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Luke Shaw looked to be one of the brightest talents the Southampton academy had ever produced when he established himself in the Saints first-team aged just 16, before completing a £27m move to Manchester United in 2014.

The left-back made his first-team debut for the South Coast club as a 16-year-old in January 2012 and he went on to make 67 appearances for the Saints before making the switch to Old Trafford two years later.

Big things were expected of the Englishman at United but like so many players who have joined the club in recent years, his career has not reached the heights that many thought it would.

Injury and fitness problems have plagued his time with the Red Devils and although he has gone on to make 149 appearances in all competitions, his time as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-choice left-back looks to be nearly over.

After a fairly underwhelming 2019/20 campaign which saw Shaw average a 6.85 rating across his 24 appearances in the top-flight, United paid around £15 million to bring in Alex Telles from Porto during the summer transfer window.

The Brazilian has impressed in both of his most recent United games against West Brom and Istanbul Basaksehir respectively and it would perhaps be a surprise if the 25-year-old Englishman is able to reclaim his starting spot when he returns from injury.

The former Southampton man has earned his fair share of critics during his time at Old Trafford, with former United legends Patrice Evra and Roy Keane both critical of his performance in the 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace earlier this year, with Evra saying:

“It was laziness from Shaw. He’s guessing… and he’s got to sprint back to be in line with Lindelof.

“Shaw has been injured so he doesn’t have the same speed but he has to adapt his game. He’s not as fast as he used to be.” (per Daily Star)

Therefore, it can definitely be argued that Southampton made a great decision in selling him for £27m when he was just 18, as he clearly hasn’t progressed in the way many thought he would and he now looks set for a spell on United’s bench.

And, in other news… Nathan Redmond’s injury can be the making of “super talented” Southampton ace

Liverpool put in a hard shift at Anfield to keep their unbeaten home streak alive last night. Despite conceding through an early Pablo Fornals goal, the Reds were resilient enough to keep their heads and grab the win.

A VAR decision against Diogo Jota looked like it could paint the rest of game’s dynamic but the Portuguese target man was on song yet again with a goal to mark his third in five league appearances. Jurgen Klopp’s newest signing was undoubtedly the man of the hour, but the whole team rallied together to produce a solid performance.

One man especially who went under the radar was Gini Wijnaldum in the middle of the park. Despite being without playmakers Naby Keita and Thiago, the Dutchman was able to fill in and pull the strings from midfield.

Gini Wijnaldum stats vs West Ham

Starting the match alongside Jordan Henderson and Curtis Jones, the 29-year-old did well to trouble West Ham and create chances for the Reds.

According to Sofascore, Wijnaldum maintained a 97% passing rate, won 8/10 of his attempted duels and was successful in 100% of his dribbles and long balls. He was also the most fouled player in the game, highlighting how much the Irons struggled to deal with him in the engine room.

The £75,000-a-week midfielder is into the last 12 months of his current deal with Liverpool, but he is showing no signs of lowering his form. Despite the fact he could be leaving the club for free next year, Wijnaldum continues to give his all to the club and he is proving crucial to the Reds in their hour of need.

He recently received praise from Danny Murphy over his performances for the Anfield outfit. Speaking to Sky Sports, the pundit lauded him as an “absolutely sensational” player despite going “under the radar” (via Tribal Football).

Klopp currently has a huge defensive crisis on his hands, so knowing he is solid in midfield will alleviate a bit of pressure from him. The next fixture will see the Reds take on Atalanta in the Champions League and Liverpool will need a strong performance to push forwards and they can rely on Wijnaldum to deliver.

In the meantime, perhaps it’s time for Michael Edwards to get that tempting contract offer over to the Dutchman.

In other news, shock wage revelation could be Liverpool deal-breaker in David Alaba interest…

Ahead of the January transfer window, reports in Germany have tipped Tottenham Hotspur with interest in one of Bundesliga’s emerging stars..

What’s the word?

According to Sport Bild, RB Leipzig maestro Marcel Sabitzer is on Spurs’ wishlist, though the €30m-valued (£26.5m) midfielder is under contract until 2022.

Back in March, the same source claimed that Jose Mourinho had a keen eye on the 26-year-old playmaker along with La Liga giants Barcelona following his destruction of the north Londoners in the Champions League.

His valuation then was in the region of €50m (£45m).

Creative void fulfilled

As mentioned, Spurs already have a nightmarish recollection of Sabitzer after he tore them apart across two legs to knock them out of the UCL earlier this year.

In the second encounter, the Austrian netted an 11-minute first-half brace and also recorded 45 passes, made three interceptions and won 100% of his aerial battles. He absolutely dominated Harry Winks in the middle of the park.

Sabitzer finished the season with 16 goals and 11 assists, primarily playing in a no.10 role as well as on the right flank.

That form has already continued into this campaign where the dynamo has found the net twice in two Bundesliga starts. In each of his last four league campaigns, Sabitzer has averaged at least 1.2 key passes per game, perhaps he can become the attacking midfielder that Mourinho is lacking.

Giovani Lo Celso is yet to truly step-up into the void that Christian Eriksen left behind, having assisted only two Premier League goals since joining last summer.

The Leipzig talisman has been likened to David Beckham due to his ability on set-pieces whilst national team boss, Franco Foda, claims: “Marcel is a player who gives everything for 90 minutes, does a lot for the team and works a lot defensively.  He runs a lot, has some good technical moments, and is now scoring goals.”

That couldn’t be more in the profile of a typical Mourinho player if he tried, not to mention that he’s now captain of the Bundesliga side too.

He has even been lauded as a “joy to watch” by journalist and author Karan Tejwani.

Perhaps the midfield “goal threat” is one of the final pieces of the puzzle in the Special One’s lofty revolution in N17. Daniel Levy must deliver one more masterclass this winter.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Sanchez: Levy must sanction cut-price Spurs swoop for “astonishing” £40m titan…

Celtic’s run of poor form continued after they failed to come away with a result in their most recent Europa League fixture. The Hoops were dealt another loss on home soil after AC Milan hit them for three following another disappointing defensive display.

With the news of Christopher Jullien’s back injury proving to be worse than expected, Neil Lennon will be without the centre-back for their trip to Aberdeen this afternoon. After losing two games on the bounce and shipping five goals in that time, it’s imperative that the 49-year-old pulls off a masterclass in order to get his side back to winning ways.

Football FanCast has predicted how Celtic might line up to face the Dons…

After concerns were raised over Vasilis Barkas’ recent performances, Lennon may have his hand forced when it comes to this afternoon’s selection. Scott Bain has made just one appearance in Celtic colours this season but it came during their 5-1 win over Hamilton in their opening fixture. With a lot of pressure on his shoulders to rectify his side’s form, the 28-year-old could put in a solid display between the posts.

After a lacklustre performance from Leigh Griffiths as Lennon’s lone striker against Ajax, it’ll be very unlikely if he starts against Aberdeen. Both he and Albian Ajeti earned poor Sofascore ratings and can be expected to be dropped in place of Mohamed Elyounoussi and Patryk Klimala.

The Saints loanee came on and immediately made an impact, scoring Celtic’s only goal of the game. Fellow substitute Ryan Christie provided the assist, and should therefore be placed in the starting lineup instead of Olivier Ntcham in the midfield.

It will be a tough ask for the Hoops to restore their winning streak, especially against Aberdeen who are just three points behind them in the league. Thanks to their Old Firm loss, bitter rivals Rangers have extended their lead at the top of the table and are now four points clear. Three points will be the only thing on Lennon’s mind, as they look to show the Gers who should be at the top.

In other news, Celtic suffer blow ahead of Aberdeen as Odsonne Edouard not likely to feature…

According to a report by Daily Mail journalist Jack Gaughan, via Man City Xtra, the Sky Blues have offloaded promising young defender Tosin Adarabioyo for a meagre £2 million plus 20% sell-on clause – prompting plenty of supporters to blast Txiki Begiristain’s latest move on social media.Â

Tosin, who had a stellar season for Blackburn last season, signed for Fulham in the final minutes of deadline day on a permanent deal – but the fee will reportedly be around £2m despite the fact he possesses bags of potential.

Over 2019/2020, the 23-year-old started the vast majority of Championship matches for Rovers last term, averaging an 80.3% pass accuracy out from the back whilst making 4.7 clearances per 90 – clearly displaying that fine blend of composure and robustness in the middle (WhoScored).

Standing at a towering 6ft 4, Tosin is also quite the physical presence, with their being many reasons why City could have negotiated a much higher fee.

As a result, Sky Blues are definitely not impressed with the deal – find all of their best comments down below.

City fans, how much should have Tosin been sold for? Have your say in the comment section down below…

Liverpool fans may have been handed a huge boost ahead of their lunchtime clash at Goodison Park. Thiago Alcantara has tweeted a match day image, featuring a picture of himself as the Reds prepare to visit their neighbours in a bid to resurrect their winning form.

The recent Anfield signing has made just one appearance for his new club so far. He was recently reported to have tested positive for Covid-19 and missed the Aston Villa match along with Sadio Mane. Liverpool were handed a huge defeat and were left to mull over their 7-2 spanking on the journey back to Merseyside.

Merseyside boost for Liverpool

After returning to training, Thiago is available for selection this afternoon and could make his return against the club’s bitter rivals. As it stands, Everton top the Premier League table after their perfect start to the season. Liverpool’s recent loss sees them three points behind, but they could pull level with a win at Goodison Park. Jurgen Klopp will need all hands on deck to snub the Toffees in their neck of the woods.

The versatile midfielder played just 45 minutes against Chelsea last month but could be called upon to start the match. Naby Keita is not available for selection meaning Thiago could play alongside skipper Jordan Henderson, who has been impressing in his recent England performances.

The two-time Champions League winner maintained 90% passing accuracy in Liverpool’s win over Frank Lampard’s side. He also made one key pass and was successful in ten of his 12 attempted long balls (via Sofascore).

With Mane back and a strong midfield equipped, the Reds will be eager to get themselves onto the front foot at Goodison. Everton, who know their neighbours’ threat on the counter-attack, may play a more reserved game this afternoon. If this is the case, Thiago’s creative passes and long balls could be the answer to unlocking a tight Carlo Ancelotti defence and chipping away for three points.

In other news, Predicted XI: Liverpool to field strong lineup in mission to upset Everton…

Lots of Everton fans have been calling for Idrissa Gueye to come back to Goodison Park as Le10 Sport reported that he is the player most likely to leave Paris Saint Germain in the transfer window.

According to the outlet, Gueye has several admirers in the Premier League, namely Crystal Palace, Manchester United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, it seems as if some members of the Toffees faithful would love the Senegalese international to come back to the Blues.

Indeed, the £21.6m-valued ace ad played in 108 matches in three consecutive terms during his time with Everton, scoring four goals and supplying a further five assists, as per Transfermarkt.

With Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and James Rodriguez already signed for the midfielder positions under Carlo Ancelotti, perhaps Gueye could also be brought in to complete a new-look four-man midfield.

These supporters would take the 30-year old back after reading the news on Twitter:

Evertonians, would you take Gueye back? Comment below with your views!

Chelsea are currently head and shoulders above all of their Premier League rivals in the current transfer window.

The Blues mean serious business going into the new season as they currently boast a mammoth six new senior signings. They arguably have four marquee recruits after splashing the cash on the likes of Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz.

Their fourth major signing comes in the form of Brazilian icon Thiago Silva, who left Paris Saint-Germain on a free contract in search of pastures new.

A recent report from The Telegraph has brought to light some of the behind-the-scenes work that went into the 35-year-old’s move to Stamford Bridge.

Brazil and former PSG teammate Neymar reportedly nudged Silva in the direction of Chelsea after warning him that he would regret not taking up the offer. The £115.2m-valued forward was one of the players from whom the Brazilian sought advice before deciding on the move to Frank Lampard’s side.

Silva has played in both the French and Italian top tiers but the chance of joining a Premier League side is a huge opportunity. Similarly to Neymar, former Blues player Willian also encouraged the veteran to pursue the move to west London.

Silva signed a two-year deal with Chelsea and could even see his career out under Lampard. He could well be the focal point of the Englishman’s defence this season as the Blues look to challenge in the Premier League title race.

What do you think of this update, Blues? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Liverpool’s summer chase of Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara has stalled a bit as of late. The main reason behind that is money. Of course, it’s not that the Reds don’t want the Spaniard but despite his contract slowly but surely running down, the Bavarians are still demanding a respectable sum of money.

The player may very well be worth it but Jurgen Klopp believes that €30m (£27.3m) is not what he can offer right now for the Spanish midfielder. However, there is one thing that just might help him raise the necessary funds to get that deal over the line.

According to a report from Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, the new Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has placed Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum ‘very high’ on his transfer wishlist.

Klopp’s midfielder has only a year left on his contract and it seems his compatriot is urging him not to extend and rather make a switch to the Camp Nou. Of course, the Reds wouldn’t exactly get a lot of money for the 29-year-old but it could still be a boost in their chase of Thiago.

Wijnaldum and Koeman also have a good relationship since they have worked together at the Dutch national team. Koeman feels like Gini could be a good partner for Frenkie de Jong in the middle of the park, making this transfer a real possibility.

Verdict

Wijnaldum has grown immensely in the last seasons at Anfield. Now, he’s a more well-rounded midfielder and definitely a big asset for Klopp. However, with only a year left on his contract and 29 already on his back, now would be the time to cash in.

Besides, that transfer could very well give the Premier League champions the funds they are currently missing to sign Thiago. It’s a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

Let’s see if the German coach decides to pull the trigger.

Newcastle United fans have been itching for the report from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be released regarding the body’s ruling on on whether the government of Saudi Arabia have been involved in the illegal streaming of sports events, such as games from the English Premier League.

However, members of the Toon faithful shall wait no further as the report was officially released and is readily available to be viewed by all Newcastle supporters here.

As per ChronicleLive, Saudi Arabia was accused of failing to ‘provide adequate protection of intellectual property rights held by or applied for entities based in Qatar’.

This in turn refers to the blocking of the television channel beIN SPORTS, for whom former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys now works. The Middle Eastern country was also accused of blocking links to beoutQ, a pirate pay TV broadcaster that was illegally showing matches from England’s top flight.

The WTO confirmed to ChronicleLive on Monday that the report would only be released when it had been circulated and translated to all of its members, of which there are 164 in total. Nevertheless, this report is now available and free to view, as some key conclusions were drawn by the organisation on the accusations made.

In a summary of the conclusions, Saudi Arabia has not taken the measures deemed necessary to tackle beoutQ, specifically pointing at the country’s ‘non-application of criminal procedures and penalties to beoutQ.’

Essentially, the report has said that the Kingdom breached rules on the protection of intellectual property because they failed to take actions against a pirate broadcaster operating openly in their country.

However, the key thing to note is that the proposed takeover of the Magpies was not mentioned at all in the report, and it is not yet clear what the future holds for the Tyneside club.

Geordies, what do you make of the report from the WTO? Comment below with your views!