Premier League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      West Ham identify former Arsenal star to replace Declan Rice who is Gunners’ top transfer target in the summer

      by

      WEST HAM are reportedly interested in signing Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.The Hammers are set to lose Declan Rice this summer, with Arsenal understood to be leading the race for the 24-year-old.
      Rice is expected to leave West Ham in the summerCredit: AFP
      The Hammers reportedly want to sign Guendouzi as his replacementCredit: Getty
      And according to The Athletic, David Moyes and his team have set their sights on former Gunner Guendouzi as the midfielder’s potential replacement.
      The Frenchman spent four years with Arsenal after joining from FC Lorient in 2018.
      He scored once in 82 appearances before leaving North London to join Marseille on a permanent transfer last summer.
      Guendouzi has registered five goals and five assists in 40 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants so far this season.
      Read More on Arsenal
      And his fine form has attracted interest from multiple Premier League clubs.
      Aston Villa are also understood to be considering a swoop for Guendouzi.
      Villa boss Unai Emery, who signed Guendouzi when he became manager of Arsenal in 2018, is eager to reunite with the midfielder.
      Marseille have already lined up a replacement for the Frenchman, who is expected to leave when the summer transfer window opens.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      The Olympians want to sign Chelsea loanee Denis Zakaria from Juventus.
      The Swiss international joined the Blues from Juve in the summer on a temporary deal with an option to buy, but the club is unlikely to trigger the purchase option. More

    • 213 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer sends brutal message to Man Utd striker following West Ham defeat

      by

      NEWCASTLE legend Alan Shearer believes Anthony Martial is “not good enough” to play for Manchester United.The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Sunday, just three days after losing to Brighton.
      Martial made an appearance off the bench as United suffered a 1-0 defeat to West HamCredit: Getty
      Shearer believes the Frenchman is “not good enough” to play for UnitedCredit: Alamy
      Martial made an appearance in both games, but he struggled to make an impact.
      And fans have grown increasingly frustrated with him as a result.
      The Frenchman has received heavy criticism from supporters and pundits in recent weeks.
      And Shearer, who is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, took a swipe at him following Sunday’s game.
      Read More on Man Utd
      When appearing on Premier League Productions, he said: “Anthony Martial has had enough time at Manchester United.
      “You don’t need to make any big decision on him because I think the decision has already been made or it should already have been made.
      “He’s been there long enough, he’s had enough chances. He’s not good enough to take Man United to where they want to be.
      “If he was good enough he would be starting on a regular basis and he would be scoring goals.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      “He’s had his time and it hasn’t worked for him, that’s my opinion.”
      Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright shared a similar view.
      He added: “With all due respect to Martial, if you’ve got Wout Weghorst starting in front of you, you’ve got a problem.”
      Martial is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer as Erik ten Hag looks to overhaul his squad.
      The United boss has reportedly prioritised signing a new striker this summer, with Harry Kane being heavily linked with a move.
      Kane is unlikely to sign a new contract with Tottenham and United are said to be willing to offer him a lucrative deal in an attempt to lure him to the club. More

    • 225 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Supercomputer predicts how top four will finish with Man Utd and Liverpool locked in classic Premier League battle

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool are locked in a classic top four battle as the season speeds towards its conclusion.The Red Devils had been cruising towards Champions League qualification under Erik ten Hag.
      Manchester United lost 1-0 to West Ham last nightCredit: Rex
      Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have won five games in a rowCredit: PA
      But back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Brighton and West Ham have seen Liverpool roar back into the frame.
      Jurgen Klopp’s men have won five games on the bounce since drawing 2-2 with Arsenal last month – building momentum at exactly the right time of the season.
      Over at FiveThirtyEight, boffins and brainiacs use data to predict how the rest of the season will unfold.
      And they reckon that Liverpool have given themselves too much to do in the closing weeks of the season.
      Read More Football Stories
      The Reds currently trail Man United by just one point, but Ten Hag’s side possess what could be a crucial game in hand.
      Liverpool’s run-in appears favourable on paper, with trips to struggling Leicester and Southampton sandwiching an Anfield clash with Aston Villa.
      United, meanwhile, host Wolves next time out before a trip to Bournemouth.
      Then comes their game in hand, an Old Trafford assignment with Chelsea, before another home match against Fulham.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK

      FiveThirtyEight’s prediction has United to win two and draw two of their remaining matches to finish on 71 points, and Liverpool to win two and lose one to finish on 68.
      Should it come down to goal different the Merseysiders will be favoured, with Klopp’s side currently on +25 and United on a comparatively paltry plus eight.
      Elsewhere in the table, the supercomputer backs Manchester City to beat Arsenal to the Premier League title by four points.
      While it reckons Brighton will grab the second Europa League spot ahead of Tottenham – with Spurs qualifying for the Europa Conference League over Aston Villa.
      At the bottom, it backs Nottingham Forest to leapfrog Leeds United into the safety of 17th – with Sam Allardyce’s men to be relegated alongside Everton and Southampton.
      Leeds have been tipped for the drop under Big SamCredit: Getty More

    • 213 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal want transfer for ANOTHER former Man City ace after taking Jesus and Zinchenko from title rivals

      by

      ARSENAL want to sign Ferran Torres from Barcelona, according to reports.Torres, 23, joined the La Liga giants in a £55million transfer from Manchester City in December 2021.
      Arsenal are interested in signing TorresCredit: Getty
      Upon his arrival at the Nou Camp, a huge £842m release clause was inserted into his five-and-a-half-year contract.
      However, Barcelona are expected to put the striker up for sale when the summer transfer window opens in order to raise funds for the potential return of club legend Lionel Messi.
      And they will accept far less than his release clause.
      According to TalkSPORT, Arsenal are considering a swoop for Torres.
      Read More on Arsenal
      Mikel Arteta is said to be a long-standing admirer of the Spaniard and he is keen to add him to his ranks this summer.
      But the Gunners will face competition from Aston Villa for his signature.
      Torres spent 16 months with City before joining Barcelona.
      During his time at the Etihad he scored 16 goals in 43 appearances and won a Premier League title.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Arsenal raided the Cityzens last summer, signing both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
      Both players have significantly bolstered the squad this season, with the Gunners battling for the Premier League title. More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      ‘I knew I was dead’ – Ex-Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri opens up on moment he realised Roman Abramovich would sack him

      by

      CLAUDIO RANIERI has revealed the moment that he knew he would be sacked as Chelsea boss.The Italian managed the Blues between 2000 and 2004 and spent three years building the team before the club was bought by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003.
      Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 when Claudio Ranieri was managerCredit: AFP
      The Italian argued that Abramovich did not demand instant successCredit: Alamy
      But Ranieri knew would lose the Chelsea job after Peter Kenyon’s first interviewCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The chief executive Peter Kenyon expected more from the teamCredit: Getty
      Ranieri, 71, was given a large transfer budget to further invest in the team by Abramovich and he spent £120million on the likes of Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole, Glen Johnson, Claude Makelele as well as Argentine duo Juan Sebastian Veron and Hernan Crespo.
      The transfers worked as Chelsea improved on their previous Premier League finish of 4th to 2nd.
      Ranieri also led the club to the Champions League semi-finals but missed out on the final after losing to Ligue 1 side Monaco.
      When he was hired, he insisted that Abramovich had not demanded trophies and only for him to “build a team”.
      READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS
      Despite the success of the season, there was continuous speculation over his job security.
      And this was fuelled by Chelsea’s chief executive at the time Peter Kenyon.
      He had suggested that if the club did not win anything in that season it would be viewed as a failure.
      Which seemed harsh considering the Premier League title went to the Arsenal Invincibles and the Champions League was picked up by Jose Mourinho’s exciting Porto side.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      And this is when Ranieri realised that he would not last in the role.
      He told Paramount+: “When Peter Kenyon made the first interview I said to myself, ‘finished Claudio, you are dead’.
      “He has said, ‘if Claudio does not win any title it is a disaster.
      “I said, ‘why’, Roman never asked me something like this in the first year.”
      The club held talks with England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson but he stayed at his post with the national side.
      And after Ranieri was relieved of his duties in May 2004, Mourinho was handed the job.
      Kenyon, 69, was also interviewed, argued that life was “easy” with Ranieri but a decision on his future was quickly made.
      He had held a similar role at Manchester United for the previous six years and worked closely with legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
      Sven Goran Eriksson was widely linked with the Chelsea jobCredit: AFP
      Jose Mourinho was hired in 2004 after Ranieri was sackedCredit: AFP
      During this time the Red Devils won a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble in 1999.
      He said: “Claudio is a very nice guy and you will have an easy life.
      “I never had an easy life with Sir Alex.
      “We took the decision early on, that we will make a change and we will only make the change, when we have found the right person.”
      Mourinho went on to win the Premier League twice in two seasons before being sacked in 2007.
      Ranieri continues to manage to this day after spells in Spain, France, England and even in international football with Greece.
      Read More on The Sun
      He managed to win the Premier League title in 2016 after a miracle season with Leicester City.
      The Italian is currently coaching Serie B side Cagliari chasing promotion back to the top flight in Italy.
      Ranieri did go on to win the Premier League with Leicester CityCredit: The Times More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      I’m a former Premier League owner… people said I shouldn’t interfere in the manager’s decisions, but it’s my money

      by

      FORMER Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has defended his controversial interference in the club during Sven-Goran Eriksson’s year in charge. The businessman controlled City for only one season before the Khaldoon Al Mubarak 2008 takeover changed the club forever.
      Former Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra with manager Sven-Goran Eriksson during their time together at the clubCredit: AFP – Getty
      Long before the days of Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland, City were a mid-table Premier League outfit who Shinawatra looked to improve.
      But his short reign saw him clash with Eriksson during several turbulent months.
      The power struggle with the former England manager got so toxic that Shinawatra once sang The Clash’s ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ in Eriksson’s direction before he sacked him the next morning.
      The Swedish boss took charge of City in 2007 and quickly recruited a bunch of new stars to energise the squad.
      READ MORE PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS
      The signings settled in quickly with Eriksson’s side beating rivals Manchester United to go top of the table after three games.
      City’s form would begin to stumble in the second-half of the season as speculation grew over their manager’s position.
      Fans had even began bringing “Save Sven” banners to the Etihad as they looked to back their boss.
      Speaking in Paramount+ documentary Fever Pitch, which reflects on the Premier League’s earlier years, Shinawatra said: “The performance of the club was getting worse.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      “I talked to the players in the dressing room. They needed moral boosting.
      “It felt like [Eriksson] was getting annoyed that I was getting more [involved]. The tradition is that the owner should not get involved in the manager.
      “But it’s my money. I invest so why should I not say anything.”
      Eriksson was eventually sacked at the end of the season after a shock 8-1 defeat to Middlesborough on the final day of the season.
      But he had taken the club to their joint-highest Prem points total and managed to qualify them for Europe.
      Before his dismissal, Eriksson, the coaching staff and the players joined the owner on a post-season trip to his native Thailand, where Shinawatra had previously served as Prime Minister.
      It led to a bizarre scenario where the businessman sang about Eriksson’s potential firing during a karaoke session.
      The former Man City manager said: “During the late hours he took the microphone and came to the table where the coaches were sitting.
      “And he started to sing ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’. I couldn’t believe it. I [thought] I might be dreaming.” More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Aubameyang ‘keen to terminate Chelsea deal’ a year early after disaster transfer and take big pay-cut with former club

      by

      CHELSEA striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is keen to terminate his contract prematurely so that he can return to Barcelona, according to reports.The 33-year-old joined Chelsea in a £10million transfer from the La Liga giants in September, but he has struggled to establish himself as a regular first team starter.
      Aubameyang wants to terminate his Chelsea contractCredit: EPA
      He has been limited to just 21 appearances across all competitions this season having fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge.
      And according to Spanish outlet Sport, he is subsequently eager to terminate his contract.
      Aubameyang wants leave Chelsea so that he can return to Barcelona when the summer transfer window opens.
      However, the La Liga leaders will have to manage their financial issues before facilitating another move for the striker.
      Read More on Chelsea
      Barcelona need to make up a financial deficit by selling several players, meaning they will struggle to buy new players unless the adequate funds are found.
      Should Aubameyang become a free agent he will be able to join for nothing, although he will likely have to accept a huge pay cut.
      The striker joined Barcelona at the beginning of 2022 after his Arsenal contract was terminated due to a series of disciplinary issues.
      He scored 13 goals in 24 appearances in Spain, but he fell down the pecking order after Robert Lewandowski joined the club.
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Aubameyang is not the only Chelsea player that has been linked with a move to Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window.
      Xavi is also said to be plotting a move for N’Golo Kante.
      The Frenchman’s contract expires next month, so as things stand he will become a free agent in July. More

    • 225 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Former Man Utd and England star looks unrecognisable as he hangs out with James Milner at golf event

      by

      LEEDS UNITED fans were left stunned last summer as James Milner shared a snap of himself alongside another former Elland Road favourite.The Liverpool star, 37, was taking part in the Icons Golf Series at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, USA in June when he got reacquainted with the now unrecognisable ex-Premier League ace.
      A Leeds legend looked unrecognisable as he posed alongside James Milner last yearCredit: Twitter: @OneLeedsFC
      And after posing together for a selfie on the golf course in their attire, it took some supporters quite a while to realise who the now tanned and bearded ace was alongside Milner.
      One wrote: “Took a while for me to even recognise them. Think it’s the hats, they just look like a couple of American ‘park rangers’ in those get ups.”
      It was, of course, Alan Smith, the former striker who burst onto the scene for Leeds with a debut goal at Liverpool and went on to help them reach the Champions League semi-final.
      “Looking great Smudge ! The other lad don’t look too bad either,” commented one fan.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL
      Another wrote: “Smith… wow. He looks better than ever!”
      As another said: “Looking healthy Smithy.”
      Smith, who won 19 England caps and scored one goal, started his career at Leeds and scored three minutes after coming off the bench for his debut aged 18 at Anfield to help seal a 3-1 victory.
      He continued to thrive alongside young stars such as Lee Bowyer, Jonathan Woodgate and Rio Ferdinand and played a huge role in their run to the last-four of the Champions League in 2001.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      Alan Smith was a huge favourite with the Elland Road faithfulCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      But as money issues began to engulf the club, a host of big names were sold off and he was part of the last Leeds side that was relegated from the Premier League back in 2004.
      He famously burst into tears and kissed the badge on his shirt after the drop was confirmed against Bolton, but he infuriated fans weeks later when he controversially signed for rivals Manchester United for £7million.
      Smith spent three years at Old Trafford during an injury-hit spell and collected a Premier League title there. 
      He suffered a broken leg and a dislocated ankle when blocking the Liverpool defender John Arne Riise’s shot during a FA Cup fifth-round clash against Liverpool at Anfield in 2006.
      Sir Alex Ferguson described the incident – which left Smith with “about ten pins” in his ankle – as one of the worst injuries he had seen.
      Smith, now 42, made his comeback for United seven months after the horrific injury and then went on to enjoy a five-year stint at Newcastle, making 84 top-flight appearances.
      In 2012, after transforming into a midfielder, he started to drop down the divisions with MK Dons and then Notts County.
      After retiring following his release from the then League Two Notts County, where he also had a spell as caretaker manager, he applied for a US visa so that he could move to Florida in his quest to coach youngsters.
      Read More on The Sun
      Smith’s dream of coaching in America eventually came true with XL Soccer Academy in Orlando – where he serves as Academy Director.
      Meanwhile Milner, who grew up a Leeds fan, also came through the club’s academy and made his breakthrough into the first-team in 2002, spending two years playing with Smith.
      Alan Smith kissed the Leeds badge after the club were relegated in 2004Credit: Getty
      Just weeks later he joined bitter rivals Man Utd as he signed for Sir Alex FergusonCredit: Getty More