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When the Premier League fixture list was released, it almost seemed fitting that Leeds would be travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool in their first game back in the top-flight.

Two giants of English football doing battle once more, but with the obvious caveat of it being played with no fans in the stadium. And if there is anything that we have learned about Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Elland Road, then it’s that he will be feverishly drawing up plans on how to secure a famous victory against the reigning Premier League champions on opening day.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Leeds’ search for a star striker could be over soon, with Valencia’s Rodrigo inching closer to a big-money move to the club. But whilst the Spain international has all the hallmarks of being a superb acquisition, Bielsa could really throw Jurgen Klopp’s side for a loop by starting another one of his summer signings: Joe Gelhardt.

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The youngster arrived from Wigan for a reported fee of around £1m, and all signs point to him developing into a top-level centre-forward. Speaking after Gelhardt scored his first goal in professional football last season, then Latics boss Paul Cook said: “To get on the pitch and make an impact in a game at Championship level like Joffy does, it will justify the feelings everyone has about the young man.

“He’s got that special talent in football to create space in tight areas and you only have to look at his finish, the goalkeeper doesn’t move. He’s a great kid, he’s a really nice young man and if he keeps working hard and keeps his head down, he’s going to have a really bright future in the game.”

Anyone who watched Liverpool’s opening day fixture against Premier League new boys Norwich last season would have seen how Klopp’s men were incredibly slow out of the blocks, with Virgil van Dijk looking nothing like his normal self – Teemu Pukki in particular looked threatening with his movement in behind, eventually getting onto the score-sheet in the second half.

Promoted teams will always have that surprise factor early on, but if Bielsa were to unleash Gelhardt against the Reds, then Liverpool may be more than just surprised. It would be the kind of bold move from Leeds that could see Liverpool’s defence unsure of how to deal with Gelhardt, arguably preparing to face the likes of Rodrigo or Patrick Bamford instead.

It could be the kind of inspired decision that sees the Whites secure a famous victory on their top-flight return.

We all love football kits. There’s something about seeing a certain jersey from a time forgot, and the instant nostalgia it brings along with it – resurfacing memories of the beautiful game that had been pushed to the recesses of your memory to one day be unearthed once more.

During the 1990s, the Italian league was regarded as the best in the world, showcasing the best teams with the best players, and a style of football unknown to the people of England. Channel 4’s broadcasting of Football Italia brought a newfound fandom for Italian clubs from the people of the United Kingdom, seeing the Catenaccio system full flow and in all of its beauty – along with some of the most iconic and eye-catching kits known to man.

When looking back at the Italian kits of this era, you can see the inspiration that they provide even now, and it can be hard to choose your favourites from that time, with so many incredible examples to choose from.

With that being said, here we are going to have a look at some of the best kits from the ’90s in the Serie A, in no particular order of course – given that would be an impossible task to perform. So, without further ado, here are some of the best Serie A kits of the 1990s…

Parma A.C. Home, 1995-97

This was a great one from Parma back in 1995, the club wore this kit until the end of the 1996/97 season. The first campaign with it the club managed their highest ever finish in the Serie A, coming second place and just one point behind Champions Juventus. It was also Carlo Ancelotti’s first season managing the club, and what a great kit it was to do it in.

The manufacturer’s Puma really went for it with this one, and the patterning on the sleeves along with a great sponsor is what sells this one for me – whenever someone says Parma you instantly think of the Parmalat sponsor, as well as the iconic white, yellow, and blue colour pallet. All in all, this was a lovely kit, it’s just a shame Stoichkov couldn’t score more goals in it.

Inter Milan Home, 1992-94

A stand out of the 90s era for kits, not just in Italy but worldwide. The Inter Milan home kit that debuted in 1992, is an absolute masterpiece – the standout feature being the iridescent INTER that you can see faintly across the iconic blue and black stripes.

The gold badge and logo are also a standout feature, as well as a fantastic sponsor in Fiorucci – the collar and button are another nice touches, along with the gold INTER also stitched alongside the button on the said collar. This season saw the club win the UEFA Cup against Casino Salzburg, beating the Austrian club 2-0 on aggregate.

SSC Napoli Home, 1989-90

This iconic Napoli kit was made famous for the man wearing it, Diego Maradona. The 1989-90 season saw the club win their second-ever league title – thanks to the attacking talent of Maradona and Gianfranco Zola, finishing the season on 51 points, two above second-place Milan.

This season saw the Argentinian forward score 16 goals in the league for Napoli, captaining the team to a historic title win. The best thing about this kit is the simplicity – the all-over blue with a fantastic ‘Mars” sponsor, but the collar is one of the standouts, it is simple yet effective, and another key aspect was the choice by the manufacturer Ennerre to swap their logo and the club badge around.

Usually, the club badge is placed on the left side of the kit and the manufacturer logo on the right – another aspect that made this kit unique and different despite the simplicity.

AS Roma Home, 1990-91

Another simple yet effective kit from the Italian manufacturer Ennerre – the AS Roma home kit of 1990-91 was an absolute stunner. Roma home strips have always been recognisable thanks to the deep and rich carmine red along with the subtle golden yellow that is iconic to the club, and this kit was no different.

The club won the Coppa Italia that season with a 4-1 victory over Sampdoria – with most notably Rudi Völler upfront for I Giallorossi, with this fantastic kit showcased along with it. The Barilla sponsor is a classic for Roma and something that many associates with the club – the short sleeve take on the kit is my personal favourite, and the golden yellow pop up collar is something that makes this kit a real classic.

Fiorentina A.C.F. Home, 1998-99

The infamous Batigoal in action for Fiorentina, sporting quite possibly one of the best kits the club has ever had the pleasure of wearing. Fiorentina has a great history with their iconic purple home kit – and the 1998-99 strip followed suit.

The fantastic Nintendo sponsor stands out the most, along with the glistening purple and the white panel detail on the top of the sleeves. The club finished third in the Serie A that season, with Batistuta finishing the campaign on 22 goals and was named the Argentine Player of the Year in the league, as well as finishing 3rd for the World Player of the Year award. An iconic shirt, worn by an iconic player.

Juventus Home, 1992-94

It wouldn’t be an article on the 90s Serie A kits without the inclusion of the Old Lady. This simple yet classic strip was used for the 1992-94 season and is sportingly shown off here by Del Boy in 1993 after joining from Calcio Padova.

The classic black and white stripe are synonymous with the club, but the use of just the two gold stars for the club badge is what made this one a classic, along with the simple green Kappa logo rather than the classic Kappa sleeves that you often see on the manufacturer’s kits over time.

The Danone sponsor is another aspect that sticks to mind as it fits along with the aesthetic of the kit. The club finished 4th in the Serie A during their first season in this kit but saved their season by winning the now Europa League, beating German club Borussia Dortmund 6-1 on aggregate. Roberto Baggio finished the season as the top goalscorer for the club, with 21 goals, despite being played as a trequartista.

U.C. Sampdoria Home, 1990-91

The classic kit was worn by the club during their first and only title-winning season guided by Serbian manager Vujadin Boškov – along with Gianluca Vialli becoming the club’s top goalscorer that season in the league with 19 goals.

The kit was not much different from the season before, with Asics taking over as manufacturer, and placing the iconic ERG sponsor big and bold above the club badge and the iconic white, red, and black stripes that ran around the kit – along with the Italy badge on the top left shoulder.

The kit features a wide v neck collar, a very Italian stylistic approach, along with the lovely shiny bright blue base colour of the kit – overall a timeless classic that Sampdoria has become remembered for. The kit was worn by the iconic Vialli, Mancini, Lombardo, Pagliuca, and Vierchowod during the season that went down in Samp history.

A.C. Milan Home, 1991-92

The 1991-92 season was Fabio Capello’s first in charge of Milan, and the club finished 1st in the Serie A after an incredible unbeaten season that saw start striker Marco van Basten avoid injury to finish the season as the club’s top goalscorer with 25 goals in the league and 29 in all competitions.

The form of the team was no surprise, with defenders such as Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, and Alessandro Costacurta and midfielder such as Carlo Ancelotti, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard – all of which ran the Serie A that season in this iconic Milan kit.

The classic red and black stripe is simple enough, but along with the classic Adidas badge and great sponsor – as well as the gold star badge and Champions League trophy underneath for European competitions, the kit has became an instant classic, and one of the clubs best in history.

Rangers have entered the race to clinch one of the Premier League’s underrated stars as he enters the final year of his contract and with Glen Kamara’s own future up in the air, it could be the perfect move…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram is of interest to Steven Gerrard with the Scottish Premiership front-runners one of several teams monitoring the situation.

The Blades triggered an automatic one-year extension to his current deal but talks over an extension appear to be wavering.

It remains to be seen what sort of fee would tempt Chris Wilder into a sale and much of it could depend on the Yorkshiremen getting John Swift’s £4m move over the line.

Lundstram is currently rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt.

Bye-bye Kamara?

As audacious as it is, if Rangers can pull this one off, then Ross Wilson should be lauded from the treetops as it would be a phenomenal swoop for a player who’s been regularly featuring in the top-flight this season.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old provided five goals and three assists from a predominantly defensive midfield position. His box-to-box abilities are further emphasised when delving into the numbers a bit more – the Liverpudlian averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.3 clearances, 1.3 shots and 2.5 long balls per game.

His Blades teammate Billy Sharp adds further weight to that, describing the 5 foot 11 powerhouse as a “real menace” whilst Wilder has called him an “outstanding” player as well as a “fantastic example of a professional”.

Lundstram’s playing style has been likened to Frank Lampard in the past, which means there’s a bit of Gerrard about him too.

Coincidentally, United like the look of Glen Kamara, who has attracted interest from numerous teams this summer, so could it be a case of one in, one out at Ibrox soon?

The Scottish giants can’t go wrong with Lundstram either way.

AND in other news, Rangers move for PL OUTCAST would be shades of Sheyi Ojo…

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a late move for Victor Osimhen after Liverpool appear to be in pole position to sign the Lille striker this summer. 

According to The Daily Express, Jose Mourinho is keen to steal a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Osimhen in the summer.

Jurgen Klopp is desperate to bolster his attacking options amid interest in his front men Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Lille are looking to offload Osimhen to raise some funds to cover the costs of these uncertain times.

Napoli are eager to sign the Nigerian, but he has indicated he wants to play in the Premier League next season.

Recent reports had suggested he was on his way to Serie A after Lille received a huge offer worth a reported €81m fee from the Azzurri, but several Premier League clubs are tracking the situation, and a deal seems far from done.

Osimhen, 21, has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest properties after a stellar debut season in Ligue 1, scoring 18 goals overall. He has followed in the footsteps of a long line of forwards to make a name for themselves at the Mastiffs, including the likes of former Chelsea star Eden Hazard and Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe.

Spurs must sign a backup striker to provide cover for Harry Kane, as the 26-year-old was ruled out for a significant portion of the season after suffering a hamstring injury.

However, Mourinho could miss out on Osimhen if he hesitates any longer, as Klopp has already enquired about his availability.

Make no mistake, Osimhen would be a dream signing to make, as his record is there for all to see, but it is hard to imagine he will be anything other than that in the summer.

Putting it simply, Spurs cannot afford to spend such a huge sum at the moment, considering the fact Daniel Levy has just borrowed a £175m loan from the Bank of England to alleviate the economic impact of these unprecedented circumstances.

Les Dogues are holding out for at least £70m for the Nigerian international, which is well outside of Mourinho’s price range.

Mourinho knows his budget has been severely slashed and he will be forced to rely on swap deals, signing free agents and hunting for bargains in the transfer market.

Tottenham fans, should the board sign Victor Osimhen this summer? Let us know down below!

Liverpool have just won their first league title in 30 years, and it doesn’t look as though they’re going to rest on their laurels after their success.

Indeed, the Reds have been linked with a number of players that will improve their squad with the Thiago Alcantara rumours running rampant, while links to Kalidou Koulibaly still bubble under the surface.

However, despite all these targets from mainland Europe being reported, the Reds are now apparently looking domestically at one player.

What’s the story then?

The Daily Mirror are reporting that Liverpool are interested in signing Leicester’s Harvey Barnes.

The paper’s story says that Barnes fits Liverpool’s transfer strategy of signing young players with high sell-on potential, and you can understand exactly why the Reds are in the market for him.

The 22-year-old has been pivotal in Leicester’s success this term, contributing to 14 league goals, despite only starting 24 games throughout the campaign.

Perfect Shaqiri replacement

Liverpool’s front three is almost impenetrable, and any attacking player that is brought in may have to offer something a little different if they want to see a lot of first-team action, and Barnes is that man.

Not only can he play on either wing, but he can also slot into a midfield role, and that sort of versatility is exactly what Liverpool need, especially if Xherdan Shaqiri leaves as he’s expected to.

Shaqiri has played in five different positions since joining Liverpool, and despite Barnes’ career still being in its infancy, he has played in six different roles for Leicester.

The Swiss international is far from a key player at Anfield, but he does offer something valuable, and it seems as though his versatility won’t be missed all that much if Barnes joins this summer.

Lots of Everton fans have been buzzing at Richarlison’s latest comments ahead of the Merseyside derby clash against Liverpool on Sunday. 

As per Desimpedidos (via The Toffee Blues), the 23-year old seemed to be playing mind games ahead of the Reds’ visit to Goodison Park, as he claimed thet Virgil van Dijk is not the best defender in the world, adding that Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos and Thiago Silva are all better than the Dutch powerhouse.

Indeed, this will have raised a few eyebrows, especially since Van Dijk was the Ballon d’Or runner-up in December and the fact that they are likely to be battling it out against each other on the pitch.

However, one name that may have particularly stood out to several members of the Blues faithful was that of Silva, as Sky Sports reporter in Italy Gianluca Di Marzio (via The Gwladys Street) has revealed that Carlo Ancelotti’s team would be his preferred destination if he leaves Paris Saint Germain in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Comparing the 35-year old to VVD in their respective domestic leagues in the 2019/20 season so far, the Brazilian has actually averaged more tackles, interceptions and blocks per game, according to Whoscored.

Whether Richarlison’s claims are true are up for debate, but these EFC supporters buzzed upon reading them:

Evertonians, who is the best CB in the world? Comment below!

A lot of Celtic fans were raving over a picture of former player Bobby Lennox and they love the image so much due to both the player and the kit in which he is pictured.

Lennox had a great career at Parkhead, playing for the Hoops from 1961 to 1978, with 304 goals in his 529 appearances, as per thecelticwiki.

He was also a part of the historic ‘Lisbon Lions’ team which won the 1967 European Cup, becoming the first British winners of the competition, and his goalscoring record at the Hoops was so good that it made him the second highest scorer in the club’s history.

Lennox deserves to have represented the club in a great kit and it seems like the one he is wearing in the picture is an absolute hit with many fans, as they replied to wax lyrical about the strip, with one saying ‘Stick three stripes on the shoulders, change the Umbro to Adidas and this would be an all time best seller’, whilst another had one simple word to describe it – ‘Beautiful’.

Here is what these Celtic fans had to say following the tweet:

Celtic fans, what is your favourite ever kit? Comment below with your views!

Everton are willing to discard Sandro Ramirez this summer after fresh news emerged from Spain earlier in the week.

The 24-year-old has been out on loan at Real Valladolid since the start of the season, his third spell away from Goodison Park in as many years.

Ramirez was originally signed by Ronald Koeman in the summer of 2017 and has only been able to make 16 appearances for the Toffees since.

Valladolid’s director, Miguel Angel Gomez, has been discussing the future of the Spaniard in a recent radio interview with Cadena Ser where he said: “Sandro belongs to Everton, and you have already seen published that they intend to transfer him for around 5-6 million [euros]”

It appears as if the current hierarchy in Merseyside are keen to offload the flop having failed to make his mark at the club.

The fee mentioned by the La Liga club is £4.5m, which is a fraction less of the £5.3m they paid for him from Malaga three years ago.

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Carlo Ancelotti has decent forward options at his disposal as he’s able to choose from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Moise Kean on a weekly basis, meaning if Ramirez were to return to Everton, he’d soon become fourth choice – if not worse.

The Toffees have also been linked with a move for AS Roma frontman Patrik Schick, so it’s quite clear to see that there’s simply no future for Ramirez at Goodison Park.

AND in other news, Everton fans react as Greg O’Keeffe relays Moise Kean news…

As former teammates and Premier League winners, there are few Manchester City fans that would fail to recognise the contributions that both Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joleon Lescott have made to the Citizens’ recent history.

Whilst they have spent most of their career’s taking on full-backs, or in Lescott’s case keeping out the best-attacking talent that was on offer, they both now find themselves at the epicentre of a different challenge and one of virtual kind.

Lescott and Wright-Phillips have signed up for the NHS Charities Together Cup, where alongside ex-Bolton star, Fabrice Muamba, they will become a part of Team Poseidon in the FIFA 20 tournament.

What is the NHS Charities Together Cup?

A group of celebrities, including former-sports stars, comedians and actors, have signed up to compete in the NHS Charities Together Cup, which aims to raise £100m in support of the current Covid-19 crisis.

The FIFA 20 competition will involve eight all-celebrity teams, with three celebrities per team, going head-to-head in 12-minute long FIFA 20 matches. Fans will be given the chance to vote for who they want to see compete from every team in each round.

The competition’s organisers, Celebrity e-Sport, hope to raise a huge £100m for NHS charities together during these desperate times for all the care workers on the frontline, who are putting their own lives at risk to help save ours.

Team Zeus v Team Ares

Ben Stokes v John Terry

Stuart Broad v Paddy McGuinness

Jos Buttler v Jonny Brownlee

Team Apollo v Team Nemesis

Dillian Whyte v Lando Norris

Tony Bellew v SV2

Tim Cahill v Tekkers Kid

Team Hercules v Team Iris

Justin Rose v Kem Cetinay

Joe Root v Chris Hughes

Ulisses v Shaugna Phillips

Team Artemis v Team Poseidon

Leah Williamson v Shaun Wright-Phillips

Erin Cuthbert v Joleon Lescott

Viv Miedema v Fabrice Muamba

For more information on the event and how you can donate, click here.

Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne has been cleared to play ahead of the Cardiff City clash on Saturday after having cardiac tests, as reported by London News Online.

The 24-year-old had pulled out of the Zimbabwe squad due to what he referred to on Twitter as “unforeseen medical grounds”.

It has now been confirmed that he is okay to play following the tests, though he will continue to have checks as time goes on:

Charlton fans are relieved about these results for the striker, who has scored five goals this season, both from a human and footballing standpoint.

One fan pointed out that “health is more important than football”, while others seemed delighted about the club’s massive boost ahead of the clash against Cardiff City – especially as they only have 1 win from their last 7 games.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the update, including posts from relieved Charlton fans, can be seen below: