All posts by n8rngtd.top

Newcastle United are set to rival West Ham United and Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir for Brighton and Hove Albion defender Bernardo, according to Sky Sports.

As per the outlet, Graham Potter’s team are in talks with the latter over a possible season-long loan.

Bernardo’s current deal with the Seagulls expires in June 2022 and he will only have one year remaining on his contract when the upcoming season ends.

Despite Basaksehir being locked in discussions with the Sussex outfit, the Magpies could still potentially swoop in to get his signature over the line.

Bernardo found his game-time at Brighton rather limited in the 2019/20 season, as he only managed to play in 16 matches in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

Thus, a move to St. James’ Park may well suit all parties involved, as Steve Bruce is looking for a new left-back after Danny Rose and Jetro Willems returned to Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively from their loan spells in the northeast.

The Brazilian racked up some quite impressive statistics in his limited appearances in the Premier League last term, winning 4.9 of his duels per game as well as averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.4 clearances per match (per Sofascore).

At 25, Bernardo is about to enter his prime years as a footballer, and so a move, even on loan, may be a wise one for the Tyneside club to make.

However, the Toon will have to act fast if they want to beat off their competition to sign the full-back.

Geordies, would Bernardo be a good signing? Comment below with your views!

West Ham’s pursuit of one of David Moyes’ top transfer targets has been ramped up this week and the club ought to hand their manager his wish.

What’s the word?

According to the Guardian, the Hammers have stepped up their chase of Eberechi Eze with the Scotsman desperate to win the race to land the Queens Park Rangers sensation.

The east Londoners face stiff competition from a host of Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and newly-promoted West Brom.

It is claimed that QPR are holding out for at least £20m and it’s also thought that the Irons will have to offload some deadwood in order to raise funds to sign the 22-year-old maestro.

Anderson upgrade?

Eze is one of the Championship’s most exciting talents and has played pretty much everywhere across the front three and even in central midfield.

The majority of his appearances at Loftus Road have come on the left flank and in the number ten role, which makes him a very exciting prospect for West Ham.

He finished the season with 14 goals and eight assists, all whilst averaging 3 dribbles, 2.2 shots and 1.8 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

Eze’s key attributes are his dribbling and ability to keep hold of the ball. He also managed an impressive 86.5% passing success rate and clearly can deliver a cross in too.

These figures are well clear of Felipe Anderson, who is reportedly one of the Irons flops that is on the chopping block this summer. The £42m man has only delivered one goal and four assists this campaign. He’s also managed fewer dribbles (2.5), key passes (1) and shots (0.9) per appearance than the young English talent.

Eze has been likened to Jay-Jay Okocha and Raheem Sterling in the past. He’s even been lauded as a “tremendous talent” with “no limits” by his manager Mark Warburton, who also claims that the 22-year-old is a “very special player”.

To upgrade the club’s record dud Anderson with Eze would be an absolutely shrewd start to their summer business.

AND in other news, Moyes wants a new left-back and he’s got more assists than Pablo Fornals…

Key Information about Hillsborough Stadium

Hillsborough has been the home of Yorkshire located football club Sheffield Wednesday since it opened back in 1899.

On 15 April 1989, the ground was the unfortunate scene of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster where 96 Liverpool fans tragically passed away by a fatal human crush as a result of overcrowding in the central pends of the Lepping Lane stand allocated to the Reds.

The stadium now has an all-seated capacity of almost 40,000; however, this has temporarily been reduced to just under 35,000 on safety grounds. Hillsborough comprises four stands; the North Stand, Leppings Lane End (West Stand), the South Stand, and the Spion Kop.

A history of Hillsborough Stadium

The Owls were informed during the 1898-99 season that their home ground of Olive Grove would be needed for railway expansions, therefore they had to find a new ground in time for the following season. After months of searching, James Willis Dixon of Hillsborough House, offered a 10-acre site at Owlerton to the football club. This offer was accepted by the Owls, and they purchased the land for £5,000.

The first match to be played on the ground was on 2 September 1899 against Chesterfield which Wednesday went on to win 5-1. The ground was known as the Owlerton Stadium until 1914, when it was re-named Hillsborough Stadium after the ground’s history and improvements. The stadium came with plenty of early success for the Owls as they won their first-ever league titles in 1902-03 and 1903-04, in addition to a second FA Cup in 1907.

After the World Wars, Hillsborough was notably one of the top stadiums in the country having hosted a total of 27 FA Cup semi-finals, as well as it being selected as one of the venues for the Football World Cup in 1966 where it hosted many matches including a quarterfinal, Hillsborough Stadium also hosted its first national cup final in 1977 when Everton took on Aston Villa in the Football League Cup final replay.

The very sad Hillsborough Stadium disaster was the worst tragedy in English sporting history. A fatal human crush during an FA Cup semi-final match against Liverpool in April 1989 where 96 fans passed away as a result of overcrowding in the central pens of the Lepping Lane stand allocated to Liverpool supporters. It was later revealed that the Leppings Lane End of the ground did not hold a valid safety certificate, and as a result of the tragedy emerged the Taylor Report in 1990 which made it compulsory for all teams in the first two divisions to have all-seater stadiums.

Moving on from such tragedy, Sheffield Wednesday won promotion back up to Division One in 1990-91, and subsequently found themselves as founder members of the inaugural Premier League in 1992. In just their first season back in the top flight of English football, they finished seventh and managed to reach the second round of the UEFA Cup, playing a club-record four games in Europe.

Tickets to Watch Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough Stadium

Adult tickets at Hillsborough range from £20-42, and season tickets can be purchased for £455. Under-11 season tickets work out to be priced at just £1 per game. Concession season tickets start at £255.

Related Links

https://www.swfc.co.uk/ – Official website of Sheffield Wednesday

https://www.swfc.co.uk/tickets/match-ticket-prices/ – Sheffield Wednesday Ticket Office

Just what must Ryan Sessegnon be thinking watching on from the side-lines at Tottenham?

The former Fulham youngster has barely featured under Jose Mourinho since his arrival as manager at the back end of last year, making just ten appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese man – although it must be said, injuries have of course played its part.

But after watching Spurs get turned over so easily by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Thursday night, Mourinho simply cannot ignore Sessegnon for any longer.

Whilst Mourinho has previously insisted the young starlet isn’t ready to be a left-back right now, Ben Davies’ abysmal performance against the Blades means the Spurs boss surely has no excuse not to throw him in.

In what was a shocking team performance – Spurs managed just two shots on target all night – the Wales international had a torrid time on a personal note, with his positioning going all awry defensively, and hitting a roadblock in terms of his offensive contributions too.

As per Sofascore, he managed just one tackle and interception apiece, whilst winning only one of his five total duels, and losing possession 17 times.

And whilst he had a miserable night defensively – Lys Mousset’s goal for Sheffield United’s second was a particularly harrowing piece of marking to watch – he had an even worse time when going forward.

Spurs’ game-plan of trying to work it out wide and exploit the gaps in behind the Blades’ wing-backs were clear to see, but the 27-year-old just didn’t have the skill or technique to take advantage of it.

Out of three crosses he attempted, none of them were successful, and just four out of his 14 long balls found their mark. And perhaps a key reason why Sessegnon should now seriously be considered, is that he only attempted one dribble, and that too also failed.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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Sessegnon has been described by Mourinho himself as “absolutely fantastic”, and as someone who is capable of playing at left-wing, would give Spurs a far more natural fit as a more attacking-minded full-back.

In his fledgling career, he has averaged one shot and one dribble per game, and that natural explosiveness and pace would give Spurs a different dimension to Davies’ frustrating lack of end product.

And after a particularly awful display on Thursday, Mourinho simply must start Sessegnon over Davies from here on in.

Manchester United’s dominant display against Bournemouth showcased the wealth of attacking talents Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has at his disposal. 

United romped to a 5-2 victory over Bournemouth at Old Trafford which has kept them in fifth place in the Premier League, only two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with only five games remaining.

However, Solskjaer still isn’t satisfied, and has made it clear he wants to sign a new striker and right winger in the summer.

The Red Devils had been in the middle of planning for a long-term rebuild before the nationwide lockdown was imposed in response to the pandemic.

United have been chasing Jadon Sancho for more than three years now and are seemingly no further forward.

Solskjaer considers Sancho central to his plans for the future but has already started drafting up a list of possible replacements in the event he cannot bring the Englishman back to the Premier League.

According to David Ornstein, as per @utdreport, the Red Devils have now entered the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Leon Bailey.

The Norwegian has indicated the right flank is an area that urgently needs addressing, as Daniel James has struggled for consistency this season, and scouts have also been monitoring Argentine winger Thiago Almada and Welsh youngsters David Brooks and Rabbi Matondo.

Bailey, who is currently valued at £40m by Leverkusen, would be significantly cheaper than Sancho. Indeed, Dortmund are demanding £108m for the club’s top scorer.

The 22-year-old, who can play on the left or right of the midfield, played 22 games in the Bundesliga this season, scoring five goals, supplying three assists, taking 1.3 shots per game, averaging 1 key pass, and completing 1.6 dribbles on average (via WhoScored).

However, it is worth noting he has received a lower WhoScored rating than Sancho.

While his versatility could prove useful, Ornstein adds Bailey is not a first-choice target for United or their rivals Manchester City.

Failing to sign Sancho would be a bitter blow for Solskjaer, who has been pursuing the England international for several months now, as he missed out on his teammate Erling Braut Haaland last year.

Despite his insistence Sancho remains his top priority, the fact the board are considering other options shows they are unwilling to take any risk.

United fans, do you think the board should sign Leon Bailey instead of Jadon Sancho? Let us know in the comments below!

M’baye Niang has reportedly rejected Tottenham Hotspur in favour of a big money move to Qatar. 

Jose Mourinho is desperate to make additions to his attacking options in the summer, as Spurs talisman Harry Kane has only recently recovered from a hamstring injury. In Kane’s absence, the Lilywhites only won three games in the Premier League while he sat on the sidelines.

According to L’Equipe, Niang is highly coveted by an unnamed Qatari club, who are prepared to make a substantial offer to the Rennes striker.

Spurs have been linked with the Senegalese in the past, but finding a forward who is capable of replacing Kane is proving to be more and more difficult.

Despite the interest from Daniel Levy, Niang ended up moving to AC Milan instead, although he struggled for game time at the San Siro, and spent spells on loan at various European clubs, including the likes of Montpellier and Watford, before he was finally sold to Torino.

The Hornets did not make a bid for the Senegal international as they were left unimpressed by his loan spell at Vicarage Road.

Following another loan, he eventually joined Stade Rennais, and his performances have improved over time, as he has scored 10 goals in 26 games in Ligue 1, taking 2.5 shots on average via WhoScored.

Shockingly, Niang has failed to provide a single assist all year, and has averaged a mere 0.4 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game in the French top flight at the time of writing (WhoScored).

Nevertheless, Mourinho has made it clear he wants to sign the forward in the summer as a backup for Kane.

While Niang clearly knows how to find the back of the next, there are holes in his playing style that he still needs to work on, as he must make improvements to his passing accuracy and link-up play.

The former Watford loanee didn’t live up to his full potential at Vicarage Road, as he only managed 2 goals in 16 appearances. He has also attracted interest from Marseille but it is likely his head will be turned by Qatar.

However, this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the club in the long-term. As previously mentioned, the 25-year-old doesn’t have a great track record in the Premier League, and Mourinho may have dodged an expensive bullet.

He could instead turn his attention to Troy Parrott and other promising academy graduates to give them a chance.

Levy previously splashed the cash for infamous Spurs flop Roberto Soldado and he will surely be looking to avoid making a similar mistake in the future.

Tottenham fans, have you seen enough of M’baye Niang to convince you? Let us know down below!

Newcastle United fans have been reacting to the latest takeover news on social media as the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope provided a fresh update.

He claims that the Premier League is set to revamp their directors and owners test in light of the moral, political and legal difficulties presented by the Saudi-backed proposed takeover of the Magpies.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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However, Hope also suggests that a decision could extend into next week but the deal is still likely to be approved due to current limitations over the test.

It’s been over a month since reports first emerged and the longer it takes to complete, the more some supporters are beginning to doubt it even happening.

Saudi Arabia’s involvement has come with controversy and opposition, but many at St James’ Park are merely desperate to see someone else in charge of the club – they can only dream of Mike Ashley leaving after a torrid 13 years at the helm.

Newcastle have suffered mediocrity for far too long and this prospective deal could bring them a new lease of life.

Here’s how fans have been reacting to the latest update…

AND in other news, Newcastle fans react to Mark Douglas tweet…

Many Aston Villa fans have wished former striker Dion Dublin happy birthday by responding to a tweet with some quotes from television programme Homes Under the Hammer.

Dublin joined Villa in 1998 after spending time with Coventry City and Manchester United earlier in his career, and it was at Villa Park that the Leicester born striker enjoyed some of his best form.

The former England international netted an impressive 51 goals in 182 games with the Claret and Blue, whilst also playing centre back on the odd occasion.

Leaving Villa in 2004 for boyhood club Leicester, Dublin would eventually move to Celtic and then finish his playing career with Norwich City.

Following his professional career, the former striker worked as a pundit, whilst he is also a host on television programme Homes Under the Hammer, working alongside Lucy Alexander and Martin Roberts.

Known on the TV series for the phrase ‘And here we have the stairs going up to the bedroom’, Villa fans chose to reference the quote in their celebration of his birthday.

Reacting to Villa’s tweet, fans issued a positive response and below are just some of those:

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Villa discussion going on in the Vital Villa Forum! Click here to get involved!

Having taken over from Manuel Pellegrini mid-way through the Premier League season, David Moyes will enter his first summer transfer window as West Ham boss.

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that Moyes is intent on bringing in some more British talent to the club, and now The Daily Star (back page, 12/04 edition) suggest the Hammers are eyeing a potential swoop for Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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The England international has been in and out of the Spurs side this season, making just 25 appearances across all competitions, with only 14 of them coming in the Premier League.

After hearing about their links to the £18m-rated ace, West Ham fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their latest transfer target.

A couple of Hammers fans even went to the lengths of saying they would rather have Carlos Sanchez in their team than Dier.

With Declan Rice’s future still in question, it’s no surprise the Hammers are targeting Dier as a potential option for this summer.

But judging by the reaction of many West Ham fans, it appears the Englishman isn’t the kind of signing they are looking for.

But with his ability to play as a holding midfielder and as a centre-back, if Moyes can get him on the cheap, then he could certainly prove himself to be a useful addition to the squad.

West Bromwich Albion may well be in for a busy January transfer window, but it is an outgoing that is causing a stir amongst supporters at the Hawthorns.

Nathan Ferguson’s contract expires at the end of the season, so unless a contract agreement can be reached, the club are expected to cash in on him in a few months.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The 19-year-old’s meteoric rise from U23 centre-back to a regular in Slaven Bilic’s first-team as a multi-sided full-back has been nothing short of impressive as he has attracted the interested of Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus.

Following his appearance for the England U20 squad this week, Ferguson posted a picture on Twitter.

Several members of the Baggies faithful have since responded to the post with a recurring theme appearing.

One fan said that he needed to get that contract signed, referencing the career paths of Saido Berahino and Izzy Brown while another begged he stayed for another nine years.

‘Albion through and through’ and that he would get regular game time in the west Midlands were two other reasons stated to why he should remain a West Brom player.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

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In other news, West Brom may have already been tracking his replacement…