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Coventry City have joined Luton Town and Peterborough in the race to sign talented Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster Owen Otasowie.

Sky Blues boss Mark Robins has been busy already this summer in bolstering his squad options, bringing in the likes of Gustavo Hamer, Julien Dacosta, Marcel Hilssner, Callum O’Hare and Ryan Giles.

Preparing his side for the Championship next term after gaining promotion from League One as champions, Robins has now been credited with interest in young Wolves talent Otasowie.

The youngster, who was born in New York and has represented his country twice at under-18 level, has been featuring for the Premier League club’s under-23 side.

The 19-year-old’s impressions have gained interest from Luton and Peterborough with Peterborough Telegraph reporting that interest and it is now claimed that Coventry are also keen.

Aside from featuring at under-23 level this term for Wolves, Otasowie has also made a single appearance for the Premier League side’s first team, playing in the Europa League against Turkish side Besiktas.

The report goes on to add that any potential deal for the youngster to go to Luton, Peterborough or Coventry would be a loan deal.

Otasowie has not been able to break into the Wolves first team since appearing in the Europa League and it does seem like a loan deal is the best move for his development.

Coventry would do no harm in bringing the United States youngster in, even if he grabs a handful of appearances, as it would add to their squad depth.

Do you think Otasowie would be a good signing for Coventry? Let us know in the comments section below…

Chelsea have reportedly agreed a fee to pay for Ugurcan Cakir’s services ahead of next season.

According to Haber365 (via Sport Witness), the Blues have agreed a €33m (£29.7m) fee to sign Trabzonspor’s first-choice goalkeeper. If the deal goes through, the shot-stopper will become the most expensive player to be bought from the Turkish Super Lig.

It seems that Frank Lampard is not including Kepa Arrizabalaga in his long-term plans and is on the lookout for his replacement. Should talks come to fruition, Cakir will join fellow new additions Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner at the west London club.

The Turkey international helped Trabzonspor to a second-placed finish in the Super Lig this season, behind only Istanbul Basaksehir by four points.

Cakir has admitted that a move to the Premier League would be a ‘dream come true’ for him. He would be joining a team undergoing an exciting transition which could see them consistently challenge for silverware.

Trabzonspor is the 24-year-old’s boyhood club, but a new avenue for fresh challenges and opportunities could see the best of his game flourish at Chelsea if he makes the move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea fans, would you like to see Cakir join the club next season? Have your say in the comments below…

Tottenham Hotspur have launched an offer for Bayern Munich wonderkid Taylor Booth, according to Football Insider.  

Tottenham are trying to prise the teenager away from the Allianz Arena in the summer, despite the fact he has two years remaining on his current contract.

A source close to the situation told the outlet Spurs are prepared to hand the prospect a lucrative professional contract.

The Daily Mail recently reported the 18-year-old impressed backroom staff with his performance against the Lilywhites in the UEFA Youth League last year.

Booth signed for Bayern back in January 2019, but has grown frustrated with the lack of opportunities in Hans-Dieter Flick’s senior squad, and Spurs have already made the first move.

Consequently, this latest development could be bad news for Harry Winks.

Ever since he arrived at the Bundesliga champions in 2019, the American has been tipped for greatness, after he put in an impressive performance as Bayern’s Under-19s thrashed Tottenham 3-0 back in December, finishing the game with a tally of two assists.

Moreover, the holding midfielder has been capped by USA at all levels up to his age group. He has also regularly featured in the German youth league, creating 3 assists in 11 games so far (Transfermarkt).

On the other hand, Winks has arguably struggled for consistency up until now. Remarkably, the 24-year-old is still yet to score or create an assist in all competitions at the time of writing.

Indeed, the Englishman has failed to register a single goal or assist in the Premier League this season, taking a mere 0.4 shots per game, averaging under one clearance, although he has made 1.3 tackles on average in the English top flight (WhoScored).

Daniel Levy is set to try to lure Booth away with an offer the club feels he won’t be able to resist.

As it stands, the whizzkid is unsure about his future at the German giants, as Die Roten are on course to claim another league title after beating rivals Borussia Dortmund earlier this week.

Spurs have a history of developing young players into world-class talents, with the club churning out the likes of Harry Kane and Gareth Bale in recent years.

If Booth moves to England in the upcoming transfer window, it is Winks who could miss out on a place in the squad in the future, as he has been unable to shield the defence over the course of the campaign.

Furthermore, Daniel Levy splashed the cash to sign Tanguy Ndombele, so it is unlikely the chairman would be willing for the club’s record signing to make room for the American teen in the squad. Giovani Lo Celso has also received a higher rating than his English counterpart via WhoScored.

Mourinho has certainly given the England international plenty of chances, but he has largely failed to live up to expectations so far, and he stands to lose the most if Booth joins the North London club.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Taylor Booth in the summer? Let us know down below!

Speaking to Football Insider, Darren Bent has claimed Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho simply “can’t rely on” Tanguy Ndombele.

What did he say?

Ndombele has endured a difficult debut campaign in north London, struggling for both form and fitness. All in all, he has played just 19 times in the Premier League, whilst he came under heavy fire from Mourinho himself after a particularly disappointing display away at Burnley.

And now, former Spurs ace Bent has suggested that the Frenchman’s lack of consistency and durability means he isn’t your typical Mourinho player, and felt he isn’t a risk worth taking.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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He said: “I think when you’ve got somebody like Ndombele, with all that ability and all that quality, but he can’t produce it on a regular basis – Mourinho doesn’t need players like that right now.

“Jose’s probably thinking to himself, that he’s got all the ability in the world, but he needs someone who can play week after week. He can’t take the risk of it being every now and then. They can’t rely on him as much they would like.”

Consistency

For all the criticism that has headed Ndombele’s way this season, there can be no question that he has shown flashes of the enormous potential that prompted Spurs to splash out big-money to sign him from French side Lyon last summer.

A super long-range strike against Aston Villa under-lined that to a tee, and it would be a major shame if the Frenchman didn’t go on to become a long-term success at the club.

But with Mourinho in charge, the room for a player to make mistakes and grow into his craft is minimal. The Portuguese boss has delivered instant success almost everywhere he’s been, winning domestic and European titles.

If Ndombele doesn’t sharpen his act very soon, then the midfielder could be walking out the exit door very soon.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans react to an update on their chase for this left-back.

Former Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway has hailed Roy Hodgson’s management at Selhurst Park, per Football.London.

What’s he said?

Palace currently lie mid-table in the Premier League, claiming the scalp of Manchester United at Old Trafford and also earning a 2-2 draw away to Arsenal.

And Holloway has been impressed with the way Hodgson has implemented a fresh style in south London as Palace look to push on and potentially earn a top-10 finish this term.

He said: “I think he and Ray Lewington deserve a medal, you know.

“What they have done is change the style. I was asked to change the style, Alan Pardew was asked and Frank de Boer was asked.

Watch Crystal Palace vs West Ham Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

“But when you are playing in the Premier League it is tough to change the style. Quietly behind the scenes, Roy has done that with the help of Ray Lewington. I think it is sensational.

“There is speculation all the time and he rides right over it. If he was 40, what would people say about him? Does his age mean he is not capable anymore? It doesn’t, there is some ageism at play here.

“The more knowledge you gain the better you become in your life. Roy deserves massive credit, I’m delighted in what Palace are doing.”

Rarely credited

Holloway is right in that Hodgson sometimes misses out on the credit he deserves.

Palace are established as a proper Premier League club now and have been solidly finishing clear of the relegation zone since 2013/14.

A lot of that is down to Hodgson, who was appointed in 2017.

He helped them to an 11th-placed finish in 2017/18 after a dismal start and also eventually took them clear of the relegation zone last season.

Did he really play for us?! No Palace fan has managed to name all of these obscure Eagles signings….

This is a manager who is probably punching above his weight with Palace and, while there is a question as to whether they can take the next step, Hodgson deserves immense credit for the job he has done at the club.

Whether he will get it or not is quite another matter.

Meanwhile, Palace have been linked with a former Premier League striker.

Liverpool made history tonight against Everton.

The Reds took their unbeaten run to a record 32 matches, which is the most in the club’s history. And they did it in style, beating their city rivals 5-2. Divock Origi was on the scoresheet twice, whilst Sadio Mane, Xherdan Shaqiri and Georginio Wijnaldum all scored a goal apiece.

However, not everything was rosy. The Reds conceded two goals, meaning that another clean sheet flew out of the window. They have now not conceded in just four out of 24 matches this term. As such, someone needs to take the blame for the defensive frailty.

Tonight, it was Dejan Lovren who took the brunt of the fans’ wrath, with many taking to Twitter to slam the Croatia international in the first half.

It certainly wasn’t the best of nights defensively for the £18m-valued 30-year-old – as per Transfermarkt. He should shoulder the blame for both of the Toffees’ strikes having initially failed with a challenge in the box that allowed Michael Keane to score and then missed a chance to intercept a cross that Richarlison headed in.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

His display had fans looking at alternatives, and it seems that Joe Gomez’s stock has certainly risen after the former Lyon man’s showing.

It is hard to see how Joe Gomez’s introduction to the side would sort out Liverpool’s defensive woes. In 14 appearances so far, he has seen 15 goals conceded, and has also had his suspect moments.

There was at least one positive moment for the former Southampton defender. He laid the ball on a plate for Divock Origi’s second goal, and he did at least get a fair amount of praise from the fans for that.

At least it wasn’t all bad.

Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reveals who the leaders are in the Liverpool dressing room.

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…

A recent report from Interlive.it suggests that Manchester City are among the giant clubs seeking the signature of Lautaro Martinez.

Reports from Calciomercato last month (via Sport Witness) stated how Pep Guardiola has looked towards Martinez as a replacement for the 32-year-old Sergio Aguero.

Now, Interlive.it have reported that that City are willing to send Gabriel Jesus the other way in a part-exchange deal for the Inter Milan forward. It is believed that the Brazilian is seeking a new adventure away from the Premier League.

Martinez has been in great form for the Italian giants so far, helping Inter get just one point behind champions and league leaders Juventus. The Argentine has eight goals in all competitions – only Romelu Lukaku has more with nine.

If he’s anything like Tevez, he’s a must

Last year, former City man Carlos Tevez heaped the praise on the young striker saying Inter will ‘love him’.

The ex-Sky Blues hitman told Corriere della Sera (via Football Italia): “What a player he is.

“He’s hungry, ruthless and technically gifted. He reminds me of myself a few years ago. Of the young Argentines, he is by far the best and can get even better.

“Inter pulled off a coup by signing him. They’ll love him.”

Tevez was one of the first superstars for City during the early days after Sheikh Mansour’s takeover. The forward’s shock transfer from across the red side of Manchester proved to be a great signing, as he bagged 23 goals in his first season.

In total, the bulldog-like Tevez would score 73 times for City and if Martinez is anything like his compatriot, Guardiola could have an almighty player on his hands.

His strong and agile approach was on display when he scored against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a Champions League group stage clash in October, and he has shown that Tevez-esque style during his time at Inter Milan.

Tevez’s glowing verdict combined with Martinez’s record in Italy suggests he would be a great signing for City if they can pull it off.

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…

A step back, but not a huge one.

Whilst the defeat at Wigan could be seen as some as just a bump in the road, one former Nottingham Forest player believes that it should act as a lesson for Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi to learn from.

What’s he said?

Speaking with Nottingham Live, the former Forest man said that Sabri Lamouchi’s men needed to be more aggressive right from the outset in the future, to make sure that results like this don’t happen again:

“We have to make sure we’re on the front foot in the first place. From the first whistle. Get at teams straight away. That’s got to be something we improve on in these next two home games. Two games at the City Ground this week is a good chance to get back on track and quickly forget about the weekend.

“But no games are easy – if Sabri Lamouchi, the manager, didn’t know that already, he will do now. Hull and Reading are more than capable of catching us out. We’ve got to start well, look to get the first goal and get the crowd behind us.”

Watch Nottingham Forest Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Best foot forward

As we have discussed previously on FFC, Nottingham Forest are at great risk of missing out at the end of the season if they don’t start killing games off.

With the exception of their 3-0 result against Birmingham City, every single one of their games so far this season have been decided by one-goal margins. Clearly, on that evidence, they need to start scoring more goals. That may all change if they’re able to alter their mentality.

Nottingham Forest need to start showing their dominance in games. Whilst they may be doing relatively well in the table right now, they could be doing so much better and putting more pressure on the rest of the league.

Their undefeated streak was impressive but they must ensure they bounce back.

The defeat at Wigan should serve as a wakeup call to Lamouchi that he needs to start being able to adapt to various situations, and that his style of play won’t be able to see Forest through the whole of the season.

After all, teams will probably start to work them out sooner or later.

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…

A lot has been said about Riqui Puig already – the 20-year-old pearl of La Masia is definitely one of the Barcelona youngsters the Blaugrana have high hopes for.

But his situation has been causing an internal debate in recent times – he seems to be too good for the Segunda Division B, the third level of football in Spain, and yet, there’s no room for him in the senior team.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And seeing how he’s been a victim of some harsh treatment by the opposition at Barcelona B, one thing became crystal clear – he shouldn’t stay there any longer as the risk became too big.

But if the recent reports coming from Sport are true, Puig refuses to leave the club any time soon and is determined to make it at the Catalan capital.

While that sort of attitude is certainly praiseworthy and admirable, it could be the thing that comes back to bite him in the end.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Staying loyal to Barcelona is definitely a good sign for the club but his stubbornness to leave on loan in order to get some valuable experience and minutes, and more importantly, get away from the difficult circumstances of the Segunda Division B, might hamper his short term development.

And yes, it might be far too early to actually talk about such drastic measures but it’s unlikely he continues his development by staying put at Barcelona B.

According to Sport, that is exactly his idea – staying and becoming good enough for Ernesto Valverde to include him in the senior squad.

But can that actually happen if he doesn’t make that necessary step up?

At the moment, it seems that Puig is choosing the absolute worst option presented to him and for his and the club’s sake, let’s hope it doesn’t backfire.

فجرت صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية مفاجأة من العيار الثقيل بشأن الصفقة الذهبية التي يخطط برشلونة لحسمها في الميركاتو الصيفي المقبل وهي مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بوروسيا دورتموند، إيرلينج هالاند.

وأكدت الصحيفة أن وكيل هالاند، مينو رايولا، ووالد اللاعب متواجدان منذ صباح اليوم، الخميس، في مدينة “برشلونة” واستقبلهما مساعد رئيس النادي الكتالوني، جوان لابورتا، الذي اصطحبهما في سيارة خاصة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صحفي أرجنتيني: ميسي لم يطلب من برشلونة ضم أجويرو

هالاند هو المهاجم الذي اختاره مجلس إدارة برشلونة خلال الأيام القليلة الماضية ليقود الخط الأمامي رغم المنافسة الشرسة على النرويجي من قبل الأندية الكبرى في أوروبا مثل ريال مدريد، باريس سان جيرمان ومانشستر سيتي.

العلاقة الجيدة بين مينو رايولا وجوان لابورتا تزيد من حالة التفاؤل داخل نادي برشلونة لضم هالاند.

ويعد هالاند أحد عناصر مشروع برشلونة الرياضي الجديد من أجل إقناع، ليونيل ميسي، بالبقاء وتجديد عقده كما أفادت الصحافة الكتالونية خلال الأيام الماضية.

الصحفي الكتالوني بإذاعة “راك 1” الكتالونية، جيرارد روميرو، أكد على أن الخبر صحيح وليس كدبة أبريل بالتزامن مع بداية الشهر.

El vídeo es de un paparazzi que hay en el aeropuerto que ha pasado a los medios las imágenes. 👀 — Gerard Romero (@gerardromero) April 1, 2021

وأكد الصحفي الموثوق بشبكة “سكاي سبورتس” الخبر عبر حسابه الرسمي على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “تويتر”، وأشار إلى أن تواجد الثنائي في برشلونة من أجل الحديث عن مستقبل هالاند مع قادة برشلونة.

Mino Raiola is in Barcelona right now, true and 100% confirmed as Sport reported. He’s landed today after meeting with BVB in Dortmund in the last days to talk about Erling Haaland’s future. The race is open with many clubs involved, Barça too. Work in progress. 🔴🇳🇴 #FCB #Barça — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 1, 2021