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It’s a little odd for a player coming from Southampton to not go on and achieve huge things. Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk are arguably the best players to move on from St Mary’s in recent years, with even ex-teammate Adam Lallana boasting an attractive medal count.

But not all former Saints have followed the same path, and Morgan Schneiderlin is one example of hitting a huge decline since his exit.

A difficult road for Schneiderlin

The France international spent seven years on the south coast of England after leaving his native country for the first time in his career. In his tenure at Southampton, he made 257 appearances and contributed 15 goals and 11 assists, despite being a defensive midfielder by trade (via Transfermarkt).

His strong role in the Saints squad put him in the Premier League shop window and soon enough, teams had come knocking for his services. In his final season at St Mary’s, Schneiderlin helped Southampton to a seventh place finish. They also conceded the second lowest amount of goals for the term with 33, behind only league winners Chelsea with 32.

After Southampton snapped him up for a reported £1.3million from Strasbourg, Manchester United paid a handsome £25million for the Frenchman. However, it wasn’t long before the Red Devils grew unimpressed with his form.

Southampton with the last laugh

Despite winning the FA Cup, Europa League and Super Cup with Man United, Schneiderlin played a limited role after his debut season. His second and final campaign in Manchester saw him left out of the first team squad on 16 occasions in the Premier League alone. The 30-year-old was shipped out halfway through the 2016/17 season, moving to Everton for £24million.

After failing to recreate his Southampton performances with United, he went on to further decline in himself on Merseyside. Despite being a regular starter for the Toffees, new manager Carlo Ancelotti viewed the midfielder as surplus tro requirements and decided that he simply didn’t fit the bigger picture at Goodison Park.

Schneiderlin returned to his home country this summer, joining Ligue 1 outfit Nice for £2m. It seems likely the 30-year-old will see out his career back in France and quietly plod along in his performances.

But Southampton will be thrilled with the business they’ve done, which ultimately saw them pocket an impressive £23m-odd profit on a declining player.

In other news, Ibrahima Diallo comments inspiring as he looks to make Southampton impact…

Leeds United have been in the market for a creative midfielder all summer.

Rodrigo De Paul has been the name linked for the longest time, but as we edge closer to the end of the window, the club seem to be broadening their horizons.

Football Insider are claiming that the club have put in a £15m bid for Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell, and that is a mouth-watering prospect.

Cantwell was the standout player in the Norwich City side that were relegated last season, with six goals and two assists to his name, despite being just 21 years old for most of the season.

The attacking midfielder was certainly eye-catching with his dribbling skills causing problems for even the best defences in the division, as shown by his incredible showing against Manchester City last term, in which he netted a goal.

However, away from his talent, he seems to be the type of player that Leeds fans would immediately love.

United supporters revel in the club’s reputation of being one of the most hated teams in the country, and the fanbase have often been in awe of their own players when they have gone out of their way to wind-up opposition players or fans, with Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford getting lots of adulation for their antics.

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Cantwell does fit that mould, jokingly dancing after goals and doing kick-ups before taking a decisive penalty in one of the biggest games of his career are incidents immediately spring to mind.

You have to be talented to get away with doing things like that, and Cantwell has the footballing ability to silence anyone who disagrees with how he acts on the pitch.

Not only would this be an amazing signing from a footballing standpoint, but he has the style and swagger to immediately become an Elland Road favourite.

Newcastle United have made an official offer worth £4.5 million in an attempt to sign Dimitrios Giannoulis from Greek club PAOK, according to Manu Lonjon.

As per a tweet from the journalist, Ligue 1 teams Saint-Etienne and Olympique Marseille have been put on hold as the Magpies seem to have advanced in the race with their official bid.

Indeed, the Tyneside club are looking to recruit a new left-back as Danny Rose and Jetro Willems have both returned to Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively following their loan spells at St. James’ Park in the 2019/20 season.

Their departures have left Steve Bruce relatively short in this particular area and so the Englishman is now looking to find someone to fill that role on a more regular basis.

In steps Giannoulis. The full-back played in 44 games in all competitions for PAOK in the last campaign as he was very much a regular in their side.

The 24-year old is also a senior Greek international having played in seven matches after making his debut back in 2018 under coach Michael Skibbe, according to Transfermarkt.

Indeed, £4.5 million for someone who is relatively experienced and arguably still has a lot of potential being just 24 years of age may be a good bit of business if the Toon can get the deal over the line.

It would also fill what looks to be a problem position now for NUFC going into the new 2020/21 campaign.

Supporters would be hoping that Giannoulis can adapt to English football as quickly as possible, providing that they sign him of course.

Geordies, would Giannoulis be a good signing? Comment below!

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to end their arduous hunt for a new striker this week…

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Spurs are set to meet with the representatives of Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik in London today in the hope of thrashing out a deal over a potential transfer this window.

They claim that several Premier League teams are interested in signing the 26-year-old and is available for a ‘bargain’ price of around €20m (£18m).

Milik no longer sees a future for himself in Naples with his club ready to sell him on before the deadline in under two weeks time.

Mou’s nightmare over?

Could we finally see a new forward in north London? Daniel Levy failed to sign a replacement for Fernando Llorente, who left for Milik’s Napoli last summer.

It very nearly cost the club everything. Harry Kane went down injured on New Year’s Day and in his absence, Jose Mourinho’s side were knocked out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League and would have been without Europe but for the season coming to a halt.

Kane returned, bagged seven goals and guided his side into the Europa League qualification stages – just.

Had there been a backup, then Mourinho wouldn’t have endured such a nightmare start to live at Spurs.

In Milik, they’re getting a 6 foot 1 colossus who has been likened to fellow Polish compatriot Robert Lewandowski but he also possesses a touch of class and genius with further comparisons to former Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp, whom he was coached by at Ajax.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously lauded Milik as “sensational” whilst Italian journalist Bruno Longhi believes he “does wonderful things with the ball.”

Despite only starting 19 matches in Serie A last term, the Napoli frontman still bagged 11 goals, averaging 2.6 shots per game, via WhoScored.

For just £18m, you can’t help but feel that Levy would be getting quite the steal and the perfect solution to the striking problem.

AND in other news, Spurs eye move for Adebayor-like striker, he was once wanted by Pochettino…

Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega believes that the club could be tempted to sell Harry Kane if an eye-watering transfer offer for him is submitted.

The former Switzerland international, who now works in asset management, feels that the England captain may be looking towards an exit from north London if Spurs fail to challenge for major silverware or return to the Champions League in the near future.

Speaking to Stats Perform News [via The World Game] about Kane’s future at Tottenham, Vega said: “Temptation is always there. When a guy is in demand and someone is prepared to pay that top dollar, then to be frank, it’s business.

“Then with that kind of money you might have three or four players you can buy. I think Harry Kane would command top dollars and with that money you can bring in maybe a few top players. It’s also a question of does Harry Kane want to go or not? From my point of view, he’s a Spurs boy, he came through the ranks.

“But at the same time he wants to win some trophies, you don’t want to go for 20 years playing for Spurs and not winning anything. You come to a stage where you think ‘I need to go and win some trophies and I can always come back afterwards’.

“A lack of Champions League football will also undoubtedly be a factor for Kane. I think this will be one of the crucial parts of next season; if he sees the club are not challenging for the title or even top four, he might think he’ll have to leave, possibly halfway through the season if he thinks they are not going anywhere.”

Kane, who is valued at £108m by TransferMarkt, has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City, having again proven his importance to Tottenham as their top scorer last season with 24 goals in all competitions, taking him to 188 in total for the club.

Son Heung-min was the only other Spurs player to hit double figures in 2019/20, with no other out-and-out centre-forward managing to get on the scoresheet (as per TransferMarkt), so the 27-year-old’s departure would leave an enormous goal-scoring burden to fill for any prospective successors, even if the windfall from his sale should enable Jose Mourinho to sign at least one high-level replacement.

Vega’s point about Kane’s lack of tangible success is a pertinent one, though. While his scoring return is indisputably excellent, the England captain is now 27 and has yet to win a trophy of any kind in his career. He will also be without Champions League football for the first time since 2015 after Tottenham could only finish sixth in last season’s Premier League, a whopping 40 points behind champions Liverpool.

The Kane situation is a delicate one for Spurs. He would surely earn the club a huge transfer windfall which could be reinvested in one or more quality centre-forwards, while the temptation to cash in may increase if the striker pines for a move elsewhere.

However, with Mourinho so heavily reliant on him for goals, selling him at any price would be a risk, even if an immediate successor was primed to come in.

Tottenham fans, do you agree with Vega’s assessment of Kane’s situation? Comment below with your views!

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is quite the cult figure in west Yorkshire after two years in charge of the Championship giants which is quite understandable as he appears to be the man to guide them back to the promised land after a 16-year absence.

This week an image has emerged on social media after one supporter spotted the wild Argentine out and about. Both the fan and Bielsa adhered to social distancing measures as they posed for a quick picture.

The Whites are currently sat top of the standings, holding a seven-point cushion to those dreaded playoff positions, and with only nine games still to play, the side are comfortably favourites to secure automatic promotion.

But that all depends on the season resuming, and if it doesn’t, how the EFL and Premier League agree to teams changing divisions.

Calling all EFL experts: Can you get full marks on this stadiums quiz?

It’s quite murky territory at the minute, though it would be a travesty if Leeds aren’t a top-flight club considering their impressive season.

The 64-year-old has been a catalyst in transforming the club and you’d struggle to find anyone near Elland Road that didn’t absolutely love him as seen by the following reactions…

AND in other news, Rangers tipped to make move for Leeds flop…

كشف مصدر بالنادي الأهلي عن إعارة ثنائي فريق الشباب إلى نادي غزل المحلة خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وقال المصدر لـ”بطولات”: “وافقنا على إعارة الثنائي وليد مصطفى وأحمد عبد الهادي من فريق الشباب إلى غزل المحلة لمدة موسم واحد”.

وتابع: “إعارة الثنائي جاءت من أجل الحصول على فرصة المشاركة، وتم الاتفاق على كافة تفاصيل الصفقة، ونتمنى لهما التوفيق”.

طالع أيضًا.. سيد عبد الحفيظ يحسم الجدل بشأن رحيل محمد الشناوي عن الأهلي

وأختتم: “إعارة الثنائي جاء وفقا لرؤية الجهاز الفني بالنادي الأهلي، والذي يهدف لإعارة اللاعبين الشباب لزيادة الاحتكاك ومنح فرصة المشاركة”.

جدير بالذكر أن الأهلي يستعد لمواجهة طلائع الجيش يوم 21 سبتمبر الحالي على استاد الجيش ببرج العرب في السوبر المصري لموسم 2019-2020

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…

Tottenham Hotspur Head Coach Jose Mourinho was asked during his Olympiacos pre-match press conference whether he had spoken to Christian Eriksen after he had previously said he needed to find out from the Dane where his head was at, and 13 words he said gave a pretty telling insight into what the future might hold.

What did he say?

Asked about the 27-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the season and only made the substitutes’ bench for the Portuguese’s first match in charge, the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager said, via Football London:

“These important decisions obviously they have an influence on my decisions as a head coach, but the important thing is that Christian staying or leaving, he’s that type of guy who easily I could understand. Proper guy, loves the club, loves his colleagues, amazing colleague in the dressing room. So it doesn’t matter what, he’s one of us until the last day.”

Those final 13 words in particular are interesting.

Why’s that?

Well, having ultimately praised the Denmark international’s professionalism, that final sentence more than brought some doubt on the playmaker potentially remaining in north London beyond the end of the current campaign.

Basically saying it doesn’t matter what happens, he will be one of us until the last day more than indicates that that last day may be quickly approaching.

It would be a shame for things to end on a sour note given what a key play?r Eriksen has been for Tottenham over the last few years – 68 goals and 87 assists in 292 total appearances for Spurs is testament to that – but that appears to be exactly what is happening with fans taking any opportunity to jump on his back.

Furthermore, if he has no intention of committing his future to them then why would Mourinho want to pick him in the starting XI regularly?

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His omission from the line-up against West Ham perhaps told us all we need to know, and further non-involvement against Olympiacos tonight would only reinforce it.

In other news, still no Lo Celso or Sessegnon in our predicted Spurs XI tonight as Mourinho makes 3 changes…

يستعد فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك، لمواجهة نظيره طلائع الجيش، اليوم الخميس، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

الزمالك يواجه طلائع الجيش، على استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة 23 من المسابقة المحلية.

مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش في الدوري

ويدخل الزمالك المباراة وفي جعبته 48 نقطة حققها من خلال 22 مباراة، يحتل بها المركز الأول في جدول ترتيب الدوري.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يحتل طلائع الجيش المركز الحادي عشر برصيد 27 نقطة، من أصل 22 مباراة.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام طلائع الجيش في الدوري.. سيف الجزيري يقود الهجوم موعد مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش اليوم

ويلتقي الزمالك مع طلائع الجيش، في تمام التاسعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة والعاشرة بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش

تذاع المباراة عبر شاشة “أون تايم سبورت”.

يمكنك المطالعة على مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

When Manchester United seemingly fended off competition from arch-rivals Manchester City to land the signature of Shakhtar Donetsk lynchpin, Fred, last summer, the Red Devils may have been hoping for the Brazilian to hold down the fort in midfield.

Instead, the 26-year-old struggled to force his way into the United first-team for any consistent period of time, and by the end of the campaign, had managed just 25 appearances across all competitions – with only 17 of them coming in the Premier League.

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Signings from abroad are always likely to take some time to find their feet, and the Brazil international will surely have made plans to kick on in his second season at Old Trafford. However, his plans were slightly interrupted when he missed some of the club’s pre-season tour for his wedding, and that no doubt halted any chance of him making significant progress.

But in recent weeks, the £47m man has become a key part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, starting and completing the previous four Premier League games. And in a largely insipid team display in the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, Fred was arguably the only man who could hold his head up high after the game.

In truly horrendous weather conditions, Fred showed no signs of melting under the intense rain and wind. As Bournemouth’s Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma looked to impose their game in the middle of the park, the former Shakhtar man looked to fight fire with fire. As per Sofascore, he completed two clearances, three tackles and and made two interceptions as he set about trying to hustle the Bournemouth midfield.

And with Paul Pogba still absent, the Red Devils have been crying out for a midfield magician, capable of pulling the strings. On Saturday, Fred did everything he possibly could to help Solskjaer’s side to turn things around against the Cherries, constantly wanting to get on the ball and create chances for his teammates. His total of three key passes were a joint game-high with Ryan Fraser, whilst his 90 touches in the game were the most of any player on the pitch.

The £120k-a-week man produced a display that provides some real encouragement that he could yet enjoy a successful career at Old Trafford. In recent weeks, pundits like Charlie Nicholas and Lee Dixon have raised serious concerns about the midfielder’s ability with the ball, and that he simply isn’t good enough. Well, at the weekend, Fred silenced his doubters in emphatic fashion.