Some Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react after they saw an interesting piece of information on Wilfried Zaha’s Instagram story.
The Ivory Coast international’s video showed evidence that Mamadou Sakho had been fined £250 for turning up late to training, mocking the way the Frenchman had written “payed” next to his fine.
More significantly though, it also showed that Victor Camarasa had been fined double that amount for missing a session entirely.
This revelation is particularly intriguing as Roy Hodgson has barely used the Spanish midfielder since his arrival from Real Betis back in the summer.
The 25-year-old – who spent last season on loan at Cardiff – has played just five Premier League minutes this season and wasn’t even in the squad for the last game against Manchester City.
We outlined after the game against the Citizens that Camarasa’s exclusion was a bizarre mystery, and things have only got weirder after Zaha’s revelation.
We are by no means stating that his absence from this one training session in particular is the reason behind his mysterious lack of playing time, although if you put the two alongside each other, it definitely adds to what was already an interesting story.
Let’s see what the Palace fans on Twitter have been saying about Zaha’s revelation…
Leeds’ topsy-turvy campaign continued in rather typical fashion on Saturday afternoon.
Despite sitting at the top end of the table, the Whites have been made to rue some rather harsh luck this season.
They missed a penalty against Derby and went onto draw but this Saturday was arguably the worst. Gaetano Berardi saw red despite appearing to barely touch Millwall striker Tom Bradshaw.
Leeds went 2-0 down before Gjanni Alioski scored a goal to get them back into it as he was moved forward to left-wing when Barry Douglas came on.
However, it was the latter who was the subject of damning criticism during and after the game.
One supporter branded him awful while another labelled him as garbage. A further fan suggested he was in a permanent sulk because of the way he left Wolves.
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Douglas started the season at left-back but an injury saw Alioski claim his position on the left-hand side of the pitch.
He has since been reduced to appearances from the bench.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Real Madrid are seemingly not yet done reinforcing their squad for the future. And if the latest reports coming from El Desmarque are true, Los Blancos have their eyes set on N’Golo Kante, and they are willing to invest heavily in him.
What’s the word, then?
Real Madrid need a midfielder and they need one badly.
At least that’s the verdict the Spanish media is going with and looking at their squad, nothing should be more urgent than securing a worthy Casemiro replacement.
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And yes, Luka Modric is slowly getting on and Toni Kroos can’t be expected to pull the strings by himself but the more worrying fact is that the Galacticos only have a single natural defensive midfielder in their whole squad.
If Casemiro were to get injured, Zinedine Zidane would have a major problem on his hands.
For that reason, and if these reports are true, Kante could be the ideal solution to most of their problems.
A perfect replacement
The same source claims that this pursuit, if it were to go through, would not be a cheap one.
Chelsea value their midfielder quite highly and for that reason, Real Madrid would reportedly be willing to fork out €100m (£86.7m) and add James Rodriguez into the bargain as well.
Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…
Of course, Kante is very much worth every penny, especially considering how badly Zidane needs him.
Looking specifically at the stats, however, we can see that he offers pretty much exactly the same things Casemiro gives to the team at the moment.
The Brazilian has averaged 2.8 tackles, 2.6 interceptions and two clearances per game in the 2019/20 La Liga campaign and Kante is not really far behind. The Frenchman has tallied 2.3 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 1.3 clearances in the Premier League so far.
But they also have a similar playstyle overall – both Casemiro and Kante have averaged two fouls per game in their respective leagues, emphasising how they are often the ones disrupting the opposition’s attacks.
And not to mention that Chelsea’s man is really tough to dribble past.
So far, he’s only been dribbled past 0.8 times per game as opposed to Casemiro’s two.
By all accounts, the Frenchman seems like an ideal replacement and even if Zidane wanted to play them alongside each other, we know that Kante has a good offensive skill set and can be deployed higher up the pitch.
After all, he already has two goals to his name in just four appearances in the ongoing campaign, and he scored and assisted four last season in the Premier League as well.
Of course, this would take a major chunk out of Real’s budget but, really, this is a deal that has to be completed by Los Blancos.
In today’s Tottenham Hotspur roundup, we take a look at the major headlines making the news over the last 72 hours. Hugo Lloris has hinted at a move to the United States of America, Dinamo Zagreb’s president talks about Spurs’ summer target Dani Olmo and Jack Clarke’s future continues to hang in the balance at Leeds United.
Lloris hints at move away
Report: In an interview with France Football, Spurs captain Lloris chatted about his future and hinted at an eventual move away. Lloris told the French outlet; “You have to know how to say stop at the right time, but I’m not against the idea of discovering something new. But it can also be the United States for example. I do not know. I always had trouble looking at the medium term. I am more focused on the short term. In football, things are changing so fast. We are here, tomorrow, we are elsewhere.”
Verdict: Lloris entered his eighth season with the Lilywhites this campaign and having already made 304 appearances for the club, it is no surprise to see him consider new challenges at the age of 32.
For now, however, Mauricio Pochettino must do what he can to keep hold of the Frenchman, with Paulo Gazzaniga the only senior alternative at the club to fill his spot – the Argentine has made just four Premier League appearances for the club in two years. Should Lloris leave within the next two transfer windows, Spurs will need to invest in a direct and proven replacement and considering some of the fees attributed to goalkeepers these days, such as Chelsea’s £71m deal for Kepa, that could prove to be a costly exercise.
How likely is he to leave? 7/10
Zagreb president cools Olmo talks
Soccer Football – 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship – Final – Spain v Germany – Dacia Arena, Udine, Italy – June 30, 2019 Spain’s Dani Olmo celebrates scoring their second goal as Germany’s Alexander Nubel looks dejected REUTERS/Alberto Lingria
Report: Spurs targeted young Spanish star Dani Olmo in the summer according to SPORT, although, despite the 21-year-old demanding a transfer, Tutto Mercado reports that Dinamo Zagreb president Mirko Barisic believes it was good for him to stay, quoting “There were so many requests this summer, but we decided to keep him at Dinamo.”. Later on, he stated, “I think it was a good decision for both, both for him and for us. “.
Verdict: There is no surprise to see Spurs track Olmo after the attacking midfielder netted three times on the way to securing the U21 European Championships with Spain. The Spaniard also bagged three goals as he became integral for Zagreb in qualifying for this year’s Champions League (statistics as per WhoScored).
Olmo would be a welcomed addition to Spurs because of both his versatility in playing on either wing or down the middle and due to the uncertain future of Christian Eriksen. Spurs may go back in for the ex-Barcelona man in the near future with the transfer a huge possibility considering Pochettino’s eagerness to recruit lately and as Olmo continues to prove his worth as a special attacking midfielder.
How likely is a deal? 7/10
Clarke stuck in the middle
Report: The Athletic writer Phil Hay reports he expects Jack Clarke to rejoin Spurs in the January transfer window after a topsy-turvy time at his former parent club, Leeds United. Hay, when questioned if Clarke’s potential January switch would happen said, “at this rate, yes.”.
Verdict: Clarke was one of the breakout talents last season winning the Whites’ Young Player of the Year, bagging two goals and four assists [TransferMarkt] in 22 Championship appearances. After returning to Elland Road as a permanent Spurs player, he has not been involved in a squad for a Championship fixture and has only appeared twice for Leeds this season – both of which came in the League Cup.
As a result, it makes sense for Spurs to recall the 18-year-old with Bielsa clearly uninterested in his progress now that he isn’t one of his own. However, it can be argued that Spurs may give him just as little game time, as Clarke will not push Harry Kane out the side, nor should he be given a chance to shine over the inform academy star Troy Parrott.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Steve Nicol has become the latest pundit to question the form of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, saying they need to be less manic.
What’s he said?
It feels like we hear it every time they don’t score. Mane is this, Salah is that, they’re out of form and all the rest of it.
After Mane’s very public temper tantrum at Turf Moor, Michael Owen branded Salah as selfish while Ian Wright suggested Mane was getting fed up of the Egyptian.
Now, Reds legend Steve Nicol has given his verdict on the pair, simply saying they need to calm things down a bit to get back to their best.
Speaking to ESPN, per GOAL, he said: “I wouldn’t say it’s a concern, I would say maybe I think Klopp needs to try and do something with particularly Salah and Mane.
“Going forward, they lose the ball too often. It’s one thing to try and go at defenders quickly and try to break quickly. But it’s another thing to do it in some sort of… it’s like manic the way they do it.
“If they can just slow it down a little bit, take a little bit more time and think about it a little more then I think the goals will start coming more for those two, if they do that.”
Nailed it
Reason prevails at last. The talk of divides and rifts between the star wingers after the spat at Burnley was bordering on ridiculous. Of course forward players are selfish, they quite literally get paid to score goals.
Nicol’s comments are much more on point though, and it was clear to see in the 1-0 win at Sheffield United on Sunday that the pair are a little frantic at the moment.
Salah lashed four shots at Dean Henderson’s goal but only two were on target and neither of those really troubled the ‘keeper, while Mane missed two huge chances, slashing wildly at one and hooking a close-range effort onto the post.
In general play too, there has been slightly less of the electric link-up between the pair that we have seen in the past, with Roberto Firmino seemingly the only member of the front three stringing things together with little one-twos, flicks and tricks.
As Nicol suggests, it may only take a few deep breaths and a little more care with the ball to get the pair back to their best, and if the Reds are taking 21 points from a possible 21 without their star duo in top form, look out Premier League when they find their shooting boots.
Davie Hay has warned Celtic not to concede an early goal to Valencia or else they are in for a long night.
Brendan Rodgers takes his side to the Mestalla on Thursday night looking to overturn a disappointing 2-0 defeat from the first leg a week ago.
Getting the first goal would open the tie up for the visitors but Celtic have taken a few European hidings in recent seasons and Hay has warned to put safety first in the opening stages.
In the Evening Times he stated:
“I think it will be a difficult night, but what you will find out in the opening 15-20 minutes is whether or not Celtic can go and cause a little bit of unrest within Valencia.
“If they lose an early goal, it is an exceptionally long night. The only thing that might work in their favour is the fact that Valencia and their support will expect this game to be little other than a walk into the next round.
“Publicly, of course, the Spaniards won’t come out and say that but there will be a feeling that they pretty much sealed their progress with the first leg win last Thursday night. Their support will be turning up expecting to see them turn on the style.
Rodgers has no fresh injury worries to deal with tonight with his biggest decision being over whether Timo Weah gets a place in his starting XI.
The on-loan Paris Saint Germain forward has made a big impact as a substitute in recent matches including the late victories over St Johnstone and Kilmarnock.
Getting Weah in from the start would pose a fresh threat to the Valencia defence, with Celtic toiling last week to make in roads on the Spanish defence.
After a summer in which the club’s only addition to their forward line was Daniel James, Manchester United’s decision to let go of both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez seems all the more strange.
Reports have suggested the Red Devils are intent on rectifying that issue however, with Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho considered a leading target for next summer.
And reports this week have even confirmed that the club have indeed met with Dortmund over a potential move, but the asking price was colossal.
The former Manchester City winger has been in sparkling form for the Bundesliga side, and took that confidence into England’s clash against Kosovo on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old bagged two goals for the Three Lions in their enthralling 5-3 victory at St Mary’s Stadium.
After seeing the England international’s display, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their side’s reported transfer target.
Many supporters of the Manchester side appeared to be pessimistic over their chances of signing the teenager, and suggested there is “no chance he’s coming here”.
Some Red Devils fans insisted that without Champions League football to offer, Sancho would simply not want to come to Old Trafford.
Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:
Tottenham Hotspur are confident of sealing a move for Luis Diaz before the January transfer window deadline on Monday night…
What’s the word?
That’s according to ever-reliable football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a very exciting claim to his YouTube channel, where he suggested it was now a more likely deal than Adama Traore, at this stage.
“The latest I understand on that situation is there’s a growing hope that they might be able to get this deal done,” he said.
“They are throwing everything at it. That’s their priority right now. I understand at the moment, and I must stress at the moment, Spurs are more hopeful of this one happening than Adama Traore.”
Major coup
The Antonio Conte era in north London would be truly underway if Spurs manage to secure a move for the FC Porto star as he’s one of the hottest talents in Europe right now – that much is evident from the interest of Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.
Diaz has been in electric form this season, having provided the Portuguese giants with 16 goals and five assists across 24 appearances in the Primeira Liga and Champions League, primarily from left-midfield. That works out to be a direct contribution of once every 96.7 minutes, via Transfermarkt.
It builds on from his exploits at the Copa America, where he shared the golden boot with none other than Lionel Messi.
The 5 foot 10 winger has earned plenty of praise during this impressive run of form and that should only raise excitement from those around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium right now.
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He has been lauded as “phenomenal” by journalist Alex Goncalves and dubbed a “livewire” by presenter Manas Singh, though one of the most glowing endorsements has come from Portuguese football expert Marino Peixoto, who claimed the £36m-rated dynamo was “genuinely frightening” following a screamer against Vitoria this season.
Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, it’s thought that Porto are asking for a fee in the region of €60-65m (£55m), which would equal Spurs’ club-record fee.
On the above evidence, he would be quite the signing indeed and supporters should be very excited by Gold’s recent claims.
AND in other news, Bye-bye Dele: Spurs plot swoop for £18m-rated “extraordinary talent” who’s like Zidane…
His season has been plagued by injuries, much like the rest of his career, but it looks like he could now make a return to the team.
The Latest: Back in training
The Merseyside club have now posted a few photos of Delph in action at Finch Farm on their official Twitter page, with the caption ‘back in full training’.
The former Aston Villa and Manchester City ace will be hoping that he can now return before the Toffees play West Ham United away from home in the top flight on April 3rd.
The Verdict: Significant
While a lot of Evertonians have not always warmed up to Delph, his potential return to the squad remains significant.
The Blues are already missing Tom Davies through injury, while Dele Alli seems to have fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard and Andre Gomes has taken huge criticism for his work ethic, or lack thereof, in recent weeks.
Therefore, the former Derby County and Chelsea manager will need all the options he can get in the middle of the park, and if Delph can keep himself fit from now until the end of the campaign, he may well be a valuable squad member to have.
In other news, find out which 6 ft 4 colossus EFC are now eyeing here!
Leeds United are keen on signing Derby County midfielder Jason Knight in the January transfer window, along with a number of other Premier League clubs.
The Lowdown: Knight impressing for Derby
Despite still only being 20 years of age, the youngster has already become an important player for the Rams, making 16 starts in the Championship this season and captaining the team.
The eight-cap Republic of Ireland international has chipped in with two goals and two assists in the league, with his manager Wayne Rooney seeing comparisons with himself in Knight from his playing days.
It now looks as though the midfielder could leave the crisis-stricken Championship club this month as speculation over a move continues to grow.
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The Latest: Leeds interested in Knight
According to The Times, Leeds are eyeing up an imminent move for the midfielder, whose current Derby contract expires in the summer of 2023.
The Whites aren’t alone in showing an interest, with Burnley and Newcastle United also mentioned in the report amid pressure on the Rams to sell their most valuable players or risk further points reductions, unless they can show proof of funding for the remainder of this season.
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The Verdict: Added midfield depth
The need for a new midfielder at Leeds in January is clear to see, with the absent Kalvin Phillips a huge loss with a hamstring injury and not set to return until March, along with a scarcity of alternatives in the middle of the park
Knight may not possess any Premier League experience but his maturity is highlighted by the fact that he is already captain of a Championship club at the age of just 20 and has eight senior international caps, so he could add much-needed depth in the middle of the park.
He has won 1.5 aerial duels and 1.1 tackles per game in the league this season, and Rooney’s high praise for him speaks volumes about the player that the 20-year-old can become, given the England legend’s standing in the game.
There seems no obvious reason for Leeds not to make a concerted effort to try and capitalise on Derby’s woes by luring Knight to Elland Road.
In other news, a journalist has made a key claim regarding Leeds’ transfer business. Read more here.