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Despite an electric start, Ademola Lookman’s career at Everton never really got going.

The winger was signed in 2017 after scoring 12 goals in 49 games for Charlton Athletic as a teenager, with him costing the Toffees £11m. He could hardly have hoped for a better start, scoring within minutes of his Premier League debut against Manchester City in a 4-0 win.

However, he would end up making just 48 appearances all in all for the Merseyside outfit, scoring just four times. That didn’t stop RB Leipzig spending £22.5m to take him to Germany after he bagged five goals and four assists in 11 games on loan at the Bundesliga outfit in 2018. He managed just 13 games, though, before joining Fulham on loan in the summer.

On Sunday, he was in action against Sheffield United, and put in an impressive display. He even scored a wonder goal in a 1-1 draw, and that led to plenty of praise from Everton supporters. There were many who even suggested that the Toffees should never have let him go, and they took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what they had to say about Lookman

Let us know what you think!

Just what does Federico Fernandez have to do to be recognised as one of the Premier League’s better central defenders?

Whether it’s because he plays for a Newcastle side that haven’t pulled up any trees and have had to fend off relegation battles in recent seasons, or that he isn’t in the mould of a modern, flashy centre-back, Fernandez’s name isn’t one that crops up in conversations about who the top-flight best defenders are.

On Sunday afternoon against Everton, the Argentine delivered yet another monstrous display at the heart of defence, as Steve Bruce’s side stopped the high-flying Toffees 2-1 at St James’ Park.

And whilst Callum Wilson will be the man in the headlines for his match-winning brace, Fernandez deserves a whole load of credit for the way he marshalled the Newcastle back-line, and was desperately unlucky not to have been a part of a side that kept a clean-sheet – Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury-time strike put an end to that.

But that takes nothing away from Fernandez’s individual performance. As per Sofascore, he won an impressive 100% of his duels, whilst he really batten down the hatches with a monstrous ten clearances. To put that last stat into context, the rest of his Newcastle teammates only combined for 13 in total.

The 31-year-old – signed by Rafa Benitez in the summer of 2018 from Swansea – also threw himself at everything, putting his body on the line for the cause and ending up blocking two shots, including a fine one on Calvert-Lewin’s effort.

Fernandez’s tally of clearances actually ranks him first in the entire Premier League, and 13 more than fellow centre-back and club captain Jamaal Lascelles.

Whilst he may not wear the armband, the Argentine continues to prove he’s one of Bruce’s unsung heroes, and the real kingpin of a defence that could really hold the key to their success this season.

The Magpies should be thanking Benitez for bringing him in for just £6m a couple of years ago. An absolute bargain.

Glasgow Rangers could well be four points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table by the time they face Livingston FC next Sunday. Steven Gerrard will have had almost two weeks to think about his options when the whistle blows at the weekend.

As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So, the Rangers boss probably won’t tinker too much with the back four before the Old Firm derby, providing everybody is fit. James Tavernier and Borna Barisic are safe bets to start, whilst Connor Goldson and Filip Helander will most likely resume their partnership in the heart of the defence. However, Gerrard has other areas he urgently needs to address.

It seems Gerrard still hasn’t settled for a regular starter on the right wing. Ianis Hagi and Jordan Jones have started in recent weeks, whilst Brandon Barker came off the bench to score a goal against Ross County before the international break.

Competition for places has arguably never been higher which means that the Gers boss has some big calls to make. But both Barker and Jones have struggled at times in the Scottish Premiership with neither player managing more than 0.5 key passes per game, via SofaScore.

In fact, the pair haven’t provided a single assist between them at the moment, meaning even Scott Arfield is contributing more in attack, and he’s not someone you should really expect to see pinging in passes into the box. By comparison, Hagi has played 10 games in the Scottish top flight this season, and scored one goal and supplied five assists, whilst he has averaged 1.5 shots and 1.6 key passes per game, as per SofaScore.

He is also comfortable playing with either foot, meaning he can spray passes left and right, whereas Barker and Jones prefer to play with their right feet. Therefore, it’s time for Gerrard to give the 13-cap Romanian international the chance to shine, as the attacking midfielder could be the man to make the magic happen. He has been on the bench in their last two Premiership matches and still managed two assists, so he needs to be brought back into the 11 for the next game.

Gerrard once hailed the 21-year-old as an “outstanding” player after he inspired Rangers to a sensational 3-2 comeback victory against Braga in the Europa League last term.

What better way for Hagi to finally earn his stripes than by starting at Parkhead? His passing ability could cause Celtic all sorts of problems.

AND in other news, Ex-Rangers whizkid Billy Gilmour has thrived since his Ibrox exit…

After surviving relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season, Aston Villa fans will surely be hoping for a campaign without that kind of stress.And judging by the kind of start they have made so far, both on and off the pitch, it does look to be a season of promise for Dean Smith’s side.

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A victory over Sheffield United in their opening Premier League game has set them up perfectly, whilst they have made exciting signings in the likes of Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore in particular.

Now, French publication Foot Mercato claim the club have made a €17.5m (£16m) offer for Nice midfielder Wylan Cyprien, and that they see him following a similar path to former star Idrissa Gueye.

And after hearing about their links to the 5 foot 11 midfielder, Villa fans took to Twitter to share their reactions.

A couple of fans lauded the fact that he could be a quality box-to-box midfielder, with one Villa supporter even suggesting that Cyprien reminds him of Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

As a midfielder who scored an impressive eight goals in just 24 games across all competitions last season for Nice, it’s no surprise to see Villa fans seem particularly excited by the potential arrival of Cyprien.

Having someone from deep who can chip in regularly with goals and break into the box to provide an extra edge to their attack could be the key to ensuring main man Jack Grealish doesn’t feel too burdened.

Villa could be making yet another shrewd move in the transfer market.

It appears West Ham have lost the race to land one of their mooted transfer targets this summer and there’s only one place to aim the blame…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mirror last month, the Hammers had offered £10m for Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash but now it appears he’ll be moving elsewhere.

The Independent are claiming that a £15m deal has been agreed with Premier League rivals Aston Villa with personal terms soon to be agreed.

It’s suggested that the 23-year-old became one of the Championship’s most sought-after players after the Reds failed in their promotion push – Fulham were another team keen on signing him.

GSB failing

This is not the first time that the Irons have missed out on a target nor will it be the last, however, Cash would have been a very shrewd signing to bolster David Moyes’ backline.

The young winger-turned-defender delivered three goals and five assists whilst averaging 3 clearances, 2.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.1 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

And his form over the past season or two has been well regarded – respected chief football writer at the Times, Henry Winter, believes Cash “looks Premier League class” while Quest TV’s Sam Parkin labelled his season as “outstanding”.

Ryan Fredericks doesn’t appear to be the best of options on the right side, especially when it comes to attacking, which is something the Forest sensation would evidently resolve going by his figures for the season.

The 27-year-old could only muster up three assists, so it’s no wonder that the Hammers struggled to create chances and quickly became embroiled in a relegation battle.

All GSB had to do was offer £5m more, even if it came in the form of add-ons or instalments as that’s what has been reportedly accepted from Villa.

Their lack of investment this summer is damning, so there could well be another dog fight at the bottom of the table unless they soon open their chequebook.

AND in other news, Irons may have the perfect Declan Rice successor right under their nose…

Aston Villa appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window and it’s sure to excite much of the fanbase in the west Midlands.

What’s the word?

According to Kosovan journalist Arlind Sadiku, Werder Bremen forward Milot Rashica will leave the Bundesliga outfit before the end of next week and Dean Smith’s side are front of the queue to land him.

Villa are set to beat off local rivals Wolves as well as AS Monaco for the 24-year-old’s signature.

Meanwhile, Weser Kurier have previously claimed that just €25m (£22.5m) will be enough to secure his transfer, so maybe that’s been met by Villa.

Ice-cold star

Smith would certainly be getting an upgrade to his attacking armoury if he does indeed manage to clinch the Kosovan international.

The 24-year-old has impressed in Bundesliga this season, providing 11 goals and five assists across all domestic competitions, via WhoScored. He’s predominantly been played on the left-wing but can also feature as a number nine.

This could mean that Villa skipper Jack Grealish is pushed back into central midfield, where his creativity would undoubtedly flourish.

Rashica has been likened to former Arsenal talisman Alexis Sanchez – of old rather than new – due to his ability to play across the front three and being an ice-cold finisher who can win games on his own.

Having averaged 2.6 shots, 2 dribbles and 1.4 key passes this season, it’s easy to see why he’s been compared to the Inter Milan star.

His teammate at Bremen, Theo Gebre Selassie, believes he’s “one of the best players in the Bundesliga” whilst head coach Florian Kohfeldt claims the 5 foot 10 magicians “makes scoring look so easy.”

Only six teams scored fewer goals than Villa last season, so it is certainly one area that needs improvements, so a swoop for Rashica at just £22.5m should absolutely be pushed through.

AND in other news, Villa could land perfect Jack Grealish partner in recently-relegated STAR…

Key information about Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was built in 2019 and is the new home of Tottenham Hotspur. The ground is located on the site of the famous old White Hart Lane site in north London and is the second-largest club stadium in the country.

Its maximum capacity stands at 62,303 with a pitch that measures 105m by 68m. The surface is covered with hybrid grass and it has undersoil heating installed with no running track surrounding the field.

The record attendance was set when 61,104 fans arrived to watch Spurs take on Chelsea on 22 December 2019.

A history of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Needless to say, with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having been built in 2019, there’s not much history behind it just yet. But Spurs have been playing their football on both public land and rented turfs in the 1880s and it wasn’t until 1899 that they finally moved to a piece of land owned by the brewery company Charringtons that would, later on, be known as the White Hart Lane.

The club would spend many years at that ground, renovating and improving it along the way, and the first official plans for a new stadium were conceived as early as 2007 but it actually wouldn’t be until October 2013 – following previous plans all shelved or postponed – that they would get the idea of a new project for a multi-use stadium that can host American NFL games as well as football.

On 8 July 2015, the official announcement arrived that an agreement with the NFL to hold at least two NFL games a year in a 10-year partnership had been reached. On that same day, they also announced the design team and a whole new project plan. All of that was accepted and confirmed by Haringey Council in December that same year with the Major also giving approval to the plans in February 2016.

The construction itself was done in two phases so that White Hart Lane could still be used in the 2016/17 campaign. The first phase involved the erection of the North, West and East Stands, and the second the South Stand, only to be done after White Hart Lane had been demolished.

With parts of the old ground already gone, the remainder of White Hart Lane would follow after the final day of the 16/17 season and the complete demolition of all visible remnants of the stadium were removed by early August 2017. White Hart Lane was no more.

Still, parts of the old ground were indeed incorporated into the new one and the roof was raised in March 2018 with the new pitch following suit in early October. The external cladding of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was completed in March 2019. Even though it was supposed to be opened in 2018, safety issues pushed the date back significantly, meaning Spurs would have to play at Wembley a while longer and until everything was finally ready for the official games for the senior team in April 2019.

The first match was actually an U-18 clash between Tottenham and Southampton held on 24 March as 28,987 fans witnessed the home side win 3-1. The stadium then opened with a ceremony on 3 April and the first Premier League clash followed suit as Spurs faced Crystal Palace, winning 2-0 on the night.

Even though reports and statements vary, the cost of the whole project is set to be around one billion pounds even though initial planning had it down at around £400m. Interestingly, in the South Atrium there’s a commemorative plaque where the centre spot at the old ground used to be, which is a nice touch that helps remember the old White Hart Lane.

Also, the club’s famous cockerel statue is still there, only now it’s bigger and sits on top of the South Stand at a height of 4.5 metres. Reportedly, the name of the ground will change once the rights are sold to an appropriate sponsor.

Tickets to watch Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

All tickets to watch Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The prices come in three main categories with category A being the most expensive one. Depending on the clash and the seating area, the tickets can cost from £52 to £98.

Spurs offer season tickets and memberships that can get you more favourable prices and priorities on buying the tickets in the first place.

Related links

https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/ – Official website of Tottenham Hotspur

https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/tickets/buy-tickets/home-tickets/ – Tottenham Hotspur Ticket Office

https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/the-stadium/ – Information about Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

West Ham United have been heavily linked with Morgan Sanson from various media outlets for a while now, but the latest news provides supporters of the club with a negative update around the possibility of acquiring the player in the summer transfer window.

According to a report from L’Equipe (print version, Monday June 1, page 3), the French midfielder would prefer a move to the Hammers’ London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are keeping tabs on the player.

Sanson currently plays for Ligue 1 side Marseille and has featured 27 times for the club this season, scoring five times and contributing to five assists, via Transfermarkt. Indeed, he has only played professional football in France, as previously he was at Montpellier and Le Mans, so any move abroad would be a big change for him.

Reports from L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) claimed that the Hammers tried to sign Sanson in the January transfer window but they had a £30m bid rejected and it is worth wondering whether the fact that the Frenchman preferring Spurs might be a blessing in disguise for the Irons.

His goal contribution tally is impressive this season but he only has three more goals than West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals, who is in his debut season in England, whilst they have the same number of assists, so it would worth questioning whether spending more than £30m would be worth it.

The club are also linked to Jonjo Shelvey (as per Football Insider), who is an experienced Premier League midfielder that would bring both creativity (his 1.8 key passes a game is more than the whole West Ham squad) and a defensive quality to the squad, (1.2 tackles and interceptions per game), via WhoScored.

Sanson seems like a player that the Hammers don’t really need as they could spend money elsewhere and have better alternative options, so hopefully the fact that he is more interested in a move to Spurs should defuse any interest from David Moyes.

Hammers fans, would you be disappointed to miss out on Sanson? Comment below with your views!

Jermain Defoe has admitted that Juande Ramos was one of the main reasons why he decided to leave Tottenham for Portsmouth in 2008.

The striker, who had scored 64 goals in 177 appearances for Spurs at that time, had established himself as a White Hart Lane favourite, but opted to reunite with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth after the pair had originally worked together at West Ham.

The move surprised many, not least Defoe, who explained the events leading up to his first White Hart Lane departure in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

He said: “It was a hard decision for me to make. I loved it at Spurs. But we had a change of manager, Juande Ramos came in and he had different ideas.

“One day in training he said something to me, I said something back, and then he told me that if I wasn’t happy I could leave. Even the players couldn’t believe he’d said it to me.

“So I phoned my agent and told him what the manager said. Ramos spoke to Daniel Levy about it and the chairman was like: ‘Are you joking? That is not happening!’

“The next game I was given the armband to be captain! It was strange.”

Ramos arrived at White Hart Lane in 2007, replacing Martin Jol, leading Spurs out of the relegation zone and into midtable before being sacked at the beginning of the following season.

And Defoe explained that while he didn’t want to leave Tottenham, he felt like he needed to while Ramos was still at the club.

“It was so hard to leave Tottenham. I just felt like I had no choice. I just couldn’t play for Juande Ramos.”

You can read the full interview with Jermain Defoe, in conjunction with On The Ball Global, here.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters are clearly keen for defensive additions this summer after reports emerged linking them with a new candidate.

According to Spanish media outlet ABC, Spurs are chasing Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon following an impressive campaign on loan at La Liga rivals Sevilla.

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However, the player is not only highly-rated but well sought-after with over ten clubs touted with interest, thus Los Galacticos would ideally like to implement a buy-back clause in any deal.

The 23-year-old has become Sevilla’s first-choice option in the role this term, averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.7 dribbles and 1.6 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

Some fans believe he would be a considerable upgrade to Ben Davies at left-back, and these figures would certainly hint towards that as the Spaniard appears to be a rather interesting attacking option.

Jose Mourinho is also able to call upon Ryan Sessegnon, but the Portuguese boss has rarely done so since taking charge in November. The young summer addition has only featured 12 times for a total of 772 minutes, per Transfermarkt.

The Sevilla loan star is currently valued at £18m after one goal and four assists for the Spanish outfit this campaign.

And the Spurs faithful would like to see Reguilon in north London next season, here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Spurs fans really do not want this West Ham star…