According to The Mirror, former West Ham man James Collins has ripped up a £10,000-a-week, five-week contract as he sustained a calf injury in training just hours after signing it – meaning that he will have sacrificed £50,000 by the time the deal expires in January.
Steve Bruce called upon the Welshman when injuries and suspensions scythed down his defensive options and, after the 57-year-old was sacked in early October, Collins continued to impress under new honcho Dean Smith and thus earned himself a short-term deal with the Villans.
However, in a truly class gesture, the ‘Ginger Pele’ has effectively refused pay after being ruled out for the remainder of his contract thanks to the untimely training ground injury – bosses are understood to be highly impressed with such a rare show of decency and will give the 50-cap international every opportunity to earn a new deal at Villa Park when he returns to fitness.
Here’s how the Villa fans reacted on Twitter…
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Everton midfielder Andre Gomes struggled during his side’s 6-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Sunday before leaving the pitch in the 53rd minute with an injury issue, and Liverpool fans were quick to react on Twitter to his display.
The Toffees signed the Portugal international on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona during the summer transfer window, and while it took a while for him to make his debut because of injury, he has largely impressed for the Merseyside outfit since.
One of his best performances – and one which Everton fans waxed lyrical about – came in the derby against the Reds at Anfield earlier this month, but he couldn’t prevent them falling to a last-gasp 1-0 defeat.
Liverpool supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the 25-year-old’s most recent performance, and while one said he had “finally been found out”, another said “looks like that’s the end of Gomes’ Everton career”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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In today’s footballing landscape, the opportunity to sign a young, promising player and develop him in to one of the world’s best is too good to turn down for most clubs.
It is a chance for clubs to not only improve the quality of their playing squads for a number of years but also their bank balance, should one of the elite clubs come calling for their most impressive young talents.
With all that in mind, here are some of the outstanding talents born in the year 1998 who we believe will go on to footballing greatness…
Kylian Mbappe
D.O.B.: 20.12.1998
Current Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Nationality: France
Current Market Value: £162million
Position: RW, CF, LW
What more needs to be said? Kylian Mbappe is the shooting star of this generation with a World Cup win under his belt at just 19 years old.
The Frenchman was already making waves when he was 17 and playing for AS Monaco. After his debut season he was loaned out to Paris Saint Germain, where his meteoric rise continued alongside superstars such as Neymar and Edinson Cavani.
His blistering pace, unbelievable ball control and expert finishing have made Mbappe the most sought-after talent football has had to offer since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
After his loan spell, PSG made Mbappe the second most expensive player ever after Neymar by signing him permanently.
Christian Pulisic
D.O.B.: 18.09.1998
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: USA
Current Market Value: £40.5million
Position: RW, CAM, LW
Borussia Dortmund have long been known for bringing through impressive talents and shaping them into young players ready for one of Europe’s big five leagues, as well as international competition.
In the past, players like Mario Götze have enjoyed the fast track to the big stage. Christian Pulisic is no different. Brought over from Pennsylvania in 2014 at the age of 16, Dortmund quickly realised his talent and pulled him up to the first team, leading to a debut at just 17 years old.
He became Dortmund’s youngest debutant, as well as the club’s youngest goal scorer in the Bundesliga during the same season. Pulisic quickly grew into a regular first team starter, playing the majority of the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, but the emergence of Jadon Sancho has seen a slight decrease in playing time.
Dayot Upemecano
D.O.B.: 27.10.1998
Current Club: RB Leipzig
Nationality: France
Current Market Value: £27million
Position: CB, CDM
Dayot Upamecano is another one of France’s hopefuls for the future. The defender has established himself as one RB Leipzig’s first-choice centre-backs.
His physical presence is impressive, and he is definitely one of France’s candidates for a senior team breakthrough. In July 2018, Upamecano was shortlisted for the 2018 Golden Boy Award.
Jacob Bruun-Larsen
D.O.B.: 19.09.1998
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: Denmark
Current Market Value: £13.5million
Position: LW, CAM, RW
An unknown quantity before the 2018/19 season, having played more in the Dortmund and VFB Stuttgart youth academies, Jacob Bruun Larsen did not take long to make a lasting impression.
His pre-season performances have earned him regular appearances in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season, with a combined 12 starts under his belt. His pace and eye for goal has become a real asset during Dortmund’s transition towards a new, younger squad.
Martin Ødegaard
D.O.B.: 17.12.1998
Current Club: Vitesse Arnheim
Nationality: Norway
Current Market Value: £3.6million
Position: RW, CAM, LW
Martin Ødegaard made headlines almost four years ago when Real Madrid signed him as a 15-year-old from Norwegian club Strømgodset.
In hindsight, many have regarded it as more of a PR stunt by Madrid, as Ødegaard subsequently spent his time with Real Madrid Castilla, rather than the senior team, and only made one appearance in La Liga.
In the following years, Ødegaard was unable to achieve a breakthrough at Madrid, and was loaned out to SC Heerenveen, and then Vitesse Arnheim. Ødegaard’s future in Madrid remains uncertain, despite still being one of the top talents amongst his age group.
Achraf Hakimi
D.O.B.: 04.11.1998
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund
Nationality: Morocco
Current Market Value: £9.9million
Position: RB, LB
Another shooting star from Real Madrid, Achraf Hakimi had a difficult time with the senior team, making few appearances during the 2017/18 season.
In order to receive more playing time, Hakimi was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund and has since risen to a starting spot in the absence of Marcel Schmelzer.
His attacking prowess is reminiscent of Marcelo’s style of play and under new Dortmund coach Lucien Favre, Hakimi has been given more freedom to help out in attack, letting him use the full length of the pitch.
Hakimi’s loan spell at Dortmund is set to end after the 2019/2020 season.
Weston McKennie
Soccer Football – Bundesliga – Schalke 04 v Bayer Leverkusen – Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany – December 19, 2018 Schalke’s Weston McKennie gestures REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video
D.O.B.: 28.08.1998
Current Club: FC Schalke 04
Nationality: USA
Current Market Value: £10.8million
Position: CM, CAM, CDM
The young American has a past rooted in Germany, having lived in Kaiserslautern between the age of eight and nine. It was there that he discovered his love of football, and subsequently went on to play for FC Dallas’ youth academy. Despite signing a letter of intent to commit to the Univeristy of Virginia and receive a scholarship for football there, McKennie decided to go pro, turning down a homegrown player contract with FC Dallas.
McKennie moved to FC Schalke 04’s youth academy, where he made the jump to the first team a year after joining. During the 2017/18 season, McKennie made 25 appearances across all competitions.
In addition to his successful rise through Schalke’s ranks, McKennie has now become one of the new young talents regularly named in the USA national team.
[ad_pod ]Since earning promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-off final back in 2013, Crystal Palace have made a number of shocking signings such as Emmanuel Adebayor, Kevin Doyle, Shola Ameobi and so on.They have often been guilty of being stingy, but every so often, the Eagles have managed to secure a gem of a signing that has gone on to play a pivotal role in securing their Premier League status.Palace have brought in the likes of Wilfried Zaha, signed for just a fraction of the price they sold him to Manchester United for, as well as some huge figures around the club in Jason Puncheon, James McArthur and Luka Milivojevic.Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…You would argue that Zaha is the obvious choice, but the role Puncheon has had in one of the south London side’s most successful periods is undeniable.
Although he recently departed to Huddersfield, Puncheon scored vital goals which helped Palace survive a Premier League season for the first time in their history back in 2013/14, following that up with an FA Cup final goal which sparked scenes that some Eagles fans have described as the best moments of their Palace-supporting lives.
So, with that in mind, who is Palace’s best signing since their return to the Premier League? Have your say down below…
According to a recent report from The Daily Mail, James Rodriguez’s future is far from certain heading into the rest of the January transfer window. The 27-year-old currently plays his football at German giants Bayern Munich on loan from European champions Real Madrid, although a lack of regular game time under Niko Kovac this term has plunged his future into doubt.
And reports suggest that Premier League heavyweights Arsenal are eyeing up a move for the Colombia international, with reports suggesting that it may cost the Gunners just £3 million to seal Rodriguez’s services for the rest of the campaign – as such, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp should be seriously interested in the attacker, as he could be the man to help inspire the club to the Premier League title this season.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, the Merseyside giants have given themselves a wonderful opportunity to win their first league title since 1990 this time round, what with Klopp’s men sat at the summit of the division after 22 matches of the campaign, leading defending champions Manchester City by four points.
However, it was clear during their 2-1 defeat to the Citizens earlier this month that they still lack that creative and more attack-minded star in the middle of the park – Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, and Jordan Henderson have again been impressive this term, but none of them possess that creative spark that the Reds are sometimes crying out for in that area of the field.
And with Adam Lallana’s fitness always something of a concern, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still months away from returning to full fitness after injury, Klopp may well look to the January window in a bid to land that midfielder the club need to take that step closer to Premier League glory.
And while 27-year-old Rodriguez hasn’t necessarily produced the goods for Bayern this term, his previous efforts for the German giants, Real Madrid, and indeed his country suggest that he could well be the answer to that midfield conundrum in the second half of the campaign.
The Colombian ace shot to prominence back in 2014 by excelling for his country at the World Cup in Brazil, thus earning him a move to Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid for whom he has scored 36 goals and laid on 40 assists in 111 appearances, equating to a direct contribution every 96 minutes of action.
And while he has found the going tough at Bayern this term in the second of his two-year loan spell at the Allianz Arena, Rodriguez performed impressively last time round with eight goals and 14 assists in all competitions to help Carlo Ancelotti’s side win the Bundesliga for the sixth successive season.
Clearly then, the 27-year-old possesses the sort of creativity and flair that wouldn’t go amiss in the Liverpool midfield – add in his adeptness at playing out wide, and Rodriguez’s arrival would give Klopp plenty of options heading into the second half of the campaign.
And for just £3 million, it would represent an absolute steal given just how impressive the Colombian has been in the last few years – players of his calibre simply aren’t available for £3 million, even it that would be just for the second half of the season.
Nonetheless, with the Reds in pole position to seal their first title of the Premier League era this term, Klopp should be looking at how he can plug possible weaknesses in his squad, and the arrival of Rodriguez would go some way to doing just that – it’s a deal that could inspire Liverpool to the league title this season.
Having smashed the world-record transfer fee for a goalkeeper when bringing him to Anfield, Liverpool immediately placed a lot of pressure upon the shoulders of £66.8m Alisson Becker (as per the BBC), but he has shaken those pressures off and further cemented his status as one of the world’s best all-round keepers.
How has he fared?
The blue-eyed Brazilian international has enjoyed a phenomenal start to life on Merseyside since arriving from Roma. Alisson has managed to keep 13 clean sheets in his 23 Premier League starts (as seen on the Premier League website), helping his new side sit four points clear at the top of the league ahead of the reigning champions, Manchester City.
Alisson’s saves have caught the eye, on the rare occasions that he has to make one due to the watertight nature of the Reds’ backline, but it is his footwork and passing range that has transformed Liverpool’s counter-attack and left opponents fearful of over-committing.
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Along with the Citizens’ stopper Ederson Moraes, Alisson is perhaps one of the best in the world in his position with his feet, often playing a crucial part in the build up to Liverpool’s goals with his juggernaut kicks and ability to drop the ball on a sixpence.
In his 23 league starts, he has let in just 13 goals, less than any other keeper has conceded. His expert passing ability is demonstrated by his impressive 79 per cent pass accuracy, an impressive number considering how often he attempts to break through the opposition with long passes.
For comparison, Everton’s Jordan Pickford, who has also started every league game, has a 55.6 per cent success rate (per Whoscored).
The Verdict
The haunting memories of Simon Mignolet, Adam Bogdan and Loris Karius are no more. Liverpool have immediately transformed one of the weakest areas of their team into arguably the strongest area, with Alisson perhaps being the most important player for Klopp along with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Additionally, given the fact that Chelsea smashed the world-record fee for a goalkeeper not long after Alisson signed, when they bought Athletic Bilbao stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga to Stamford Bridge for a whopping £71m fee (as per the BBC), the value and significance of the modern day keeper has sky rocketed – £66.8m for Alisson, especially at just 26-years-old, could look like a snip in a couple of years.
Everton have been boosted by the return of Yannick Bolasie, but Marco Silva’s comments on the winger do not make pretty reading.
So what’s the word?
Everton fans were taken aback to say the least when Bolasie returned to the club this week, and Silva’s comments perhaps only make his return more confusing.
The 29 year-old joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan last summer (per BBC), but struck just two Championship goals (Whoscored) and failed to impress the fans at Villa Park.
He has now taken the option to cancel his loan and return to Finch Farm, but the boss says he knew nothing about it until it was too late.
“No,” he said (per Sky Sports) bluntly when asked if he had consulted the winger about a potential return. “It was Bolasie’s decision to come back. He had this option in the agreement and he took that decision.
“I spoke with him when he arrived here at Finch Farm but not before he took the decision, no.
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“It is not a complication, not at all. He is a good professional; we took that decision (to loan him out) at the beginning of the season.
“Now he has come back we will take a decision again. Let’s see what will happen until the end of the market.”
Bye bye Bolasie
Silva is seemingly already eyeing up potential destinations for the winger, as the 29 year-old is simply not in his plans going forward.
If truth be told, it’s starting to look like the £25m move to sign him back in 2016 (per BBC) was a complete and utter disaster, as the DR Congo international has scored just twice in the league for the Toffees, and never really looked like fulfilling his potential.
With Theo Walcott, Richarlison, Ademola Lookman and Bernard all vying for places in Silva’s XI, it’s a no brainer that the club offload Bolasie, who is allegedly raking in a whopping £75,000 per week, according to Spotrac.
Great news for Lookman
Of course, bad news for one player can be good news for another, and Silva’s downright dismissal of Bolasie’s Everton prospects is a huge boost for Lookman.
The young winger was the subject of much controversy over the summer, as many fans were ready to give up on him.
However, the 21 year-old has been superb since breaking into the side, and with Walcott out of form the boss is placing tremendous faith in the youngster.
So, Everton fans, what do you think about Silva’s comments? Do you think Bolasie has a future at the club? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below…
Fulham have confirmed the permanent signing of Lazar Markovic from Liverpool, per an announcement on the club’s official website.
The Serbia international moves to Craven Cottage after a dismal spell on Merseyside.
During the five years he spent at the club following a move from Benfica in 2012, Markovic made just 34 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
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A number of loan spells failed to yield a positive result, either, as he was shipped out to the likes of Fenerbahce, Sporting CP, Hull City and Anderlecht.
He has now left the club on a permanent basis, signing a deal until the end of the season as Fulham bid to secure their Premier League survival under Claudio Ranieri.
Fans of the Cottagers, however, have been left less than impressed at the deadline day deal, with Markovic not seen as the kind of player required to take the club away from danger between now and the end of the season.
Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at West Ham on Monday means they have now dropped seven points from their last five and allowed Manchester City to catch right up with them, despite the champions faltering themselves against Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
Their lacklustre showing at the London Stadium this week followed an equally uninspiring performance against Leicester – who, like West Ham, held them to a 1-1 draw – and a nail-biting 4-3 win against Crystal Palace. Being knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolves may prove to be a blessing in disguise in the Reds’ bid for the title but it still remains a poor result in a poor run.
What can Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool do, then, to ensure they nip this bad run in the bud and find a quick route back to top form? Read on to find out what we, here at Football Fancast, would do if we were in the charismatic German’s shoes…
Drop Naby Keita
None of the Reds’ midfield three were on form against the Hammers but Naby Keita must take much of the flack for his lack of imagination in the final third. This wasn’t the first time that the 31-cap Guinean international has failed to justify his price tag.
Using WhoScored’s statistics, the midfielder has averaged a match rating of 6.45 in the last four games, while his assist against Crystal Palace was his first in 18 Premier League appearances, in which time he has completed 676 passes – a poor return for a number 8 billed as one of the most well-rounded in Europe.
Keita hasn’t cut the mustard recently and Gini Wijnaldum hardly has to try to get the nod ahead of him.
Deploy Shaqiri as a CM in a 4-3-3
Klopp has experimented with different formations this year as he flirts with a 4-2-3-1 and sometimes a 4-4-2, whereas last season he swore by the 4-3-3 which allowed his team to press effectively.
The 4-2-3-1 accommodates summer signing Shaqiri, who is vying for the title of their best acquisition this season, and enables Mohamed Salah to play centre-stage.
Although he is naturally a winger, Shaqiri’s flair could make him the central midfielder to replace Keita and finally fill the creative void left by Philippe Coutinho’s departure just over a year ago.
The little Swiss has a hammer of a left foot and could surely learn the role. Shifting the 27-year-old inside would mean Klopp can continue with his tried and tested 4-3-3 and Liverpool’s front three would go back to their old ways – Sadio Mane has chalked up just one assist this season while Roberto Firmino is far more effective playing as a striker that can drop deep, rather than starting in that deeper role.
Fabinho in defence
The former Monaco midfielder was at the heart of defence alongside the ever-present Virgil van Dijk in a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brighton in January and impressed, recording 5 clearances and 2 blocks.
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Height is a commodity in the Reds midfield and by taking the 6 foot 2 Brazilian out in favour of deploying him in defence may see Liverpool lose some physicality in the middle of the park – nothing that the industrious James Milner cannot make up for, though.
Klopp may have been forced into deploying Fabinho as a centre-back due to the absences of Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren, but perhaps this should become more than a one-off. He’s certainly seemed more reliable this season than Joel Matip – who he kept out of the lineup against the Seagulls. Perhaps this is the way forward while the previously impressive Gomez is out of action.
Newcastle will be keen to continue their good run of form when they visit Turf Moor on Saturday but it could be difficult for Steve Bruce to cope without one of his best players this season.
Injury to Allan Saint-Maximin means the winger faces a month out injured, and the timing couldn’t be worse as the Magpies face a busy festive period, especially as he could have proved the difference against Burnley.
However, the Clarets have not been as solid defensively this campaign as they often are, with 29 goals conceded in 16 league outings, having also lost five games out of nine at home.
That should act as encouragement for Newcastle, particularly as they have found some goalscoring form in recent games. They initially failed to score more than one goal in a single game until their 12th match of the season – the clash against West Ham.
Jonjo Shelvey has found a new lease of life under Bruce and already has five league goals to boast of this season. To put that into perspective, he managed just two league strikes combined in the previous two years.
As a result, Newcastle should be able to cope with Saint-Maximin if they alter their style a little, especially since a large portion of their goals have come from defenders and from set-pieces – with seven out of 17 scored via that route.
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Christian Atsu offers a like-for-like replacement for the Frenchman too and he is more than able to step up, while the Magpies’ boss has another big decision to make in regards to who leads the line.
Joelinton has really struggled of late and despite being dropped against Sheffield United he followed that up by achieving just 60% pass accuracy against Southampton, managing one shot throughout the match.
Andy Carroll, by contrast, has the ability to make himself a nuisance against a physical Burnley defence, and if he can replicate the eight aerial duels he won in 30 minutes against the Saints then he should be able to get his team higher up the pitch and into attacking areas with greater regularity.
It will be interesting to see how Bruce operates on Saturday, and whether his side will look to retain possession more often than usual. The Clarets have averaged the lowest amount of possession in the Premier League other than the Magpies, with 42%.
It is unlikely Bruce will sway from the system that has worked for him over the last few games, though, and that means the game will likely be won in both boxes, so finding a replacement for the injured Ciaran Clark will be crucial.
Luckily for Newcastle, they have an international in the form of Fabian Schar to come in. The defender is highly regarded by many in the north-east and his experience could prove vital in handling and stopping Chris Wood, who has been Burnley’s biggest threat with six league goals this term.
The 27-year-old faces a tough task to stop the Burnley striker but should he keep him quiet, then Newcastle will have a great platform to pick up another three points.