All posts by n8rngtd.top

Leeds United have had a tough time of it when it comes to selling their young stars over the years.

The sale of Harry Kewell was arranged in such a way that Leeds didn’t profit from it anywhere near as much as they should have, while two future England internationals in the shape of Fabian Delph and Lewis Cook were sold for just £12m combined.

However, one man they got a great price for was Jack Clarke.

It’s a little unfair to say that seeing as the winger is just 19 years old, but the fact that his transfermarkt value has dropped to £4.86m just a year after Tottenham paid £10m for him shows that Leeds got rid of him at the right time.

Of course, Spurs were paying for his potential rather than his current ability, but it seems as though Tottenham were sold on performances that he hasn’t been able to sustain since then.

Last term his form wasn’t even close to the level we saw in the 2018/19 season as he failed to get into Leeds’ starting XI before also struggling to force himself into QPR’s plans in two separate loan spells.

There’s no doubting that he looked a real prospect when he first burst onto the scene, with Noel Whelan waxing-lyrical about him back in 2019, saying:

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

However, despite this glowing review, it seems as though Clarke’s early promise was more of a bi-product of his confidence and momentum at that time instilling a fearlessness in him that made him very easy on the eye, but in the past 12 months, he hasn’t looked anything close to a £10m player.

Leeds sold him at the perfect time.

Liverpool have made just one dip into the transfer market ahead of the new campaign, which starts this weekend, but one mooted target is a name that simply won’t go away…

What’s the word?

According to the ECHO’s Paul Gorst, the Premier League title holders have relegated Watford sensation Ismaila Sarr “under consideration” ahead of a potential switch to Anfield.

It’s not the first time the Hornets winger has been linked with a move to the Reds after Alan Nixon at The Sun claimed they were prepared to meet the £40m asking price just over a week ago.

He believes Sarr is one of their top priorities given his ability to also play through the middle and that he would be patient over a spot in the starting XI.

Perfect fit

It’s no surprise to see Klopp keen on the Senegalese international after he haunted him back in February. The 22-year-old condemned Liverpool to their first league defeat of the season and he was integral to it.

Per SofaScore, Sarr not only bagged a brace and assisted another in the 3-0 victory, but also recorded six shots, two dribbles and one key pass. Andy Robertson had a torrid time having won just one duel as well as losing possession 22 times.

In addition to that, the Watford speedster would undoubtedly be a perfect fit for Klopp’s system given his comparisons to both Sadio Mane and Ousmane Dembele, who the German had at Borussia Dortmund.

Soon-to-be ex-teammate Abdoulaye Doucoure believes Sarr is a “Champions League player” as he “has exceptional qualities, [is] not just quick, he’s incredible at finishing, he can find space, keep the ball and I hope he’ll go very far.”

With Harry Wilson reportedly on the chopping block and the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pretty average alternative options, it would make a ton of sense to clinch the tricky winger.

£40m is not much more than what they paid for Mane; look how that turned out.

AND in other news, Barcelona could hijack KEY Klopp target before October transfer deadline…

Contrary to some reports, Manchester United have not given up hope of signing Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Man United missed the Monday deadline Dortmund had set to sort out a deal and the right winger reunited with his Bundesliga teammates for their training camp in Switzerland.

Sancho started their pre-season friendly against Altach and insisted he is happy at the Bundesliga outfit after the game.

He told BVB-TVÂ (via The Manchester Evening News) “I like to play with this special bunch. We now have some very special players with us.”

“I am very happy to be on the pitch with them. Once I was in their situation. I know what it is like to move from the next generation to the professionals. I try to guide them, to show you what is good and what is not good.”

Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc insisted Sancho is staying at the Signal Iduna Park and the decision is final.

But Fabrizio Romano revealed “it’s not over” as there is still plenty of time to go before the transfer window closes.

Speaking to Jan Aage Fjortoft on the Save The Ball podcast, as per @utdreport, the Italian transfer expert told the retired footballer-turned-pundit that the transfer remains a work in progress, despite some reports suggesting otherwise.

As far as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is concerned, Sancho is still his top target this summer, which leaves Ed Woodward with a little less than two months to reach an agreement with Dortmund, although this is easier said than done.

Conflicting reports seemed to suggest a deal is “imminent” but there is work to be done before the club can make his dreams a reality.

United are reportedly the only club who want to sign Sancho and he has made it clear he wants to move to Old Trafford.

However, talks over a transfer fee and the payment structure continue to be a stumbling block, as both clubs remain poles apart in their valuations of the 11-cap England international.

Dortmund are demanding £108mÂfor the club’s top scorerÂlast season, but the Red Devils are trying to drive a hard bargain. as the board believe it is an unrealistic figure given the current circumstances.

United are apparently unwilling to stump up for Sancho but they may have to pay over the odds if they want to prise him away from the Westfalenstadion in the summer.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know your views in the comments below!

Joe Gomez believes that Liverpool are ‘hungrier than ever’ and are mentally prepared to face the challenges of the upcoming season.

In his latest interview with the club, the centre-back has discussed the team’s morale as they gear up to defend their first ever Premier League title.

“I think more than anything, the gaffer instils in us that it’s a mental battle more than physical half the time, so we’ll be ready and we have a squad full of quality to rotate when needs be,” Gomez told liverpoolfc.com. “The main thing is, mentally we are ready to go. And I think everyone is hungrier than ever.”

The Reds ran away with their first league title in 30 years last season, entering a whole new era as a club. However, a lot of fans appear to be worried after watching the team play during preseason and in the Community Shield.

Many supporters are crying out for new signings and as a result, one has responded to Gomez saying ‘we don’t care about this nonsense’. Another fan has slammed the 23-year-old for ‘deceiving yourself’ about the club’s current situation.

Liverpool have made just one senior signing so far in this window and some Kopites are worrying that it won’t be enough to keep the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City at bay.

Read more replies from the Anfield faithful below:

What do you think of Joe Gomez’s comments, Reds fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…

Another potential outgoing could be on the cards for Liverpool, with Joel Matip at the forefront of the attention. 

The centre-back has reportedly attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain who are looking to pursue a move for his signature this summer. That’s according to @Jordan_MChoco (relayed via @LFCTransferRoom), who claims manager Thomas Tuchel and sporting director Leonardo are admirers of Matip.

The Cameroon international has been with the Merseyside outfit since 2016, after he joined on a free transfer from Schalke 04 (via BBC Sport). Matip has participated in some huge games for the Reds, including the winning side that took on Tottenham Hotspur last season in the Champions League final.

However, despite his influence on the team, he is often left on the bench in favour of Joe Gomez. Matip also has a history of injury problems, missing 20 matches this season through a knee problem (via Transfermarkt).

Many Liverpool fans are fully against cashing in on the 28-year-old and have taken to Twitter to express this. One supporter has tweeted ‘they cannot have him’, whilst similarly another has firmly stated Matip is ‘not for sale’.

Read more replies from the Anfield faithful here:

Do you think Liverpool should look to sell Joel Matip this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

It is a big transfer window for Glasgow Rangers as they attempt mount a challenge for the Premiership title in 2020/21.

They will want to increase their strength in depth in all positions and former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan believes that Kemar Roofe would be an ideal signing.

Speaking to Football Insider about the Anderlecht forward, Whelan said: “He’s very quick, very dynamic in and around the box, he can hold the ball up and he knows where the goal is.

“They would get him at a decent price and they’ll have the finances.

“Obviously they’ll have a certain amount of money they can spend, they can be outpriced by it but Anderlecht probably won’t get what they paid for Kemar.

“It hasn’t worked out for him and I think it could be time he does get a challenge and It could be a loan to buy situation that works for both clubs.”

Roofe has played 302 times in his career for various clubs including Oxford United and Leeds United and scored 96 goals whilst also providing 50 assists – this includes 24 goals and 16 assists for West Bromwich Albion under-23s, per Transfermarkt.

In the last few months, he has been in Belgium playing for Vincent Kompany’s Anderlecht, where he has played 16 times and tallied seven goals and three assists, per Transfermarkt. These stats show that wherever Roofe goes, he seems to have an eye for the net, but his lack of regular game-time in Belgium suggests that, like Whelan has said, the move hasn’t greatly worked out for him.

Still, it’s hard to disagree with Whelan about that this reported transfer target could be a good signing if the ‘Gers can secure him on a loan-to-buy deal, as they could then see if he would suit Scottish football without having  to risk splashing the cash on him in case the move did not work out.

What are your thoughts on Whelan’s comments about Roofe, ‘Gers fans? Let us know by commenting below!

Craig Hope has relayed a key update on the final game of the 2019/20 Premier League season for Newcastle United versus Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as a spokesperson for the Northumbria Police (via Daily Mail) said that the fixture ‘has been discussed’ and at this current moment in time will be played at St. James’ Park.

As per the journalist, the match had been one of those that had been previously flagged by the police as possibly high-risk because of fears that the supporters from both sets of teams could end up gathering at the stadium despite lock down and social distancing regulations that have been put into place to try and stop the global pandemic from spreading across the country.

There was a worry first of all because the Reds have now been confirmed as champions of the top flight after Chelsea won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, meaning that they could not mathematically catch the Anfield outfit.

Given that it would be their last match of the campaign, there was a fear that the LFC faithful would gather around the stadium to celebrate their title win, and thus breaking lock down rules.

On the other hand, there was also a worry that some members of the Toon faithful would also gather around St. James’ Park to potentially celebrate the end of the Mike Ashley era, assuming that England’s highest division approve of the proposed takeover in the North East around that time.

Having both sets of fans there could have possibly put a strain on the local police, but it seems as if the game will still be played at the Magpies’ home ground until something else changes.

Geordies, would you be worries about a potential gathering outside the stadium? Comment below!

Plenty of West Brom fans have been gleefully celebrating the 15-year anniversary of their dramatic escape from Premier League relegation.

On 15 May 2005, the Baggies defeated Portsmouth 2-0 at The Hawthorns and duly became the first team in Premier League history to beat the drop after being bottom on Christmas Day in the same season (as per BBC). Highlights of the game were shared by the club’s official Twitter channel @WBA.

Bryan Robson’s side were among four teams striving for that coveted 17th position, along with Norwich, Southampton and Crystal Palace, with rapidly-changing scorelines across those teams’ matches frequently altering the relegation picture.

Geoff Horsfield’s second half opener took West Brom out of the bottom three and Kieran Richardson ensured their victory over Pompey, but with Andy Johnson simultaneously putting Palace ahead at Charlton, Albion were put back into the drop zone.

However, Jonathan Fortune’s equaliser at The Valley pushed the Baggies back up to 17th and a 2-2 draw in that game, along with defeats for Norwich and Southampton, meant that West Brom eventually retained their Premier League status, prompting a jubilant pitch invasion at The Hawthorns. [via BBC]

These Baggies fans savoured the footage of that “unreal” day on Twitter:

West Brom fans, what are your memories of the escape from relegation in 2005? Let us know in the comments section below!

A lot of Crystal Palace fans enjoyed reminiscing over a great day in their recent history as the club posted a throwback picture of their match on this day in 2013.

It is a photo from the day of their Championship play-off final triumph against Watford seven years ago which features the players’ celebrations after their victory against the Hornets.

It was a very tense affair which saw the game go to extra-time after a goalless 90 minutes, via BBC Sport. It looked like the game was going to go to penalties until Wilfried Zaha’s trickery was too much for the defence and he was fouled in the box. Up stepped veteran striker Kevin Phillips, who never looked like missing, and he smashed it into the top corner.

The Eagles were able to hold on to gain promotion to the Premier League and they have stayed in England’s top flight ever since. Having never managed consecutive Premier League seasons prior to 2013, they have been a top-flight club ever since then, with seven successive years at the highest level of English football, via Transfermarkt.

Here is how these Crystal Palace fans reacted to the tweet, with club ambassador Mark Bright describing the occasion as “magical”:

Palace fans, how big a game was this in the club’s history? Comment below with your views!

This article forms part of our The Ones That Got Away feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern take a look back at players linked with moves in the past, and see how they would have made an impact had they signed for the interested side.

For obvious reasons, it is hard to predict just what would be different at a club if they had made a signing the best part of 15 years ago. However, with Dominic Fifield writing in the Athletic this week about how Crystal Palace need to invest in the January transfer window, he provided a timely reminder of how the Eagles once thought they had the signing of Michael Carrick in the bag.

Rollback 15-and-a-half-years to the summer of 2004 and the Eagles had just shocked much of English football by winning promotion to the Premier League, despite then-manager Iain Dowie joining in late December of 2003 with Palace sat in 19th in the league.

Going up via the play-off method, Neil Shipperley managed to score the only goal of the game – a close-range shot after a saved Andy Johnson shot – to push Palace back into the big time for the first time since 1997. Indeed, the Eagles faced Alan Pardew’s West Ham that day, with a 23-year-old Michael Carrick playing in the opposite 11.

With Palace promoted and in the Premier League, Fifield reports that Simon Jordan and Iain Dowie were confident that a deal could be forced through for the midfielder – who went to win every domestic competition available to him in England – but it turned out he had other ideas.

A bid of £3.5m was reportedly accepted, however, as the report states, “Carrick had no interest in the move and merely ignored Dowie’s calls”. While perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that such a sought after player (Independent) did not fancy Selhurst Park, the biggest damage done was that the Palace had not identified any other targets, per the report.

In the end, Carrick went onto join Tottenham and kickstarted a career which would struggle to be matched by many other Englishmen as he won five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, both the Champions League and Europa League as well as 2 EFL Cups.Palace, on the other hand, got relegated on the final day of the season by a single point and then didn’t manage to reach the Premier League again until their latest promotion in 2013.

With Palace playing mainly a variation of Aki Rihilatti, Ben Watson, Tom Soares and Michael Hughes in central midfield, there’s no doubt they could have done with someone of the quality of Carrick. And while you can never successfully predict what would have happened if he was to join, the margins were so fine for relegation that season that any sort of improvement could have made the difference.

What could Carrick have brought to Palace? Join the discussion by commenting below…