Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Chris Smalling’s talks about a new contract with Manchester United have been put on hold until the end of the season with it uncertain as to whether the defender will still be a United player next season.
The defender is keen to stay at Old Trafford and he is enjoying life at the Red Devils with Louis van Gaal. He has made 22 appearances this season for the club and after a slow start which saw him put in some bad performances, he has greatly improved his game. After getting sent off in November against Manchester City many fans would have been happy not to have seen him play again but now he is quickly becoming a more dependable defender. After receiving two extremely careless yellows it looked like he would be left on the bench for the rest of the season and out of the door this summer. So all being considered – should he stay at Manchester United next season?
United’s defence has been one of their biggest problems this season with van Gaal not being completely sure of what his strongest back four is. The back four has chopped and changed all year and earlier in the season Smalling was someway behind Jonny Evans and Phil Jones in the pecking order but it seems his current form has brought him to the front with van Gaal picking him to start for the last five matches in a row and Roy Hodgson calling him up to play for England.
In September Smalling suffered from being played out of position similar to how he finished last season but he has come to be fairly reliable (okay he has had the occasional off day, but everybody does its natural). When you look at this season’s statistics against some of the Premier League’s other defenders- John Terry, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma all have worst statistics than Smalling. He passes forward more, makes more interceptions and scores more goals but his weakness lies in winning headers.
There might be a solution to this. Mats Hummels has been linked with joining Man United’s defence over the summer and with eight defenders already on the books someone with surely have to go. They could make it easy and move Smalling on seeing as his contract is already up but it means the defenders will need to show van Gaal what they are made of for the rest of the season.
Smalling plays better against a traditional centre back and with Hummels being known for being dominate in the defence it could be the perfect partnership. Smalling has greatly improved as the season has gone on- he has come into his best just when it matters.
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After looking at all that it seems like Chris Smalling is growing to really fit in to United’s back four and as he wants to stay at Old Trafford I think van Gaal should get his contract written up before the likes of Arsenal come and snap him up.