Tottenham Hotspur turned down the chance to sign Roma striker Edin Dzeko, according to Football Insider.
Intermediaries working on behalf of the former Manchester City striker are said to have reached out to Spurs to gauge their interest in a possible summer bid.
Roma are said to value Dzeko at £18m but the north London club chose against pursuing a move, with the club unconvinced of the value in signing the 33-year-old in this transfer window.
He is now likely to move to Inter Milan instead.
It remains to be seen if Spurs will strengthen their forward line this summer having released Fernando Llorente, leaving the club with just Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen as their current forward options.
Should they have decided to make a move for Dzeko, then? He is, after all, a proven Premier League talent, having scored 72 goals in 189 games for City.
Football FanCast’s writers give their verdicts below!
James Beavis
“Yes, they should have and it’s a truly confusing rejection. Where else can you find a prolific striker with Premier League pedigree for £18m? Tottenham can’t afford to forget that they need a centre-forward willing to play back-up to Harry Kane more often than not. The 33-year-old may well have been content to do just that. In conclusion, Spurs are set to miss out on another shrewd deal.”
Matt Dawson
“Edin Dzeko would have been a fabulous capture for Spurs, especially at a price of £18m. If Fernando Llorente is to leave then they’ll need a player in a similar mould to encapsulate what he brought to north London. The Bosnian is far better in front of goal and would have been outstanding back up to Harry Kane. Considering the problems they had without him in the side it could have been game-changing. This is poor from Spurs.”
Ben Goodwin
“No, simply because he is too similar to what they already have. £18m is a good price for an experienced goalscorer, but what situation will you possibly use Dzeko in that you wouldn’t use Harry Kane in? The Lilywhites should find a pacier player to play second fiddle to their talisman, like Callum Wilson of Bournemouth.”
Liverpool fans want the club to sign Brazilian attacker Everton after watching him during the weekend’s Copa America action.
The winger linked up with former Anfield man Philippe Coutinho to score during a 5-0 win over Peru that also had Liverpool favourite Roberto Firmino and Chelsea star Willian on the scoresheet.
The player has two goals and an assist so far in the tournament, which Brazil are looking to win as hosts.
“It reminds me of a bus seat!” – Watch a damning verdict on Chelsea’s new kit in the video below…
Everton plays his football with Gremio in his homeland but last week hinted that he would be open to a move to European football this summer.
The Reds are currently well stocked in attacking areas but with Jurgen Klopp and his squad looking to challenge in four competitions next season, adding a bit of depth certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Supporters of the Anfield club are clearly interested in seeing him link up with compatriot Firmino at Liverpool, taking to Twitter over the last 48 hours to share their thoughts…
Nowadays you never really get to see players letting their hair down and have a drink to relax after a season finishes, a trophy is won, or they just fancy a night off.
Back in the day it seemed to happen a great deal more than it does now. This gallery is dedicated to some of the best, rarest, and oldest photos of some legends of the British game enjoying a celebratory drink with their teammates, friends and family.
There are some infamous examples of players being party animals in football – George Best perhaps being the first one that springs to mind for most.
He does feature more than once in this montage given he could be considered the bastion of the old guard football player.
From smoking, to drinking, to playboy bunnies, this set of photos has it all when it comes to showing off the character of past legends.
But we start with a slightly more understated one, albeit memorable in its own way. It’s the Manchester United team – which includes legends such as Matt Busby, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton – celebrating the club’s seventh league title…
Manchester United Football Team celebrate winning the League Championship after their 6-1 win over West Ham at Upton Park in the penultimate game of the season.
Players include Denis Law, Bill Foulkes, Paddy Crerand, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Charlton, George Best, manager Matt Busby and assistant Jimmy Murphy.
6th May 1967.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
George Best of Fulham celebrating after being fined only £75 by the F.A. for making an offensive gesture to the referee. Seen here with team-mate, former England Skipper Bobby Moore.
1st February 1977.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Moore chat with actress Vivienne Ventura and other members of the England World Cup football team during a visit to Pinewood studio. Ventura is starring in the new Cliff Richard movie “Finders Keepers”.
July 1966.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Actress Vivienne Ventura talks to England footballers Peter Bonetti (left) and Jimmy Greaves as the 1966 England World Cup team visit Pinewood Studios and spend time on the set of the new James Bond film You Only Live Twice. And if you look carefully, on the right is Sean Connery talking to Bobby Moore.
12th July 1966.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Manchester United footballer Bobby Charlton puts out a cigarette in the ash try as he sits at the bar with his brother Jack Charlton of Leeds United.
1968.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Miss World contestants now in London for the final on the 27th November came face to face with some of Britain’s leading sportsmen at a party this evening at the Sportsmans Club, Tottenham Court Road. Three of the girls tug at Jimmy Hill’s beard to see if it is real.
November 1969.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Stanley Matthews after Blackpool won the FA Cup.
4th May 1953.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Manchester United’s Denis Law drinking champagne in the dressing room at Wembley with David Herd following their victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup Final.
25th May 1963.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
George Best with Playboy Bunnies at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
5th February 1977.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Manchester United footballer George Best celebrates the opening of his fashion boutique with a few glasses of champagne.14th September 1967.
Manchester United footballer George Best celebrates the opening of his fashion boutique with a few glasses of champagne.
14th September 1967.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
West Ham United captain Bobby Moore spending a few quiet minutes under the sun lamp with a bottle of beer to celebrate his team’s victory over Manchester United to reach the FA Cup Final.
15th March 1964.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Morris Keaton (not pictured) Businessman & Spurs Fan, throws a party at the Hilton Hotel, London, to celebrate Tottenham’s recent win in the League Cup Tottenham 2-0 Aston Villa.
A number of footballing guests attended, including 2 goal hero Martin Chivers (centre) being toasted as by L2R Terry Mancim of Leyton Orient, Andy Lochhead of Aston Villa, David Gibson of Aston Villa, Terry Venables of QPR, Allan Harris of QPR, Barry Bridges of Millwall and George Graham of Arsenal.
27th February 1971.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Brian Clough, former Brighton & Hove Albion manager and soon to be Leeds United manager, pictured with Vince Wilson, Sunday Mirror Sports Journalist, on holiday in Puerto Pollensa aka Port de Pollenca, Northern Mallorca, Majorca, Spain.
July 1974.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Tottenham Hotspur footballers Cliff Jones and Jimmy Greaves enjoying themselves at a party given by a West End businessman to celebrate their victory over Manchester United.
6th January 1964.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Geoff Hurst, Stoke City and ex-England footballer, pictured working in the pub that he now owns, The Sheet Anchor Hotel, Whitmore, Staffordshire. Geoff celebrates his new venture with a pint of beer, in front of the pub and his Mercedes.
Geoff Hurst played his final game for England in The 1972, European Championship, losing 3-1 to West Germany. In 1975 he was made an MBE, and went on to play for West Bromwich Albion, Cork Celtic and Seattle Sounders, before finishing his playing career in 1976.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Tottenham Hotspur have an incredible midfield.
On Tuesday, the club confirmed the signing of Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon, with the French club revealing that Spurs had paid a club-record fee to acquire his signature.
The deal is worth an initial €60m (£53.8m) plus a prospective €10m (£8.9m) in add-ons.
Ndombele’s signing is a significant one for many reasons, not just the price, as he solves the Mousa Dembele problem at a stroke. The Belgian was once the club’s go-to dynamic option in midfield but he departed in January and was not replaced, placing the burden solely on the shoulders of Moussa Sissoko.
Now that the 22-year-old has arrived, there is an extra layer of running ability and technical dribbling in Spurs’ midfield.
And the options that Mauricio Pochettino has to call on, as it stands, are excellent.
Along with Ndombele and Sissoko, the club also have Harry Winks, an England international who, per WhoScored, averaged a pass completion rate of 91.8% in the Premier League last season. He is a remarkably effective passer of the ball.
They also have the attacking talents of Dele Alli, who has scored 53 goals in 184 games for the club – that’s a rate of over a goal every four games – and Christian Eriksen, who registered 12 assists in the Premier League and hit the back of the net eight times last season.
Now, of course, the Denmark international could well depart, with Real Madrid the mooted destination.
Even if that happens, reports suggest that Real Betis’ Giovani Lo Celso, who netted 16 goals in all competitions in 2018/19, could be brought in.
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Add to the equation the brawn of Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier, two rugged defensive midfielders, and one feels that Spurs have an exceptional balance.
There is the running and energy of Sissoko and Ndombele, the craft of Winks, the muscularity of Wanyama and Dier and the vision and goalscoring of Alli and Eriksen.
This is not to say that such a midfield trumps that of Manchester City – they have the likes of David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho and have now added Rodri to that mix – but it is almost certainly as good as anyone else’s in the league.
Next season promises to be an exciting one for Spurs, and it could all be thanks to that remarkable midfield.
Per a tweet from Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Leicester have agreed a £30m deal to sign Ayoze Perez from Newcastle this summer.
The player still needs to agree personal terms and have a medical but things look to be moving very quickly after a report emerged on Tuesday evening that the Foxes had met with him and his agent.
It was news that sparked quite the reaction from Leicester fans on Twitter, who flocked to social media to have their say on the reports that had emerged surrounding Perez.
One fan claimed it was perfect business, suggesting that £30m wasn’t actually very expensive, whilst another remarked that it was a statement of intent from the Midlands club.
A further supporter said the Spaniard would link up brilliantly with Jamie Vardy. Another joked that he couldn’t be any worse than current Leicester man Demarai Gray.
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The 25-year-old ended last season in red hot form, scoring six in his last five Premier League outings of the season.
Overall, he finished the campaign with 12 league strikes, one of which came against the Foxes in a 1-0 win for Newcastle at the King Power.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
According to Football Insider, Leeds United are set to leave a number of their players at home while the club go to Australia for their pre-season tour.
The Whites are reportedly set to leave all of their new signings and their international players behind for this tour.
This comes less than a week after Danny Mills revealed that Pontus Jansson was sold by the club because he continually asked for an extra week off after his return from Sweden duty.
Jansson’s situation
Bielsa’s stubbornness throughout the Jansson saga has previously been documented, but this latest development makes it seem even worse.
Jansson requested an extra week off after playing two games for his country in June, but Bielsa was unwilling to compromise.
Contradictory
Ezgjan Alioski, Mateusz Klich and Jamie Shackleton are effectively getting what Jansson wanted. They will do light training while the rest of the team are away, and that’s what the Swede was trying to do while he worked with Malmo.
It’s contradictory, and suggests that the manager’s choice was more to do with getting his own way rather than actually needing the 28-year-old to report back to training immediately.
He has now recognised that the international players need a few more days to rest and he has granted them that time, but when Jansson asked a few weeks ago, it looks to have played a part in costing him his Elland Road career.
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It’s tough to comprehend Bielsa’s trail of thought on these two matters. He sold a player because he wanted extra time away from the squad, and he has now given multiple players that exact thing a week later.
He was simply too stubborn with Jansson, and as a result he has lost a valuable asset.
Lookman spent large chunks of last season absent from first-team duties, following reports of poor attitude and engagement during training sessions, so fans would be forgiven for not crying themselves to sleep in the wake of his departure.
The 21-year-old will link back up with the likes of Timo Werner, Yussuf Poulsen and Marcel Sabitzer, having already played alongside them for half a term in 2018, when he impressed under Ralph Hasenhuttl, grabbing five goals and three assists in just seven starts.
A selection of West Ham United fans have had their say on Tottenham Hotspur’s potential move for Paulo Dybala in the latter stages of the transfer window.
According to The Independent, Juventus are willing to sell Dybala to Mauricio Pochettino’s side before the window slams shut.
It remains to be seen whether the London club are capable of getting a deal over the line in the closing hours.
Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
There is certainly no love lost between West Ham and Tottenham, and a number of the former’s fans have been commenting on the Dybala situation.
One Hammers supporter claimed that the Argentina international’s arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could make Spurs contenders for the Premier League title, which was followed up by an Irons fan dubbing the club’s ambition “incredible”.
Another insisted that a title race is not on the cards, however, with a couple of fans claiming that Christian Eriksen is actually better than the Juve attacker.
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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Just how do Manchester United get back to the top of the Premier League? The club have had several attempts to do since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013, and it doesn’t really feel like they’re getting any closer. Last season was arguably one of the worst in recent memory, as the Red Devils slipped to a disappointing sixth-placed finish and ended the campaign with an embarrassing pair of results to already-relegated Huddersfield and Cardiff.
So when the club announced early deals for Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, it felt like United were moving in the right direction, signing young talents with promising futures. All it needed was a few more ready-made players able to come in and stamp their authority on the side immediately.
Instead, United have been left scrambling around trying to complete deals for Harry Maguire and Sean Longstaff, whilst the futures of some of their high-profile stars remain uncertain.
How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…
It’s therefore all the more perplexing that following the side’s rather uninspiring 1-0 win over Kristiansund in pre-season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemed to downplay the extent of the rebuilding job on his hands. He said: “We’re working on one or two cases. It’s 10 days or so before we start the league and hopefully we can announce a fresh face or two.”
Just one or two? Really? United finished a staggering 32 points behind their ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City last season, and yet Solskjaer is saying that the club would be happy to get just a couple more signings through the door? The Red Devils are in desperate need of a squad shake-up, whether that’s moving players on who don’t want to be at the club or bringing in bona-fide talents to help spruce the existing team up.
Players are just like everyday fans, waiting to see what their club does in the transfer market and seeing new players potentially joining them. It can often galvanise the mood around a dressing room knowing that the club have made a huge splash in the window. The Red Devils perhaps more than any other side in the proverbial ‘big six’ are in major need of something to uplift them. It’s imperative that rather than just the “fresh face or two” Solskjaer has hinted at, the last week of the transfer window sees major transfer activity for the Manchester side.