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As Aston Villa gear up for life back in the Premier League their squad will need significant improving. Finishing fifth best in the Championship is enough evidence of that.

Gaining promotion means that Dean Smith will have to be smart in the transfer window and the possible arrival of a man who scored double figures last term shows they’re making the right strides.

Per The Daily Mail, the club are expected to bid for Joe Lolley this summer in a transfer that could finally solve Smith’s problems in a wide area.

After Albert Adomah was released last weekend, a new winger will clearly be needed. There is an option to buy in the terms of Anwar El Ghazi’s loan but his future still seems uncertain.

The only natural winger left on their books permanently is Andre Green, a player who has raw potential but isn’t good enough yet for the Premier League.

Villa’s top scorer from a wide area last season was indeed El Ghazi. He found the back of the net six times but only averaged 1.9 shots per game.

If you compare that to Lolley, there is a sizeable difference.

The Nottingham Forest man was sensational, scoring 11 goals and also claiming 11 assists in the Championship, something that nearly doubles his potential teammate’s figures.

On average, the winger had three shots per game, underlying the constant goal threat he can provide.

During two matches, the 26-year-old managed seven shots in a single game. Remarkably Forest lost both of them, being defeated by Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story about his performance levels.

Back in October, Lolley claimed four assists and a goal as his side drew 5-5 with Dean Smith’s men. It was a frantic game but on that occasion, he only had two shots.

Out of the 46 matches the former Huddersfield man played in, only four of them saw him unable to muster an attempt on goal. Two of those games he appeared as a substitute in.

Lolley’s goal threat is significant and if the Villans are wanting to find more end product from a wide area this summer, they could do far worse than pursuing him further.

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Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for PSG attacking midfielder Julian Draxler this summer amid uncertainty over Christian Eriksen’s future, per L’Equipe.

The French club are looking to raise funds in order to comply with financial fair play regulations.

And there is a claim that Draxler could move for €40m in the coming month, with Spurs making early enquiries as to a move. His contract does not expire until 2021 and he made a total of 46 appearances in all competitions in 2018/19, scoring five goals and providing 12 assists.

Eriksen, of course, has expressed his desire to leave Spurs this summer and potentially make a “step up” with a transfer.

He has been heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent months and it appears inevitable that he will depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the first game of the 2019/20 season.

But would Draxler, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, be an adequate replacement for Mauricio Pochettino’s men?

Football FanCast’s writers give their verdicts below!

Jack Saville

“Draxler could be a valuable asset at Tottenham but he’s far from an adequate replacement for Eriksen. The Dane is integral to Pochettino’s system and Draxler doesn’t possess the level of creative responsibility to become the beating heart of the north London side’s midfield. Daniel Levy needs to aim higher in his search for Eriksen’s replacement as nothing less than world class will suffice.”

Billy Meyers

“For all the early potential he showed, Draxler has never made shockwaves at PSG due to a crippling lack of consistency. For all the stick he gets from Spurs fans, Eriksen is actually fairly consistent and has recorded some excellent numbers over the years. Draxler, in that respect, wouldn’t be a good replacement for what is a key player for the Lilywhites. A nice squad option, definitely, but not up to the standard of Eriksen.”

Matt Dawson

“Draxler is a phenomenal player on his day but you have to argue whether he has the consistency to replace someone as good as Eriksen. However, providing the price is right then he’d be a brilliant addition to this Spurs side. After reaching the Champions League final you feel as though they need some proven European talent to add to the exceptional homegrown players already at the club. Draxler, therefore, would be a solid acquisition.”

Last season was probably one to forget for Jean Michael Seri, with the 27-year-old having really struggled as Fulham went on to see relegation back to the Championship.

Even so, Seri is still a very good technical player, as he showed at Nice prior to his move to Craven Cottage. Based on that, the Ivory Coast international is probably one of the more exciting names currently being linked with Crystal Palace.

In contrast, Eintracht Frankfurt loanee Martin Hinteregger is likely to be a name that has left some supporters feeling pretty underwhelmed. He is currently attracting interest from the south London club, according to SportBild (via Sport Witness), and is not expected to cost a fortune.

Indeed, the Augsburg-owned player is not the most exciting of potential signings. However, he could prove to be a useful addition if his second-leg performance against Chelsea in the Europa League semi-final is anything to go by, with the Austrian’s sturdy defending on the night earning him a 7.17 match rating on WhoScored.

That alone, though, will not be enough to convince Crystal Palace supporters of Hinteregger’s quality. But for now, that is arguably not the most important thing.

Rather, it is the fact that the Eagles seem to be looking for a new central defender. As well as up front, it is an area of Roy Hodgson’s squad that could do with some fine-tuning.

Both James Tomkins and Scott Dann are in their 30s while Mamadou Sakho, who will also be 30 next year, has had trouble with injuries. Last season, the Frenchman picked up a serious knee injury in a 4-1 win over Leicester City having damaged his calf and ligaments prior.

When you consider all of that, targeting a new centre-half this summer is a smart move.

Crystal Palace fans, do you want to see Hodgson add a new defender to the squad? Would you be happy with Hinteregger? Let us know in the comment section below!

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Loads of Everton fans have been reacting to some confirmed transfer news, as Brendan Galloway has left the club on a permanent basis.

After loan spells away from Goodison with West Brom and Sunderland, Galloway has now left the club for good, joining Luton Town on a free transfer.

The Toffees confirmed the 23 year-old’s departure on their official site on Wednesday morning, prompting some frustrated responses from fans.

While the majority of fans seem to agree it is the right time for Galloway to move on, there is certainly a feeling there that he wasted his potential with the Toffees.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

An England Under-21 international, the young full-back played 21 times for the Blues’ senior side, but was set back by his loan spells, which is of course the opposite of what temporary moves are designed for.

He played only eight times for Sunderland as they were relegated from the Championship and made just five appearances for West Brom during his stay at the Hawthorns.

Have a look at some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Lots of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to the possibility that their club may be subject to a takeover.

According to The Sun, former Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra is said to represent one of four separate groups who are interested in taking charge of the Eagles.

It is a deal which may be difficult to get past footballing authorities given the fact that the former Thai Prime Minister was charged with corruption offences back in 2008.

Watch Crystal Palace Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

This comes after American duo Josh Harris and David Blitzer decided they wanted to sell their shares.

It is thought that if an owner is to complete a takeover they would be committing to a £350million project which includes a £100m upgrade of Selhurst Park, as well as a £30m cash injection into the academy.

Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…

Steve Parish is the current owner of the London club and has been at the club since 2010 when he led a consortium called ‘CPFC 2010’.

They were in turmoil when he took over and were set to go into liquidation before Parish intervened to save them.

Here is some of the reaction to the news:

حقق فريق وست هام فوزًا على نظيره وست بروميتش ألبيون مساء اليوم في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثامنة عشر حيث فاز وست هام بهدفين مقابل هدف. أهداف مباراة وست هام ووست بروميتش

التقدم كان لصالح وست هام في الدقيقة 45 عن طريق اللاعب جارود بوين.

ولم يستمر تفوق أصحاب الأرض طويلًا حيث أحرز ماتيوس بيريرا هدف التعادل لـ وست بروميتش في الدقيقة 51.

وفي الدقيقة 66 أحرز ميخائيل أنطونيو هدف فوز وست هام.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد وست هام إلى 32 نقطة في المركز السابع، بينما تجمد رصيد وست بروميتش ألبيون عند 11 نقطة في المركز التاسع عشر.

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The summer is finally here, which only means one thing for football fans – transfers galore. And for Tottenham supporters, in particular, it could be a window to remember.

Nearly 18 months since their last signing, Spurs look set to go crazy this summer with a plethora of new faces joining the club along with some names leaving the north London side. One name already that has been linked with a move is Giovani Lo Celso.

According to BBC Sport, the Real Betis midfielder was the subject of a £53 million from Tottenham last week and with the news that Christen Eriksen is likely to leave this summer, the Argentine playmaker could be a replacement for the outbound Danish international.

Tottenham fans are excited, but what have the experts across the continent been saying about Lo Celso?

Guillem Balague – Spanish football journalist

If a player from Spain is in the midst of a move to England, Guillem Balague is already on the case.

The Spanish football journalist has been the centre of many breaking stories involving players to and from Spain over the past few years, and although Balague has yet to confirm any movement between Spurs and Lo Celso, the Argentine is a player that has caught his eye.

Balague tweeted during Real Betis’ incredible 4-3 win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp back in November: “Lo Celso extraordinary. Man to man with (Sergio) Busquets defending, attacking the space on the left-hand side or receiving the ball between the lines when Betis kept the ball.”

Gabriele Marcotti – European football journalist

Another journalist to take a liking to Lo Celso is ESPN regular Gabriele Marcotti. The European football writer recently sang the former PSG man’s praises during an airing of ESPN FC but was quick to reframe that a deal should only happen if Eriksen is sold this summer.

Marcotti said via the Daily Express: “I think the thinking from Tottenham’s perspective is that he’s kind of an insurance policy against Christian Eriksen. If Eriksen goes, he’s a Plan B. Obviously not identical players but he would bring some of the same creativity and some of the ability to pick out a pass.”

Stewart Robson – Former Arsenal player

Another expert to speak up on the matter of Lo Celso to Tottenham on ESPN FC was former Arsenal man Stewart Robson and, just like Marcotti, the pundit is a fan of the Real Betis playmaker but also said the midfielder would only work if Eriksen left.

Speaking to ESPN FC via USA SportsRadar: “He (Lo Celso) can go past people better than Eriksen.

“He’s got a bit more athleticism, he’s a good passer of the ball. But you can’t have too many of those players in the side, so if Eriksen stays it will be difficult for him to come in.”

طالب بيب جوارديولا المدير الفني لنادي مانشستر سيتي، الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بتقلص عدد الفرق، ردًا على سؤاله حول الخطط الجديدة بشأن إقامة بطولة دوري السوبر الأوروبي.

التقارير الصحفية العالمية مؤخرًا تشير إلى إمكانية إقامة دوري منفصل، يشارك فيه أندية النخبة والتخلي عن بطولة دوري أبطال اوروبا، خاصة أن دوري السوبر الأوروبي سيكون أكثر ربحًا.

جوارديولا الذي لم يحقق لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا من قبل مع مانشستر سيتي، رد على سؤال عن كيفية تطوير الأندية بشأن دوري السوبر الأوروبي.

وقال مدرب مانشستر سيتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية: “لا يمكننا التخلي عن بطولات الدوري المحلية، نظرًا لما تعنيه بالنسبة لنا، وما يعنيه اللعب في كأس إنجلترا والبطولات المحلية الأخرى”.

وأضاف: “ما يجب أن نفعله هو أن نجعل كل دوري في أوروبا أقوى مما هو عليه، وتقليص عدد الفرق، وأتمنى من الاتحاد الإنجليزي تطبيق ذلك”.

وأوضح: “هذا سيجعل الدوري أفضل، لأنك تبحث عن الجودة أكثر من الكمية”.

وأكمل: “لابد من رفع مستوى الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وهذا سيكون عن طريق تقليص عدد الفرق، لكن في الوقت ذاته لا يمكن بأي حال القضاء على الدرجات الأدنى”.

واختتم: “مع كمية المباريات والمسابقات، لا يرغب اللاعبون في التعرض للإصابة بالتأكيد، ولكن هناك إصابات بطبيعة الحال، لذلك طلبنا الخمسة تغييرات في الدوري الإنجليزي”.

Tottenham Hotspur have made an offer to sign Dinamo Zagreb’s Dani Olmo this summer, according to Radioestadio.

The Spanish media outlet have claimed on their Twitter page that Spurs have tabled a bid of €30million (£27m) for the 21-year-old and would be prepared to give him a five-year contract worth €2m (£1.8m) a year.

However, Radioestadio also appear to suggest that Tottenham may not have it easy in the race for the attacking midfielder.

They have also made the claim that Olmo is awaiting offers from Spain as well as he could look to return to his homeland instead.

Olmo certainly looks to be a bright prospect in the future, especially after his showing in the Under-21 European Championships success this summer. The Zagreb man was hugely influential in the final third of the pitch and was fairly lethal.

According to stats by WhoScored, he finished the competition with three goals and one assist, averaging a total of four shots per match, two key passes and a completion rate of 1.8 dribbles.

Delving further into his stats though, it should not come as a surprise, as he has proven he has the quality to succeed in front of goal, as he netted 12 goals and provided eight assists in 44 matchesÂacross all competitions, including European competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League.

The 21-year-old is incredibly versatile, as pointed out by Transfermarkt, and could offer Mauricio Pochettino’s side plenty of options moving forward if he were to be signed and would add the goal threat that has clearly been missed from the middle of the park. Christian Eriksen was the only one to reach double figures from that area of the pitch last season.

However, with Olmo allegedly waiting for offers from Spain to happen, it will be interesting to see where Tottenham find themselves in the race for his signature.

Tottenham fans, would you like to see Olmo at the club this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

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A recent report in the Yorkshire Evening Post has stated that Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to be willing to pay the £20m price tag that Leeds United have set on Jack Clarke.

This means that the winger will either stay at Elland Road or leave for a lesser fee, and this latest development could have a huge knock-on effect in terms of the Whites’ transfer business this summer.

What’s the story?

Newspapers and online sources have been rampant with speculation that the 18-year-old could be on his way to north London, but Leeds have been resilient when it comes to any potential deal for their prized asset and have stood firm on their £20m valuation.

Noel Whelan has recently claimed the Whites were overpricing their hot prospect and it seems that Daniel Levy has agreed with that sentiment as Spurs don’t want to pay such a hefty fee for an unproven quantity.

Knock-on effects

Failure to sell Clarke for £20m may have severe knock-on effects for the rest of Leeds’ transfer window.

Phil Hay has previously stated that he thinks Leeds’ transfer model will force them to sell players before thinking about new arrivals. This means that the Whites may have to swallow their pride and sell the youngster at a lower price or let another one of their players go.

There has been no shortage of interest in Kalvin Phillips with Aston Villa reportedly preparing a £14m bid, and if Leeds aren’t going to sell Clarke, then they may allow the 23-year-old to leave Elland Road so that they can make signings this summer.

If the Yorkshire club sell Clarke at a lower price, it will also affect the calibre of players that they can target, so this newest update from Spurs isn’t something Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta will be happy to hear.