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Jose Mourinho is now officially the new Tottenham Hotspur manager after he replaced the previously sacked Mauricio Pochettino.

Daniel Levy obviously wanted change and with his team sitting in 14th place in the table and with no clear signs of improvement, he went out and got it in the form of ‘the Special One’.

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It still remains to be seen, however, what exactly can Mourinho do at his new club and whether he really can take Tottenham Hotspur back among the best in England.

Club legend Rafael van der Vaart seems to think so and he seems to be quite optimistic about Spurs’ new gaffer.

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Recently, he posted a message on Mourinho on Twitter and called him a “phenomenal” coach in the process, giving some hope to many of their fans that were maybe having second thoughts.

Upon seeing the tweet, loads of them actually showered him with praise, stating how those were exactly the words they needed to hear and actually calling for him to return to the club.

Of course, there were also others who just proclaimed their love for their former player and said they still miss him very much.

You can see some of their replies down below:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

Parma midfielder Dejan Kulusevski is a player presently in high demand with a clutch of leading clubs chasing the Swedish teenager’s signature.

Having impressed in Serie A this season the versatile young loanee – who can play central or on either flank – doesn’t look like he’ll be returning to his parent club Atalanta anytime soon with instead a move abroad this January a distinct possibility.

According to numerous reports Manchester United are interested; Arsenal too. Then there’s Southampton who are allegedly keen while Wolves are closely monitoring the situation as they seek to strengthen mid-season.

As we’ll shortly discover Inter are also very much in the mix and with such wide attentiveness perhaps it is time we found out what the fuss is all about.

To do that we sought out the opinions of those who know Kulusevski best.

Janne Andersson, Sweden coach

The 19-year-old has been given his first international cap having been called up to Andersson’s squad for the first time last week.

And, judging by the following recent comment, the veteran coach is relishing the prospect of adding the talented young star to his attacking options. As per fotbollskanalen.com:

“He is everywhere for 90 minutes, wraps in crosses and assists, comes back and gives a helping hand: with this Kulusevksi you play with twelve men.”

Roberto D’Aversa, Parma coach

If Andersson is evidently a fan the same can be said of D’Aversa who head-hunted Kulusevski this summer before promptly giving him a baptism of fire debut against Juventus.

If the 6ft 1 midfielder struggled a touch on that occasion it has been plain sailing ever since, with two goals and five assists illustrating his worth but if that has greatly impressed the German coach he still sees room for improvement. As per Mediagol.it:

“Kulusevski? If you look at the stats he does the most running in the entire Serie A. He has to improve but he is a boy already mentally strong because he comes from Atalanta in which they grow well in the youth sector. He has important qualities but he must improve these qualities. He touches the ball a little too much, he could be more devastating.”

Maurizio Pistocchi, noted Italian journalist

Now encroaching into his sixties Pistocchi has long been a highly respected commentator on Italian football and with Kulusevski being closely linked to a move to Milan in the near future his thoughts on the potential transfer are worth highlighting.

United, Arsenal and the rest take heed. As per semprienter.com:

“Kulusevski is a player who has great physicality but does not have extraordinary technique. Inter already have a player like him in the team in Matteo Politano, who has no place in Conte’s system,”

“If I were to advise Inter, I would tell them to go for de Paul. He is much better as a midfielder than Kulusevski.”

Verdict

The temptation to get prematurely carried away with the teenager’s ceiling is strong given the impact he has made in such a short space of time.

Perhaps though some measured caution is best in this instance, allowing Kulusevski to develop at a natural pace in the comfortable confines of Emilia-Romagna.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Fabian Schar has been missing through injury since late October but his comeback against Manchester City on Saturday would be a big boost to Newcastle’s chances of winning points.

On the chalkboard

The Switzerland international is a popular figure in the north-east for his defensive displays as well as his ability on the ball, and his love for driving forward in possession.

His absence could have been a significant loss for the Magpies but they have coped well without him in the main, mostly due to the organisation that Steve Bruce has implemented and the other strong centre-backs in the squad.

However, one of those who has been playing well, captain Jamaal Lascelles, is out injured now, and the fact he was missed against Aston Villa was very noticeable as Newcastle succumbed to a 2-0 defeat.

The main reason for that was the organisation that he brings, which can only be replicated with the experience and know-how of a player like Schar.

He understands what it takes to keep clean sheets at the highest level thanks to his experience on the international stage, and this term he has also been one of Newcastle’s stand-out defenders.

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His leadership is what the Magpies lacked at Villa Park and that alone is cause for Steve Bruce to bring him back into the starting line-up, though his 2.4 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, according to WhoScored, mean he is well-equipped to handle danger.

Coming up against Manchester City promises to be a tough affair, even without the prolific Sergio Aguero who misses out through injury.

Gabriel Jesus is likely to take his place and will look to seize on this rare opportunity by adding to his three goals in four starts, and given he loses the ball an average 0.4 times per game, as per WhoScored, it promises to be a difficult encounter for the Swiss.

However, Schar will have two centre-backs playing alongside him if he occupies the central role, and if he can organise them to help him crowd out the Brazilian then he and his team should have some success.

Newcastle are likely to sit deep just as they have done in previous matches against the Citizens, and that should allow the £10.8m-rated defender to keep close to Jesus, and restrict his movement, which is often key to the 22-year-old’s success – as his goals this season show.

Schar has proved this term than he has a good handle on his own penalty box with 5.1 clearances per game, and that should prove vital with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernado Silva fizzing over crosses.

Newcastle may also have success if Bruce makes another tactical change, with the attack in need of reinvention.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City almost certainly won’t win the Premier League title this season.

Nevertheless, they remain one of the most celebrated and critically-acclaimed teams of the last generation.

They did, after all, break the 100-point barrier in the top-flight and pipped a Liverpool team that lost just one league game all season to the title in 2019-20.

There was, of course, scrutiny on Guardiola when he arrived in 2016. He had managed one of the most beloved club sides of all time in Barcelona, and won a ridiculous amount of trophies while doing it. He had unlocked Lionel Messi’s potential and made him the greatest player in the world. He had taken tiki-taka to unfathomable heights.

Would it work in England? It was a question that needed answering.

Whenever he did fall at the hands of typical, frantic, explosive English football, the response was almost gleeful. Guardiola refused to lavish too much praise on the Premier League but defeats at the hands of rapid counter-attacking sides left nothing more to say, in the eyes of some.

The first such example came in December 2016, when Leicester tore them apart on the counter-attack. The Foxes’ 4-2 win was inspired by a Jamie Vardy hat-trick but Claudio Bravo and Aleksandar Kolarov in particular provided shambolic resistance.

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The vultures had started to circle at that stage and Pep’s admission that he doesn’t get his players to work on tackling was held up as further proof that he just didn’t ‘get’ English football.

Yet, Leicester were still reigning champions and still in the Champions League, which allowed Guardiola and City a small amount of grace.

So, just over a month later, the Spaniard’s Etihad reign reached its nadir and this time, there was no place to hide.

Back in January 2017, his fifth-placed City side travelled to Merseyside to face Ronald Koeman’s Everton looking to go within seven points of leaders Chelsea. Bravo was still between the sticks but Kolarov had been dropped in favour of Gael Clichy.

Ageing duo Yaya Toure – who had recently patched up his differences with Pep – and Pablo Zabaleta were in midfield.

As you would expect, City dominated the ball but Everton were tenacious, energetic and clinical. They were everything their visitors weren’t and the struggles of Bravo gave Guardiola’s side no chance of masking the cracks.

Everton scored with their first shot of the game, through Romelu Lukaku, and then with every shot on target thereafter as Kevin Mirallas netted just after half-time to puncture any City hopes of a revival – before two young English starlets took over.

Tom Davies had desire and energy that City’s creaking midfield could not match all afternoon and when he burst between the lines on 79 minutes, it became clear that their defence couldn’t live with him either.

The academy prospect produced a sumptuous chip, his first goal for the club, to provide the moment of the match and send Goodison wild. There was still time for Ademola Lookman to add a fourth and City had been roundly beaten. They were now surely out of the title race.

Throughout his entire time in this country, never has Guardiola looked more ill at ease with the demands of English football.

City were punch-drunk and shell-shocked, and so was Pep.

Guardiola’s critics have never been louder than they were after City’s last visit to Goodison. They have been quiet for quite some time, however.

Having missed out on signing a back-up striker to step up in Harry Kane’s absence, Tottenham’s number one priority in this summer transfer window will surely be bringing in a new centre-forward.

Reports in recent days and weeks had suggested the north London side had earmarked Fenerbache marksman Vedat Muriqi as a potential transfer target, and now, according to Turkish publication, Fanatik (via Sport Witness), the Kosovo international dreams of playing under Jose Mourinho.

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Muriqi has enjoyed a stellar season for Fenerbahce this season, netting 15 goals in just 28 games across all competitions, as well as providing six assists too.

And after hearing about the latest update on their potential swoop for the 26-year-old, Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One Spurs fan in particular suggested that Muriqi could finally be the man to replace Fernando Llorente.

Given his style of play and profile, there’s no doubting signing Muriqi would be a piece of smart business from Spurs this summer.

All the north London side need is a reliable back-up to Kane, who can step-in to his shoes when needed and offer something different to their current attack.

Muriqi fits that bill to an absolute tee.

Newcastle United’s takeover appears to be edging ever closer to completion as we head towards the end of May and reports have emerged over the future of the managerial position as a result.

The Magpies are set to be taken over by Amanda Staveley and a Saudi Arabia-backed consortium after it was given the green light, according to The Sun, and it appears as if they would like to bring in a man of their own.

As per L’Equipe, via Sport Witness, Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas has turned down advances from the northeast outfit who were willing to offer him a ‘significantly higher salary’.

Although his future at the Ligue 1 side is by no means certain after the departure of director of football Andoni Zubizarreta.

In recent weeks, Sky Sports reported that ex-Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is their ‘number one’ target whilst Zinedine Zidane has been linked with a shock switch from Real Madrid too.

Many at St James’ Park are thrilled by the news surrounding Villas-Boas as they clearly don’t see him as the man to take Steve Bruce’s place.

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One supporter claimed the Portuguese boss was a worse option than the 59-year-old whilst others likened him to Steve McClaren, claiming he’s up there as ‘one of the worst’ in PL history.

Here’s how they have reacted to the news…

AND in other news, Newcastle fans react to fresh twist in the takeover…

After seemingly missing out on RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, Liverpool appear to have moved on very quickly, and have set their sights on another speed merchant.

According to The Daily Mirror, the Reds have enquired about the Spaniard over a move for him this summer, and that he “would be tempted by the chance to become a part of Jurgen Klopp’s trophy-winning squad”.

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The Liverpool manager has waxed lyrical about Traore before, lauding the winger as “unplayable” after his side’s 2-1 victory over Wolves at Molineux earlier this season.

And after hearing about the links to the 24-year-old, fans of the Merseyside club took to Twitter to voice their reactions.

A few Liverpool fans even suggested that they would much prefer Traore over Werner, with a couple of supporters explaining how his ability to play across the front line could fit in perfectly with the squad.

One Reds supporter simply suggested that the winger would turn into a “monster” under Klopp’s coaching – the Liverpool manager of course has worked wonders with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in recent seasons, with both featuring in the top ten of last year’s Ballon d’Or award.

If missing out on Werner has opened the door for Liverpool to go out and sign Traore, then it isn’t perhaps the greatest of losses.

The latter has been a revelation for Wolves in the Premier League this season, netting four times and providing a further seven assists in just 28 games in the competition.

Unlike Werner, he knows English football inside out, and that could mean he hits the ground running at Anfield were he to make the move this summer.

According to The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur have borrowed £175m from the Bank of England to ease pressure on the club’s finances due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Clubs all across the country have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak as they have lost income generated by matchday revenue as a result of games being cancelled and rescheduled behind closed doors.

Spurs have moved to ease some of the financial pressures by using the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility, otherwise known as ‘CCFF’. This has provided the board with an unsecured loan repayable in full at a rate of 0.5%.

Football writers David Ornstein and Jack Pitt-Brooke have revealed that the Lilywhites believe they could lose more than £200m since the nationwide lockdown began. Earlier this year, Tottenham backtracked on their original plan to use the nationwide furlough scheme.

While there is no doubt this loan will raise many eyebrows, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may have saved the long-term future of the club.

The CCFF was established to provide economic support to businesses during the disruption caused by the coronavirus. Companies like Greggs, Marks & Spencers and Easy Jet have all used the scheme so far (Daily Mail). Furthermore, football finance expert Kieran Maguire previously stated “the industry has been effectively taken out at the knees as a result of the pandemic”.

Although the Premier League is on the verge of a return in June, fans are becoming aware that they might not be able to return to their favourite stadia in the near future. Matches are set to be played in neutral venues and Levy has claimed that this will hurt the club’s chances of finding a sponsor for the new home ground.

In the meantime, the loss of a steady flow of income from ticket sales and other forms of revenue can be alleviated by the colossal sum. Borrowing at favourable interest rates could provide more financial stability during this period of economic uncertainty.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy has made the right decision in this situation? Let us know by commenting below!

Chelsea welcome Watford to Stamford Bridge on Saturday in a crucial match at both ends of the table, with Frank Lampard’s side looking to recover from their difficult midweek defeat to West Ham United.

The West London side will be looking over their shoulder as Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers continue their chase for Champions League football, with anything less than a win potentially seeing Chelsea drop out of the top four.

Watford also need a result as they look to build on their one-point gap to the bottom three, with Bournemouth and Aston Villa close behind if they continue to slip up.

The return of football has been difficult for Nigel Pearson’s side and he will hope to cause another upset like their 3-0 win over Liverpool in February.

Form

Chelsea come into the match on a decent run of form despite their 3-2 defeat to West Ham and have won four of their last six league fixtures.

They have also won their last three matches at Stamford Bridge, with top-four rivals Manchester United the last side to get the better of them.

Watford on the other hand have been in wretched form, losing four of their last six Premier League matches and their last two in a row.

Away from home, the story isn’t much better, with the Hornets winless in their last five and on a run of three consecutive defeats.

Team news

Long-term absentees Marco van Ginkel and Fikayo Tomori will be both continue to miss out on Saturday, but otherwise Chelsea have no fresh worries.

Lampard will have been disappointed to concede three times against West Ham, though, and could look to rotate his backline.

Like Chelsea, Watford will be without their long-term injury absentees, with Isaac Success, Gerard Deulofeu and Daryl Janmaat all unlikely to feature again this season.

Andre Gray, Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina have all been disciplined by the club following a breach of lockdown, but it remains to be seen whether this will influence their selection.

How to watch

A huge match at either end of the table, Chelsea vs Watford kicks off at 20:00 UTC at Stamford Bridge.

The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and if you live stream football you can also do that online.

The Championship season ended last night and Sheffield Wednesday lost their final game 2-1 to Middlesbrough. There hasn’t been a lot for the Hillsborough faithful to cheer about in 2020 as they only picked up four victories since 22 December.

They finished in 16th, which is four positions lower than last year. Plus, with the season ending, it also means that on-loan players are returning to their parent clubs, and many fans would like to see the Owls attempt to sign Jacob Murphy permanently for next term.

The winger, who was signed on loan from Premier League side Newcastle, played 33 times in the Championship for the Owls, scoring nine goals and picking up four assists, per Transfermarkt.

This ranks him as the second highest scorer at the club in 2019/20, per WhoScored, whilst he had the joint-third most assists and it emphasises why a lot of supporters would like to see him return next season.

He will for sure be a player that they either need to bring back or try to replace as he provided a lot of attacking threat for Wednesday.

Here is what these Owls fans said following the post:

Wednesday fans, what are your thoughts on Murphy? Comment below with your views!