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According to The Times, Wolves have approached Burnley to enquire about defender James Tarkowski with the hope of bringing him to Molineux this summer.

What’s the word?

Tarkowski has managed to establish himself as one of the most solid English defenders in the Premier League in recent years.

He enjoyed a tremendous season in 2017/18 but dropped off the pace slightly alongside the rest of the Burnley side last term.

Despite that, he’s still found himself among Gareth Southgate’s England squads.

His indifferent form hasn’t put potential suitors off him either. Leicester reportedly want him as a potential Harry Maguire replacement but now Wolves are also showing an interest.

The Times claim that the club have made an enquiry for the central defender who is rated at £16.2m per Transfermarkt.

Improvement necessary

There’s no doubting that Tarkowski wouldn’t be a solid acquisition for Wolves. For starters, he’d add further depth to a squad who were lacking in that regard last season.

Wolves used a regular back three of Conor Coady, Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett but the England international will have to improve in a key area if he’s to dislodge any of them should he arrive at Molineux.

Assessing the stats, the 26-year-old is particularly poor when it comes to his passing. In the Premier League throughout 2018/19 he boasted a pass success of just 69.5%.

It’s a number that doesn’t come close to any of Wolves’ main central defenders.

Coady finished the campaign with a success rate of 84.3% whilst Boly completed 81% of his passes. Bennett, on the other hand, was also better, picking out a teammate 79.6% of the time.

Gareth Bale to Wolves? Wolves Fan TV discuss how ambitious Nuno Espirito Santo will be this summer in the video below…

Wolves have established themselves as a side who like to play between the lines and get the ball forward quickly on the counter-attack.

However, by signing Tarkowski this could put that particular aspect of their play at risk.

The defender has strengths in other areas but as far as his passing goes, there is a considerable improvement to be made if he does walk through the doors at Wolves this summer.

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Former Scotland international Jackie McNamara thinks Alfredo Morelos won’t be at Rangers next season, as reported by Football Insider.

What’s he said?

Morelos has had an excellent season at Ibrox, netting 30 goals in all competitions for Steven Gerrard’s side.

It’s the kind of attacking output that makes him an attractive transfer proposition for teams all over Europe and many expect that interest to firm up when the summer window opens for business.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

McNamara is one of those who thinks he may leave, believing that the player’s desire to play elsewhere, along with his record in big matches, will tempt Rangers into cashing in.

As quoted by Football Insider, he said:

“From what I hear and read, he’s off. Morelos has made it clear with what he’s said publicly that’s what he wants.

“I think Rangers will have a valuation and if that’s met he will go, maybe £10million, a bit more perhaps.

“Don’t think he’s [Gerrard] lost patience, I think he’ll look at it about reliability in certain games. He’s not scored in any Old Firm games, where he’s judged, he’s been sent off a number of times.

“If they get the right money for him, you imagine they take that money and try to invest it in other positions they’ll need to try and get closer to Celtic.”

Keep or sell?

Before Rangers consider selling Morelos they need to have an elite replacement ready to come into Ibrox.

His goal contribution needs to be replaced and although Jermain Defoe has shown his class since arriving in January, another top striker will be needed to net on a regular basis.

Still, Morelos’ sale should definitely be considered.

Unless he goes on to have a stellar season in Europe next season, he is arguably at his peak transfer value as it stands right now. It’s important Rangers take that into account and cash in on that market value when it’s available.

That allows them to invest in a new wave of talented young players that again can be sold at peak value. It’s that kind of cycle that will allow the Gers to truly progress in the long-term.

In the short-term it would of course allow Gerrard to strengthen in other positions too.

Morelos will be a big miss for Rangers supporters, but letting him go may be the best thing for the club.

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Mauricio Pochettino is once again to be asked to work within limited financial constraints this summer, though the club could make a £30million move for Barcelona’s Andre Gomes, according to the Daily Telegraph.

What’s the word?

The report states that Spurs are likely to break their self-imposed transfer ban that has been running since January 2018. Their last signing, indeed, was Lucas Moura, who moved to the club from PSG.

The Telegraph claim that two or three signings could be made, along with a deal for a homegrown player that will help boost the club’s quota.

Barca’s Gomes, currently on loan at Everton, Nice right-back Youcef Atal, Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish are all listed as potential signings this summer and the figure could reach in excess of £100million.

However, there is a claim that such a number will only be reached if attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen, right-back Kieran Trippier and centre-back Toby Alderweireld leave the club.

Gomes has made a total of 28 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring once and providing two assists.

Patience required with Gomes

The move for Gomes is something of a strange one.

He has not set the world alight at Everton and a deal at £30m seems steep.

But there is history here; the club signed Moussa Sissoko for the same fee in 2016 and he endured a rocky start to his career at the club.

The France international had previous experience in the Premier League, but that did not ensure a smooth transition to life at Spurs.

This season, however, he has been the club’s best midfielder, having finally bought into the Argentine’s methods.

Fans may need similar patience with Gomes, who does not appear to suit the high-pressing, high-intensity game favoured by Pochettino.

His season at Everton has been promising in patches, with fleeting spells of class providing reason to believe that he could be a hit at Tottenham, but question marks remain over whether he is truly at the level required to cement his place in a Champions League standard midfield.

Similar questions were asked of Sissoko when he arrived and it took him more than two seasons to answer those with interest.

It remains to be seen if Pochettino will be forced to work his magic with Gomes or if the playmaker will instantly thrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Back in 2016, Jamie Vardy turned down a move to Arsenal after the Gunners had triggered a buy out clause in his contract.

Having just won the title, the striker saw no reason to move on, and he’s shown no signs of regretting that decision three years later.

However, one person who does think it was a mistake is The Sun’s Shaun Custis, who claimed Vardy had made an error in not moving to the Emirates. This was in comments made on talkSPORT last Sunday after the Foxes had seen off Arsenal 3-0.

And reacting on Twitter to an article from the Leicester Mercury who relaid the quotes, Leicester fans appeared to be extremely puzzled by the remarks.

One fan sarcastically betted that Vardy was devastated not to have made the move. Meanwhile, another supporter made reference to how badly transfers have gone for Riyad Mahrez and Danny Drinkwater.

A further member of the King Power faithful simply called the comments nonsense.

At the age of 32, Vardy has shown no signs of aging this season, netting 18 goals. He’s now the leading scoring Englishman in the Premier League this term.

Here’s what Foxes fans have had to say.

[ad_pod ]Charlton extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 2-0 victory over Plymouth at Home Park on Saturday, with Lyle Taylor opening the scoring before Niall Canavan inadvertently doubled the Addicks’ lead after the break.Taylor’s strike was his 16th league goal of what has been an impressive campaign for the number 9, although the Charlton fans directed their praise towards a player at the opposite end of the pitch.The scoreline followed a trend that has arisen in the previous weeks – straight-forward and comfortable – although it was anything but and could have been very different if not for Dillon Phillips between the sticks.How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…The 23-year-old custodian denied Graham Carey from the spot after Krystian Bielik fouled Ruben Lameiras, and from that point the Addicks seized control of the game from their hosts and went on to win.They went 12 points clear of Peterborough to further cement their place in the play-offs as a result, and they will surely be starting to dream of a trip to Wembley.Here’s what the Valley faithful had to say about 6 ft 2 Phillips’ performance on Twitter…

Changes are surely coming aplenty for Newcastle United next season, as Rafa Benitez demands a proper reshuffle in shape in order to compete for bigger things.

The Magpies find themselves in risk of losing some key personnel considering the aforementioned Spaniard’s contractual situation on Tyneside and, elsewhere, influential midfielder Isaac Hayden seems insistent on leaving.

He’s not suited to life at St. James’ Park, seemingly wanting to move for personal reasons and, while it seems harsh to criticise him for that, the former Arsenal youngster would now be a big miss. Indeed, Hayden’s energy and steel in midfield have brought a new spark to Benitez’s game when it looked as if things were going stale, so his potential departure would be a blow.

So, according to reports from German outlet Bild (via HITC), the Magpies are looking for a rather unknown replacement in Nurnberg’s Patrick Erras.

While talented, the 24-year-old German is still finding his feet at the Bundesliga bottom feeders, making him quite an unusual replacement for such an influential midfielder. Erras’ only made 13 appearances for Nurnberg, including only 7 starts and would surely have to undergo a period of acclimatisation if he were to move to the English top flight.

Unlike the reliable Hayden, he’s still struggling to stand out in difficult circumstances.

If Newcastle want to move forward and become a side challenging for a European spot, getting mediocre talents like Erras won’t do. While the 24-year-old’s timely shown his ability with a few impressive appearances, stats don’t favour him at all. He’s only assisted once this campaign and boasts a relatively unimpressive 74.1% passing accuracy (stats via WhoScored).

Unlike the industrial Hayden, Erras has seemingly struggled under pressure and hasn’t been able to dominate possession as well as he’d like.

Exposing him to the Premier League’s intensity could be a huge risk, as the Magpies need to do better than getting a cheap replacement for their potentially departing workhorse.

Newcastle fans, would you be pleased with Erras’ potential arrival in the summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Imagine the scenes if Aston Villa somehow manage to barge their way into the play-off places in the current campaign after experiencing a roller-coaster ride of emotions at Villa Park. 

Jack Grealish’s return has lifted the mood at Villa Park as just about every supporter now believes that their side can go all the way in the Championship this season, especially after witnessing his performance last time out.

And, as if Grealish’s return wasn’t enough, it appears as if Dean Smith is set to welcome another couple of first-team members back from injury, as according to Birmingham Live, Axel Tuanzebe and Henri Lansbury have returned to training and Smith expects them to be available for the Blackburn clash.

Aston Villa fans will inevitably be pleased with Tuanzebe’s return as he’s already made a big impact in the current campaign, but Lansbury has struggled to make many inroads in recent years at Villa Park.

However, Lansbury has the ability to boost Aston Villa’s play-off chances massively and could become a secret weapon from here on in until the end of the season. Indeed, the Englishman has shown just how dangerous he can be over the years in the Championship as he scored 33 goals and provided 20 assists during his time at Nottingham Forest, and he’s displayed moments of promise at Villa Park but has never really been given a fair chance.

His attacking runs from the middle of midfield could cause all sorts of problems for the opposition in the final third and he has the quality to find the back of the net from long range, as well as picking defence-splitting pass. It’s safe to say that a midfield that involves the 28-year-old, Hourihane and John McGinn would definitely get fans excited, especially with Jack Grealish buzzing around in front of the midfield three.

Aston Villa fans, do you believe Lansbury can play a part in your play-off push? Surely he’s a better option than Glenn Whelan and Mile Jedinak…

Leicester City are no longer searching for a new manager after parting company with Claude Puel at the weekend and moving for Brendan Rodgers.

Doubts were cast over the summer over Puel’s long-term future but the Frenchman was given the start of the season to defy expectations. However, the Foxes have struggled despite splashing out on the likes of James Maddison. With Leicester languishing in 12th place following a heavy defeat to Crystal Palace, the decision was made to look for a new boss.

Now in place at the King Power, the Northern Irishman is no stranger to the Premier League following spells with both Liverpool and Swansea.

Now Rodgers has taken the job, Leicester should look to sign Celtic maestro – Olivier Ntcham. Valued at just £3.6m by Transfermarkt, the Frenchman moved to the SPFL in the summer of 2017 after failing to make the grade at Manchester City. Ntcham instantly became a key member of the squad at Celtic Park and is enjoying one of his finest seasons to date.

The 23-year-old has been in fantastic form netting six goals and registering one assist for his team-mates. Ntcham is a complete midfielder who could operate in a number of roles in the Foxes engine room. After establishing himself as a regular for Celtic, he should have no problem adapting to life in England should Rodgers move to the King Power.

Despite signing a new contract in November, the allure of life in the Premier League could be too difficult to turn down. Capturing his signature in the summer could prove to be a wise decision.

Leicester fans, thoughts?

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Manuel Neuer was back between the sticks for Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga clash with Augsburg on Friday night, suggesting that he will be fit to face Liverpool in the Champions League next week.

Neuer had missed Bayern’s three matches in the lead-up to the Augsburg clash with a finger injury, and it had been claimed that he could be absent for his team’s last-16 Champions League first leg at Anfield.

However, the 32-year-old was back between the sticks on Friday night.

The Liverpool fans caught wind of the team news on social media, which led to a number commenting on Neuer, in addition to Bayern in general, ahead of what is promising to be a fascinating match next week.

Neuer’s powers are perhaps not what they once were, while Bayern have also had their issues this season, which has handed the Liverpool fans confidence.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Maurizio Sarri was once again left with more questions than answers following Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League defeat away at Arsenal last Saturday.

The loss to their London rivals comes in a period where the team have not only been unable to score, but have played poor in general.

There have been a bunch of underperformers of late, and now is the time for the Italian to act if Chelsea are to finish in the top four. Furthermore, here are two players Sarri should be looking towards going forward.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is currently out with a back injury but, even when he has been fit, he has been overlooked by Sarri.

That, however, needs to change. The 23-year-old looks like a much bitter fit for that No.8 role compared to Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley, the two midfielders who Sarri seems to rate really highly.

Loftus-Cheek dribbles in a meaningful way unlike his English team-mate Barkley who seems to have lost his explosive power following his own injury problems, while the Chelsea youth product is also so much more threatening in the opponent’s box than Kovacic.

Callum Hudson-Odoi

According to Sky Sports, Callum Hudson-Odoi will turn down Chelsea’s latest £85,000-a-week contract offer with Bayern Munich still circling, and it is not hard to understand why.

The boy wants minutes on the pitch, something he should be getting considering how atrocious Willian has been this season.

The Brazilian has played a major role in Chelsea’s attack growing stale and predictable, which is why it is time for him to give way to his younger team-mate who has all the tools needed to become a complete winger.

Hudson-Odoi is quick, can beat full-backs on the inside or outside, cross, shoot and play on both flanks. Now is the time for Sarri to start utilising that.