Man Utd fans fume as Bailly out v Granada

Many Manchester United fans have been left to fume as some early team news before their game versus Granada in the UEFA Europa League has emerged.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against the La Liga side, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that Eric Bailly will not be available to play and has thus travelled back to England.

With Harry Maguire suspended for the second leg after picking up a yellow card in the first, it only really leaves the Red Devils with Victor Lindelof and Axel Tuanzebe at the heart of the defence.

Bailly has never been able to run away from his constant injury problems while at Old Trafford, and this is yet another setback for the Ivory Coast international in what could have been a match to really stamp his authority with Maguire out.

The update has left several MUFC supporters frustrated and growing impatient with his continued absence.

Manchester United fans on Bailly update

These Man Utd fans fumed upon reading the update on the 27-year-old central defender on Twitter:

“Oh God why ???…please buy a CB. That contract isn’t getting extended”

Credit: @ahnnyjekyll

“PAIN. #38 gonna play”

Credit: @MarwanM__

“Hahah this guy is truly made of glass”

Credit: @rahulprem7

“What at all is wrong with Bailly’s legs?”

Credit: @d_essuman

“Smh.”

Credit: @MrFemiOwoeye

“Definitely not good news”

Credit: @kent_shot_it

In other news, find out what update about the Burnley clash has left United fans fuming here!

Wolves fans flock to Nuno update

Many Wolves fans have been left to flock to an update on the future of Nuno Espirito Santo.

As per Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), it is unlikely that the Portuguese boss will be next in line to become the new manager at Tottenham Hotspur after Ryan Mason was given an interim role.

In an interesting revelation, Nuno was reportedly going to take charge of Arsenal to replace Unai Emery before Mikel Arteta got the job instead.

Nonetheless, Jorge Mendes would likely stop him taking the job at Spurs if he was offered it at the end of the 2020/21 term, which has certainly caused some reaction among the Molineux faithful, with some wanting him to go given the poor season that they have had, while others would rather he stayed given what he has achieved with the Midlands club so far in his managerial career.

Wolves fans on Nuno update

These WWFC supporters flocked to the update after it was shared on Twitter:

“YOU’RE MEANT TO BE HELPING US JORGE”

Credit: @PlayA4231

“Nooo he’s meant to help us”

Credit: @tylerwwfc

“Says here Nuno was about to take the Arsenal job. Snake. More reasons to sack him”

Credit: @bestwolvesfan

“The hero becomes the villain”

Credit: @calwwfc19

“The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Excuse the pun!”

Credit: @peggyja95517835

“Thanks but Nuno won’t leave because, according to him, he has a contract.”

Credit: @Bloseph

In other news, find out what update on a potential Nuno replacement has been slammed by Wanderers here!

Leeds can sell Costa by signing Ngamaleu

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa could finally wave goodbye to Helder Costa this summer by signing Young Boys’ Moumi Ngamaleu.

What’s the story?

Football Insider claimed in recent weeks that the Whites are willing to listen to offers for Costa this summer, and that the club’s hierarchy see him as someone who could be sold to raise some much-needed funds for new signings.

TEAMtalk have now suggested that Leeds have their eye on Ngamaleu, who predominantly plays on the left wing but can also operate from the right.

The report added that the Whites aren’t the only Premier League side monitoring the 26-year-old, with the likes of Brighton, Everton and Leicester also said to be interested.

Bye-bye Helder Costa

With just two top-flight goals all season, Costa has been nothing short of disappointing, and it’s been particularly frustrating for Bielsa, especially in recent weeks given that Raphinha has been out injured.

After a particularly disappointing display in the Premier League against Liverpool recently, former Leeds man Noel Whelan slammed the Portuguese ace.

He told Football Insider: “The one player that disappointed me was Helder Costa. Once again he was poor. There is something there that is not right because Poveda came on and did more in that short time than Costa did in the 60 minutes he was on the field.

“He is fourth in the pecking order in terms of wingers for me. Poveda has to come before him now. He plays it safe and he’s negative. For a player that cost £16m, I need to see a hell of a lot more from him. At least Poveda runs at people. He is positive and that is what a winger should do. Costa has been a massive flop. A real disappointment again.”

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It has been a telling sign that, in the last couple of games against Liverpool and Manchester United, Bielsa has even felt the need to turn to Ian Poveda midway through the second-half, someone who is only 21 and far less experienced than the former Wolves winger.

Costa has consistently flattered to impress, and given Leeds’ interest in Ngamaleu, it appears that this could be the perfect chance for Bielsa to wave goodbye to the £9m-rated disaster.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa must unshackle this Leeds maestro…

Windass expects Lamela exit this summer

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Erik Lamela’s days at Tottenham are numbered.

The Argentine was once Spurs’ record signing, but hasn’t ended up making the impact some thought he might make following his move from Roma eight years ago.

Whilst Lamela appeared a favourite of both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho, his constant injury problems have never quite allowed him to reach his full potential.

£80,000-a-week man Lamela has missed more than 130 matches through injury, 12 of which came earlier on in the campaign due to a calf problem.

He’s appeared in 14 of Tottenham’s last 15 Premier League fixtures, but he’s about to enter the final 12 months of his deal in north London, meaning Spurs might opt to cash-in to prevent him from leaving for nothing next summer.

And Windass told Football FanCast, that’s what he expects to happen:

“For a winger, he’s a brave winger because he puts his foot in. He’s got all of the quality in the world, you can see that, and Mourinho liked him.

“He played ahead of Gareth Bale, but I think his days will be over now.”

Wolves must axe Christian Herc this summer

If and when Jeff Shi leaves Wolves behind, he will be able to take a great deal of pride from his accomplishments in the Midlands.

Together with Nuno Santo, Fosun have taken the Old Gold to Europe and have developed some of the finest young talent in Europe along the way.

Shi has a very specific mantra; to sign and develop players for the future.

Diogo Jota is one of the biggest examples. He arrived from Atletico Madrid on a permanent basis in 2018 and after making a big impact in the Premier League, he earned a £41m move to Liverpool.

Another who could follow in his footsteps is Pedro Neto. The winger may be out for the best part of six months with a broken patella, but he has displayed very similar qualities to Jota and could join Manchester United in a £50m deal.

Hailing from Portugal, his nationality marks another trend at Wolves; signing Jorge Mendes clients.

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Another Mendes player on their books right now is Vitinha. The young midfielder was signed on loan from Porto this term and if Wolves have any sense, they’ll utilise his option to buy.

The 21-year-old has only started twice in the Premier League this season but as we saw in the U21 European Championships, he is a star in the making.

Consider Wolves also have Owen Otasowie in their ranks and the future certainly looks bright for their midfield.

However, because of those two players and the likes of Ruben Neves, it’s hard to see others getting a look in. You only need to factor in how few senior opportunities Morgan Gibbs-White has had down the years.

He is the crown jewel of their academy but has only featured on six occasions in the top-flight this season.

For players like Connor Ronan, on loan at Grasshopper in Switzerland and Christian Herc, the future doesn’t look too bright.

Herc has made an impact while enjoying a temporary stint in Slovakia with MFK Karvina this season, scoring six goals in 27 appearances from the middle of the park.

He is improving all the time and still has the dream of playing for the senior side.

“I have never played in England for the Wolves first-team, but that’s still the target,” the 6 foot 1 youngster revealed in an interview with the club’s media channels this week.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look likely. Now aged 22, Herc should have already made a breakthrough into the first team if he was good enough.

Instead, he’s never really received a look in at Molineux.

Herc has that wonderful knack of scoring goals from midfield but there are already so many players ahead of him in the pecking order.

Wolves should cut their losses in the transfer window and hand him a permanent exit. It’s harsh, but there isn’t a clear way into the first-team picture at Compton.

AND in other news, Wolves could sign big Silva upgrade in “outstanding” £71m gem with “excellent speed”…

Celtic: Hoops handed Kyle Joseph boost

Celtic have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Wigan Athletic forward Kyle Joseph.

The Lowdown: Hoops’ Joseph talks

Celtic were first linked with a move for Joseph back in January, with reports in March revealing the Hoops have since offered the 19-year-old a pre-contract.

However, Joseph, who is out of contract in a matter of months, is yet to pen pre-Parkhead terms like Sheffield Wednesday’s Liam Shaw has and his future remains up in the air.

Joseph’s talks with Celtic are yet to lead to an agreement, but it seems as if the Scotland Under-19 international could be the latest Latics starlet to leave the club.

The Latest: Joseph set to leave Wigan

According to The Telegraph, Joseph is ‘expected to leave when his contract ends’ – seven words that could be of huge significance in Celtic’s pursuit of the forward.

He’s netted five League One goals this season in 17 appearances, and should a move to Celtic materialise, the Hoops would have to pay around £300,000 in compensation.

Celtic are thought to be aiming to sign the top young talent ahead of the summer window despite the absence of a full-time manager, and it seems as if Joseph could follow Shaw to Scotland.

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The Verdict: A long-term Griffiths replacement?

In our opinion, Joseph could be a long-term replacement for current Hoops forward Leigh Griffiths.

Griffiths, 30, could end up being released by Celtic. The striker is waiting to hear from the Hoops regarding a potential 12-month extension, however, the deadline for the clause to be activated seems to have been and gone.

Should Griffiths end up leaving Parkhead, that could then allow Joseph to replace him in Glasgow, which in the long run, could prove to be a shrewd piece of business considering he wouldn’t cost them an official transfer fee.

In other news: Premier League club pull out of race to sign Kris Ajer, find out more here. 

Willock transfer boost for Newcastle

Mark Douglas has shared a big potential transfer boost for Newcastle United involving Joe Willock.

The Lowdown: Bruce wants Willock to stay

Speaking recently to talkSPORT, Steve Bruce has confirmed that the St. James’ Park faithful will be looking to sign Willock on a permanent deal after his loan spell from Arsenal ends in the summer window.

However, it is not a guarantee that Mikel Arteta’s team will want to let him go given how well he has performed so far in the North East.

The Latest: Potential Willock boost

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Douglas has shared that the Gunners are ‘open to offers’ for Willock, with a fee of £20m being cited to potentially lure him away from the Emirates Stadium.

Whether the Tyneside club would be willing to pay that kind of money is another question, but it does mean at least that the door is open.

The Verdict: Newcastle must buy Willock

Even if he is to cost as much as £20m, the Magpies should be looking to buy Willock permanently.

Not only has he been very impressive so far at the Toon, with no fewer than five goals scored in 11 games in total in the Premier League (Transfermarkt), but they would also be weakening a rival in the top flight.

Nonetheless, at just 21 years of age still, £20m could well turn out to be a snip whether he stays long-term or is sold on for profit in a few years time – this summer may present itself as the best opportunity that NUFC will ever have to sign him.

In other news, find out what claim has been dropped on the potential takeover after a big Mike Ashley development here!

Nat Phillips impressed for Liverpool

Liverpool jumped to fourth place in the Premier League table with an impressive 3-0 victory over Burnley on Wednesday night, significantly boosting their Champions League qualification hopes.

Although the scoreline was eventually convincing, Jurgen Klopp’s men struggled to get a foothold in the game after a fast start from their hosts, who were evidently keen to impress the 3000 home fans.

It could have been a much different outcome had New Zealand international striker Chris Wood finished a golden opportunity when he got in behind the Liverpool defence, but the Reds dug deep and eventually overcame their much-improved opponents.

A cool and composed Roberto Firmino finish just before half-time swung the game in the visitor’s favour, however, a far less celebrated member of the Liverpool side was the real hero in midweek.

Nat Phillips has been thrust into the limelight this season due to the season-ending injuries picked up by Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, and after a tough start to life in the top-flight, the 24-year-old has put in a string of improved performances in recent weeks.

None, though, were as impressive as his display last night. As per SofaScore, the centre-back recorded a rating of 8.9/10, the highest mark out of anyone on the Turf Moor pitch.

Phillips also won 13 of his 19 duels, made nine clearances, one of which was a goal-saving clearance off the line, and also had a passing accuracy of 79%. It was a solid, all-around performance from the Englishman who appears to be growing in stature week in week out.

To top off his fine evening’s work, Phillips popped up with his first senior Liverpool goal, crashing in a fine header to secure the three points and put the Anfield outfit one game away from securing their place in next season’s Champions League.

The result made it four consecutive league wins for Klopp’s charges, and after the 4-2 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United last week, the German manager was full of praise for Phillips and his defensive partner Rhys Williams.

“The concentration level (Phillips and Williams) showed (on Thursday) night again is immense, absolutely insane what they did there. Against this front four of United, it’s not easy,” Klopp said (via Liverpoolfc.com).

Liverpool are now sitting in fourth position in the Premier League standings, level on points with Leicester City but with a superior goal difference. Victory over Crystal Palace on the final day of the season should secure their return to Europe’s elite cup competition despite the odds being stacked against them for most of the season.

And, in other news…Asking price set: Edwards must act to sign Reds target with a pass accuracy of 87.1%

Liverpool fans love Henderson footage

A number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting with glee to footage of Jordan Henderson continuing his injury recovery.

The Reds have had a disastrous season in the injury department, with the centre-back situation particularly dire. Jurgen Klopp has had to make do without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip for many months, which has played a big part in their struggles during the campaign.

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Henderson has also been a noticeable absentee, with the captain not featuring since the 2-0 defeat at home to Everton back in February. The 30-year-old has been a huge loss, both in terms of quality and leadership, and he faces a race against time to be fit for Euro 2020 this summer.

However, footage has emerged of Henderson stepping up his recovery from his groin problem [via Watch LFC], working in the gym and returning to the training pitch.

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Liverpool fans love Henderson video

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the video, with much positivity in the air at seeing the captain step up his recovery.

“Missed this earlier! So excited to see Hendo again!!!”

Credit: @lfccxt

“Ahhhhh yeahhhhh”

Credit: @LFCSai7

“Captain fantastic”

Credit: @satriafaisal

“My idol”

Credit: @Cellextine72

“Nice to see the Cap on the road to recovery”

Credit: @red_klopp

“My captain”

Credit: @OJITRIPUOJI

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a world-renowned player with endless trophies. Find out who it is here.

Everton backed for right-back move

Former Everton star Michael Ball has told The Transfer Tavern that the club will have to pay through the nose to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons this summer.

The Toffees have been heavily linked with a potential summer move for the England U21 international.

Aarons has been in brilliant form for Norwich thus far this season, as the club have won the Championship title at a canter.

He has made 45 Championship appearances this season, scoring two goals and laying on five assists.

The Independent have reported that Everton are keen on a swoop, and that he would cost around £30m to sign this summer.

Ball believes that Carlo Ancelotti’s side have been tracking Aarons for some time, and will have to make a decision on whether they are willing to invest heavily to bring him in, as a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, or sign a budget option.

He told TT: “I think Everton have come quite strongly for Max Aarons. I feel they’ve probably been looking at Max Aarons for the last 18 months or so, wanted to bring him to the football club.

“Norwich, rightly so, want top dollar. Everton need to try to figure out how they’re going to prioritise that position and whether they’re going to look at a cheaper option for the next year or two years.”

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