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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.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins has said that an update regarding a potential short-term return to the Ricoh Arena is coming ‘very soon’.

The Sky Blues played their home games during the 2019/20 season at St. Andrews, the home of Birmingham City, which holds a capacity of 29,409. It was their second time in recent years playing outside of Coventry, having also had a spell at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium.

Some discussion has since been raised about a possible return for the Sky Blues to their former home, which is now owned by rugby club Wasps.

Amid talks to return to the Ricoh Arena, Coventry announced that they have agreed a partnership with the University of Warwick to build a new stadium.

Speaking about the potential return to the club’s old ground, Robins spoke to BBC Coventry and Warwickshire,saying (as per Coventry Live): “Either the Ricoh or St Andrews.

“We hope to hear very soon.

“Whatever happens, we just have to get on with it. From my perspective there is nothing I can do.

“I know people are working very hard within the club to make things happen.

“We’ve just got to see how that falls.”

Signing a one-year deal with the option to extend by a further year with Birmingham City, the newly-promoted Championship side are now expected to remain at St. Andrews through to next season, with talks between themselves and the Wasps currently at a standstill.

It really does not matter much whether Coventry return to the Ricoh Arena or remain at St. Andrews for 2020/21. Promotion was a huge step in the right direction for the club and, with the news of a new stadium, things are looking up.

Of course, a return to the Ricoh would be easier for fans, but the club can continue push on wherever they play their home games next season.

Do you think Coventry will return to the Ricoh Arena for next season? Let us know in the comments section below…

Marcelo Bielsa and his men will be immortalised as the group that finally took the Whites back to the Premier League after West Brom’s loss to Huddersfield confirmed their top-flight status, but in true Leeds United fashion, they didn’t do it the easy way.

After years of jeers about ‘falling apart again’, it’s finally over, Leeds have crossed the finish line that has been in sight so many times before, and it took a mighty effort from everyone involved at the club to make this dream a reality.

Whether it’s Victor Orta making Dragon’s Den style presentations, Marcelo Bielsa creating eight-page dossier’s on opposition’s third-choice goalkeeper or players enduring the Argentine’s famed ‘murderball’ sessions, everyone has put so much in to get to this point.

2019/20 will be remembered as a rollercoaster campaign for the Whites that ended in the best way possible, and here are 15 moments that defined United’s promotion campaign…

White in Jansson out

Summer transfer windows always have a huge say on how a team is going to get on throughout the season, and it’s fair to say that July 1st was one of the most important days of United’s promotion campaign as a little-known centre-back named Ben White also came in on loan.

White is now reportedly valued by his parent club at £40m, despite never playing above League One level before joining Leeds.

With White joining, there was one less spot in the defence, and this meant the end of Pontus Jansson’s time at Elland Road.

This was truly a sign of Marcelo Bielsa stamping his authority after reportedly falling out with the fan favourite, and in the end, it could be argued that this move worked out for both parties.

Opening day domination

Leeds were handed a tough opening day clash away at Bristol City.

There were certainly a few questions to be answered ahead of the game after United’s playoff capitulation last term, but they made sure to answer them very quickly, playing Bristol off the park, going 3-0 up in 72 minutes, before the Robins added a consolation.

Nketiah’s late heroics

Unfortunately, Leeds’ brilliant performances wouldn’t last long, and United would need bailing out a few times in the following weeks.

Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah made something of a name for himself by scoring key goals late in games, saving United’s skin against Brentford, Barnsley and Preston.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for Nketiah in Yorkshire, but the points he won for Leeds certainly helped them on their way to the Premier League.

West Brom beaten

In 2018/19 Leeds came so close to getting promoted, but in the end, results at home against their rivals cost them as they succumbed to both Norwich and Sheffield United at Elland Road.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen this time as United made a statement of intent by beating the Baggies 1-0 at home.

Centenary celebrations

2019 marked 100 years since the formation of the club, and against Birmingham City, the Whites celebrated this landmark.

Wearing a specially designed changed strip to mark the occasion, Leeds prevailed, beating the Blues 1-0 with a goal from local-lad and lifelong fan Kalvin Phillips sealing the three points.

Seven in a row

United really made a spot in the top two their own throughout the back end of 2019, winning seven games in a row from November 2nd to December 10th, in a run that really defined the Whites’ success throughout this campaign.

The highlight of this run was undoubtedly a 4-0 demolition job against Middlesbrough as former man Jonathan Woodgate had a torrid return to Elland Road.

Cardiff jitters

All good things have to come to an end, and United’s winning run ended in the worst possible fashion.

Leeds raced into a 3-0 lead against Cardiff back in December, but a second-half resurgence saw the Bluebirds level the game late on, causing Leeds to drop points for the first time in over a month.

United could so easily have capitulated after such a result, but they managed to recover just a couple of weeks later.

 Game of the season

After the Cardiff game, Leeds would fail to win their next two against Fulham and Preston, and all of a sudden their clash with Birmingham City looked like a must-win.

Fortunately, they managed to overcome Pep Clotet’s side, beating them 5-4 courtesy of a last-minute Wes Harding own goal.

It took a lot of bottle for Leeds to come away with a win here, and that sort of drive was so key to their promotion push.

Premier League audition

Although Leeds’ game against Arsenal in the FA Cup didn’t actually contribute to their promotion, it was a key match in showing that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were ready for the Premier League.

The Whites lost 1-0 to the Gunners, but they put on an impressive display, creating a multitude of chances, earning plaudits from pundits across the land.

Casilla’s mistakes

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Leeds season if they didn’t threaten to monumentally mess it up, and a run of costly errors from Kiko Casilla in February threatened to derail their season.

The Spaniard conceded directly from a corner against Wigan in United’s 1-0 loss at Elland Road, before being beaten far too easily at his near post in a loss to Nottingham Forest and basically assisting Brentford’s only goal in a draw at Griffin Park.

Casilla was to blame for United’s playoff loss last term, and it seemed as though he could cost them again, but luckily his errors wouldn’t prove all that costly.

Five clean sheets in a row

Good defence defined United’s season more than anything, keeping the best defensive record in the division, and after Casilla stopped with the howlers, he kept three clean sheets in a row.

Unfortunately, the Spaniard was then banned for an incident that occurred against Charlton earlier in the season, but he wasn’t missed too much as Illan Meslier came in and continued the Whites’ run of shutouts.

Wake up call

United’s good form was put on hold due to the suspension of football for three months, and upon their return they didn’t hit the ground running.

Leeds lost 2-0 in their first game back against Cardiff, but rather than letting their heads drop, this acted as a wake-up call.

Fulham brushed aside

United’s next game was a key clash against Fulham, and to call it a must-win would have been an understatement.

If Leeds would have lost, the London club would have been just four points adrift with all the momentum in the world, but a comfortable 3-0 win saw Bielsa’s side move 10 points clear of Fulham, putting them firmly in the driving seat to go on and get promoted.

Biggest win of the season

The final few weeks of the season are usually the prime time for Leeds to self-destruct, but this time United did the exact opposite and put on arguably their best showing of the campaign to settle everyone’s nerves.

Leeds beat Stoke 5-0, and with four games to go that performance showed that any team that fancied gatecrashing the Whites’ party would have to be at their very best to do it.

Hernandez’s magic

Things were still a bit nervy heading into the final few weeks, Brentford’s incredible run meant Leeds weren’t home and dry yet, and nerves were high heading into the final minutes against Swansea with the deadlock yet to be broken.

As he has done time and time again, Pablo Hernandez saved Leeds’ skin with an 89th-minute winner, a goal that put Leeds within touching distance of a spot in the Premier League.

Prior to the suspension of football in the United Kingdom back in March, things were actually going rather well for Leeds United.

After the agony of missing out on promotion last time out, the Yorkshire side had once again put themselves in the position to challenge for an automatic promotion place with just nine matches to play.

However, Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been asked to wait a little longer before they can look to secure their return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.

With a seven-point gap to third-placed Fulham and a favourable run-in including fixtures against Luton Town, Charlton Athletic and Barnsley, Leeds remain one of the favourites for promotion, but the effects of football behind closed doors and the time away from the pitch is not yet fully understood.

Here, we look into six statistics from Leeds’ season so far in an attempt to refresh our memories ahead of the return of Championship football…

Possession based Bielsa

Marcelo Bielsa is renowned for favouring a high-intensity possession-based style of play and that has certainly been the case so far this season at Leeds.

The Elland Road side have averaged 60.1% from their 37 games so far this season, which is better than any other side in the division.

Third-place Fulham are second on this list, with 58.8%.

Football on the floor

With an average of just 16.9 per match, no Championship side has won fewer aerial duels than Leeds this season.

As is perhaps illustrated by their impressive possession numbers, Leeds prefer to play the ball on the floor, while replacing Pontus Jansson with the smaller but technical Ben White could also have played a part.

Jansson wins on average 3.4 aerial duels per match, compared with White’s 2.8.

Deadly on the counter

With plenty of speed in the shape of Helder Costa, Jack Harrison and Pablo Hernandez, Leeds have been very effective on the counter this season.

Alongside Hull City, their total of six counter-attack goals is the best in the league and has shown that they do not solely rely on a possession-based style to break down their opposition.

They are much less threatening from set-pieces though, with the second-fewest set-piece goals in the league.

Own goals

Leeds have benefited from a staggering six own goals this season, two more than any other side.

While Patrick Bamford has been criticised for his lack of incisiveness in front of goal, it is clear that they have been putting the ball in dangerous areas, as shown by the fact that they have scored the fourth-most goals in the league this season.

Old flame burns strong

At 35 years old, Pablo Hernandez is likely coming towards the end of a long and storied career.

However, it appears Bielsa has got the best out of him with the Spaniard managing six goals and six assists from his 25 starts so far this year.

While the likes of Jack Harrison and Helder Costa have offered him competition, his 2.3 key passes-per-match and 56.6 passes-per-match see him leading all Leeds other attackers.

Bamford’s importance

A player that divides opinion among Leeds fans, Bamford remains Leeds’ primary goal threat.

With 13 league goals so far, his seven strikes clear of Hernandez and own goals who are tied for second place.

The loans of Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Kevin Augustin have not worked out, and it is likely that Bamford will have to continue in his lone centre-forward role.

Ever since Luis Campos opened up on his admiration and respect for Jose Mourinho last year, speculation has been rampant that Lille’s current sporting director could make the leap to the Premier League to join forces with his great friend at Tottenham, with Canal+ even reporting that he could do so this summer.

As quoted by Sky Sports, Campos said back in October: “Mourinho is like a brother to me. I know him very well and for a long time. He’s a wonderful person and the best coach in the world. So, of course, if he called me I would speak.”

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For those who aren’t aware of the kind of genius that the Portuguese man possesses, then look no further than his work at AS Monaco and Lille. The likes of Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Anthony Martial, Nicolas Pepe and Victor Osimhen all arrived under his watch, with everyone barring the latter leaving for the Premier League for big sums of money.

Campos has the kind of Midas touch in the transfer market that should greatly appeal to someone like Daniel Levy. The Spurs chairman is notoriously frugal with his spending, and maximising profit at all turns. Bringing in someone like the 55-year-old could ensure the north London side unearth some of world football’s hidden gems at a fraction of the price they will eventually be worth.

Not only would make it even more sense in the current climate given that clubs are unlikely to splash big money anytime soon, but he would be working alongside with Mourinho, a man that he has publicly admitted to having a great relationship with.

Having a tandem like that working in harmony could bring rich rewards to Spurs both on and off the pitch.

So whilst the future of Harry Kane may dominate the headlines this summer about whether he will end up staying, it’s perhaps just as equally important for Spurs in the long-run that they bring in Campos. The Portuguese man could help transform the Lilywhites into competing at the top of the table even without being the biggest spenders like some of their rivals.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting in their droves this week after reports emerged linking them with a move for Norwich City right-back Max Aarons in the summer.

According to Soccer Link, Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has personally contacted the 20-year-old to try and convince him to join the club, although it is also claimed that they will have to compete with arch-rivals Arsenal to secure his signature.

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And the news has supporters desperate to see it come to fruition.

Aarons has been a key part of the Canaries’ first-team squad for the past two seasons whilst this campaign he has racked up 27 appearances in the top-flight, recording two assists, one of which came against Spurs.

This has seen his value rise to £18m as per Transfermarkt but it remains to be seen what sort of fee the Norfolk-based outfit would command for his services at the end of the season, but relegation to the Championship would aid Spurs’ chances substantially.

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

AND in other news, Spurs would make major coup with a move for La Liga star… 

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Sun, several of Europe’s top clubs are taking a look at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ young prospect Owen Otasowie after his performance for the U23 squad in the Premier League International Cup last week.

It could well be a hint towards a challenging future, especially in the grand scheme of meeting Fosun’s long-term ambitions for the club.

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What’s the word?

The report suggests that Arsenal, Liverpool, Schalke, and Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the centre-back after his role in the 1-1 draw with the French giants.

Otasowie has played only six times for the U23s this campaign in the Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy, averaging just over 30 minutes per game.

He can also play in defensive midfield while he is yet to commit to any one of three possible nations as he is eligible to play for England, Nigeria, and the United States.

To make matters worse, his contract is reportedly set to expire at the end of this current campaign, which would mean Wolves are at risk of losing him for mere compensation.

Victim of your own success

The ownership at Wolves, Fosun, have a clear goal set out for the future of the club. It is no secret. They want to start producing talent themselves. To build from within.

Significant investment was put into the academy setup over the summer as they brought in a whole host of names to strengthen their young playing squad.

However, for all of its positives, their increased success only brings about an unwanted spotlight on the players they are trying to breed through the system.

It’s quite a paradoxical situation when you’re trying to achieve something good, but you’re only hindering the true aim by doing so.

Fosun’s task at hand is only going to get more difficult, the better Wolves do.

Otasowie isn’t the first emerging prospect linked with an exit – Chem Campbell attracted the interest from a trio of German clubs not too long ago.

Wolves could well become a victim of their own success.

Meanwhile, Wolves must steer clear of this Jorge Mendes client…

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton believes that John Terry is having a major impact in his role as a coach at the Premier League club.

The former Chelsea and England centre-back joined the Villans as part of Dean Smith’s backroom staff in 2018 after finishing his playing career (BBC Sport).

Hutton would have worked closely with Terry last season as he was still a player at Villa Park, and he has claimed that his influence on the training pitch will help the likes of Tyrone Mings and Bjorn Engels.

The ex-Tottenham right-back believes that sometimes teams encourage defenders to play out from the back too much, whereas Terry and Aston Villa are telling their centre-backs that there is a time and place for that and also to simply put the ball into the stands and clear the danger.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton said: “Sometimes I think teams get wrapped up with: ‘We must play every single time,’ and ultimately you get in trouble doing things like that.

“Like Tyrone (Mings), he (Engels) knows when to just get rid of the ball. Just get rid of the ball, just squeeze up tight and play from there. There is a time to play which I do believe that they know the difference and obviously having John Terry there will help him.

“A guy who is arguably one of the best centre-halves ever to play the game is amazing to have, especially for young players to become better. They’ve got a good blend of doing the dirty work and the new-feel stuff.”

Terry was certainly one of the best defenders of his generation, and there is no doubt that having his influence at the club will be a benefit for their defenders.

Learning from Terry will help the likes of Mings and Engels become better players, and you can see the impact that the former England captain is having in performances.

Indeed, using Mings as an example, he has been outstanding this season and averages 7.3 clearances per game (WhoScored), perhaps indicating that he is being told to get rid of the danger when necessary.

The former Bournemouth man has broken into the England side since arriving at Villa (Transfermarkt), and it seems likely that the guidance of Terry is a major reason for his recent success.

Aston Villa fans, how much of an impact do you think John Terry has had as a coach at the club? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

Tottenham Hotspur fans have hailed Paulo Gazzaniga after his performance against Liverpool on Sunday.

Spurs lost 2-1 at Anfield, despite Harry Kane giving his side the lead in the first minute.

Per WhoScored, the Reds dominated the game, registering 68.3% possession, 21 total shots and eight corners to Spurs’ three.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men managed to get to half-time with their lead intact but Jordan Henderson equalised and Mohamed Salah scored the winner from the penalty spot after Serge Aurier had fouled Sadio Mane in the area.

Gazzaniga made 12 saves throughout the 90 minutes, compared to Alisson Becker’s three.

And Spurs fans have heralded the former Southampton stopper, with several claiming that he is one of the few players who can leave Anfield with his head held high.

Thus far this season, Gazzaniga has made five appearances in all competitions, deputising in the absence of Hugo Lloris, who injured his elbow during the 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!