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Everton learn Dumfries price tag

An update has emerged on Everton target Denzel Dumfries, regarding PSV’s valuation of the defender.

What’s the talk?

According to Eindhoven Dagblad, via SportsLens, Everton transfer target Denzel Dumfries is available for a fee in the region of £12.8m (€15m) this summer as Eredivisie side PSV attempt to rake in as much as possible for their right-back.

The Toffees are reportedly interested in signing the Dutch international this summer as Rafa Benitez looks to strengthen his squad heading into next season.

Everton need him

Marcel Brands must sanction a deal to sign Dumfries this summer as the club need to bring in a new right-back to compete with Seamus Coleman. The Irishman turns 33 in October and struggled at times last season, averaging a disappointing WhoScored rating of 6.65 in 25 Premier League appearances under Carlo Ancelotti.

This shows that Benitez could upgrade his side by landing a younger right-back who is able to perform to a higher standard in the top-flight. Dumfries could be the perfect target due to his age, recent performances and his price tag.

In terms of his price, he could be a bargain for the Blues. Norwich chief Stuart Webber recently claimed that it would take an offer in excess of £35m to prize another Everton target, Max Aarons, away from Carrow Road this summer, more than double what PSV seemingly want for Dumfries.

The Dutchman averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.07 for club and country last term, including playing for his country at the European Championships. Aarons, meanwhile, averaged a score of 6.93 for Norwich in the Championship across 45 starts. Whilst that is still an impressive showing from the English defender, it does not warrant him being £20m more expensive than Dumfries.

The PSV man’s performances have also caught the eye of some ex-Everton stars too, with former Toffee Marcus Bent labelling him as a “terrific” talent and saying that fans would be delighted if he came through the door this summer.

He told Football FanCast:

“Speaking to Everton, they said he’s a terrific player, but clubs don’t sell their players when the Euros are on because they can put x number of pounds onto their player. Terrific, quick, pacey, he’s a rocket.

“If the club could get him on the back of what he’s done or whether they could attract him to Goodison is a different point entirely, but if you could get him, the fans would be elated.”

At the age of 25, Dumfries also has plenty of years left ahead of him in his career and could be the long-term successor for Coleman.

This is why Brands must sanction a bargain deal for the defender, as they need a player of his age and quality to come in at right-back.

AND in other news, “That was the disappointment” – Exclusive: Ball fires warning to Rafa on £18m-rated Everton ace…

Man Utd: Fans urge Anthony Martial to leave

A number of Manchester United fans have urged out-of-favour Anthony Martial to leave the club, following an update on his future by Fabrizio Romano.

The Frenchman’s Old Trafford career has never quite taken off in the manner that many predicted back in 2015 when he made a big-money move from Monaco. Martial famously scored on his debut against Liverpool but he has flattered to deceive too often since, despite his tally of 79 goals in 268 appearances for the club.

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The 26-year-old has fallen increasingly out of favour at United, starting just two Premier League games this season, and a January exit could be on the cards.

According to Romano on Twitter on Monday, Sevilla are keen on signing Martial after he informed Ralf Rangnick that he wants to leave next month, although his salary is proving to be an issue. The Red Devils interim boss has reportedly said: “I understand him but it should not only be in the interest of the player, it should also be in the interest of the club”.

Man United fans call for Martial to leave

These United fans reacted to the update on Twitter, with many keen to see the back of the enigmatic 26-year-old, who has netted just eight times in all competitions since the start of last season.

“It’s definitely in the interest of the club if he clears off”

Credit: @TomPatrick_

“Let him go… Same as Pogba if their head is not at 100% at United then their performances won’t be 100% and we only want and need players that give that week in and week out”

Credit: @Acro_ManUtd

“Quite sad but he’s flopped hard here. He’ll smash it in La Liga”

Credit: @FredFC__

“Martial is deadwood and he should stop talking about leaving like he will be missed, he’s been bad for a while now”

Credit: @easyrouge

“Martial has done gegenpressing in one training session and he can’t take it no more”

Credit: @JakeIntrovert

“Martial is finished, based on facts only”

Credit: @UTDGrey11

In other news, Romano has also provided an update on another rumoured United target. Find out who it is here.

Hammarby 1-2 Rangers B in Youth League

Lots of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing over some news involving their B team.

As per the official website of the Ibrox faithful, the side progressed into the next round of the UEFA Youth League after a 2-1 win away at Hammarby in Stockholm, giving them a 5-1 overall aggregate win after beating them 3-0 at home.

Robbie Ure and Ross McCausland were the players who scored for the Light Blues, as they will now play Septemvri of Bulgaria in the next round of the competition.

The B side have been progressing well since they were made, and their progress will be something that Steven Gerrard keeps his eye on as he looks to add some talented Academy players into his squad.

Nonetheless, it is good to see so many Teddy Bears supporters taking an interest in the youngsters and their results.

Rangers fans on Rangers B win

These Gers buzzed as the news of their win was shared on Twitter, with one RFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it is ‘smashing’:

“Brilliant lads. Very well done”

Credit: @BobSteele55

“Tremendous effort. You have done us proud lads”

Credit: @AlonsoMosley5

“Awesome boys get in. WATP”

Credit: @GregHalfTweets

“Outstanding result lads”

Credit: @rdie81

“Smashing result lads”

Credit: @BSodden

“Class result well done to everyone involved.”

Credit: @blue_queens11

In other news, find out why Gers are loving what this ‘class’ player has done here!

Wolves targeting Allan Saint-Maximin

Wolverhampton Wanderers are targeting the signing of Newcastle star Allan Saint-Maximin who could be available this summer.

The winger has been used a lot by manager Eddie Howe since he arrived, however, 90min.com understand there are concerns at the club over his salary demands.

As a result, at the right price he could be available to clubs, and Wolves are interested in him as a potential replacement for Adama Traore.

Traore is currently on loan at FC Barcelona, and even if that deal isn’t made permanent it’s unlikely he will have any future at Molineux.

Saint-Maximin is better than Traore

Saint-Maximin would be a perfect replacement for Traore. Once a fans favourite, he decided to leave Wolves to return to his boyhood club Barcelona and ultimately the West Midlands side have been unable to agree a new contract with him.

Since arriving at the Spanish giants in January, he has made 12 appearances and registered four assists. He might be living his dream playing for the club where he started out, but there’s no guarantee he will get a permanent move.

As for Saint-Maximin, he has been key in Newcastle’s fight for survival and would be a great addition at Wolves.

When you compare him against Traore this season he excels in a lot of areas. He has more goals and assists combined per 90 minutes at 0.32 compared to the Spaniard’s 0.20.

The number of shots on target he has per 90 minutes also betters Traore at 0.85 compared to 0.54.

Statistics clearly show that he would be an upgrade on Traore who is valued at £25.2m. Wolves will be hoping that Barcelona or at least someone else will be willing to pay that, then they can put any money made, towards a transfer for Saint-Maximin.

The Frenchman is valued at £28.8m, and if the Magpies want to get him off their wage budget, it probably won’t take much to lure him away.

He’s been described by pundit Gary Neville as “breathtaking” on his day, so this is a move that Wolves won’t want to miss out on.

IN other news: Wolves ‘definitely in the hunt’ for Sporting Lisbon’s Joao Palhinha…

Rangers could axe Wright for Kendouci

The January transfer window is past the halfway point and Rangers have been active, with a number of deals already being completed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Ibrox.

They have signed James Sands on an 18-month loan from New York City FC and pinned John Souttar down to a pre-contract agreement which will see him arrive in the summer.

Nathan Patterson has also been sold for a club-record transfer fee. The right-back has joined Premier League side Everton to continue his fledgling career.

With players coming in at Ibrox, van Bronckhorst may need to make some tough decisions on who stays in Glasgow, and Scott Wright could be axed from the Gers’ squad…

Finally axe Wright

The £5.6k-per-week dud could find himself on the way out if the club lands one of their targets. One player with whom Rangers have been linked is ES Setif midfielder Ahmed Kendouci – Algerian outlet DZ Foot has claimed that he is someone the Gers are monitoring this month.

The 22-year-old is a versatile player who could operate in a multitude of roles for Van Bronckhorst in the second half of the season. He is capable of playing on either wing, in the number 10 position and as a central or defensive midfielder, which means that he is not limited in terms of what he can offer.

Last season, Kendouci recorded 10 goals and 10 assists for Setif in 34 league matches, showcasing his ability to score and set up goals regularly. Whilst Wright predominantly plays off the right wing, the Algerian can play in his position whilst also offering the flexibility of being able to fill other roles, and that could make him more valuable than Wright.

Ross Wilson previously hailed the Ibrox youngster as “determined” but his hard work has not paid off yet in a Rangers shirt, as he has been unable to nail down a regular spot. He has only started five games across the Premiership and Europa League this season and has averaged a modest WhoScored rating of 6.59 in Europe, suggesting that Steven Gerrard and now Van Bronckhorst have not deemed him worthy of being a consistent starter for the Light Blues.

This is why Setif’s creative conductor Kendouci could come in and prove to be an upgrade on the 24-year-old. Not only is he more flexible positionally than Wright, his goalscoring and creation statistics last season suggest that he could also offer more quality on the ball in the final third.

AND in other news, Rangers headed for huge January blunder as Wilson lines up decision which would anger the fans…

West Ham fans erupt over Coufal news

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have erupted over big news on Vladimir Coufal.

As well as benefitting from the arrival of recruitment chief Rob Newman in a new Hammers transfer era, manager David Moyes is also eyeing a number of new contracts for his first team stars.

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Indeed, as explained by Claret & Hugh, West Ham have fresh deals for some key players in the pipeline, with Coufal, Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice linked to being offered fresh terms.

According to sources in Italy, Angelo Ogbonna could also sign a contract extension, but now some big news has emerged on Coufal’s situation specifically.

According to reporter Roshane Thomas of The Athletic, the Czech Republic star has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with the option to extend it by a further year.

The 29-year-old was crucial to Moyes last season, averaging the joint-most tackles per game for West Ham in the Premier League and marking himself out as a real fan favourite.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder that numerous Irons supporters have absolutely erupted on social media upon hearing of his contract extension – one even called it the “best news ever”.

Check out some of their best verdicts below.

West Ham fans erupt over big Coufal news…

“Best news of the week!”

Credit: @_samhowell

“SIUUUUUUUUUU”

Credit: @alex_cvb

“Absolutely MASSIVE news!!”

Credit: @dave_lapointe

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @morgzwhu

“This is absolutely superb news, well done Moyes and the board 👏🏻🔥⚒ Another step in the right direction”

Credit: @MartynHobbs12

“That’s big”

Credit: @conwhufc03

“Best news you’ll see today #GSBOUT irons irons irons”

Credit: @joehalford1990

“This is the best news ever”

Credit: @StefGoodridge

In other news: Reliable reporter says West Ham fans ‘should be excited’ by another development, find out more here.

Leeds: Dan James hopes thwarted

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has told Leeds United target Dan James that he’ll be remaining at Manchester United this summer, according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell. 

The lowdown

James was set to join Leeds in January 2019, back when he was still a Swansea City player, but that move collapsed.

The winger, though, has remained on the Whites’ shortlist because of ‘the way he plays’ – his willingness to work as hard without the ball as he does with it.

The £73million arrival in Manchester of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund may have raised Leeds’ hopes that a deal was possible, for it seemed to nudge James further down the pecking order.

James has made 73 appearances for the Red Devils since he joined ahead of the 2019/20 season, scoring nine goals and providing nine assists (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

James was ‘told earlier this month’ that he wouldn’t be granted a move away from Old Trafford during the transfer window. Solskjaer explained that the player was ‘fully in his plans’ for the season ahead.

Along with Leeds, Brighton and Hove Albion have been monitoring the Welshman, while Leicester City submitted what was described as a ‘tentative enquiry’.

Ultimately, though, any interest has been rebuffed and each club will have to look elsewhere if they want to add a winger to their ranks.

The verdict

Even if the two clubs could have reached an agreement, it’s unclear whether James would have been keen on the move. How much would it really have improved his playing prospects when Raphinha and Jack Harrison seemingly have those wide spots locked down?

Still, Leeds appear to have had alternative targets in mind anyway. Talks over a deal for Club Brugge’s Noa Lang are said to be ‘progressing well’.

Whoever comes in, Marcelo Bielsa is clearly chasing a young player who can provide backup to the aforementioned pair without a significant drop-off in quality.

In other news, Leeds have also been urged to strengthen this position.

Celtic: Ange must reinstate James McCarthy

Celtic will be aiming to extend their eight-game unbeaten run when they take on St Johnstone in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park this evening.

Ange Postecoglou’s charges have been in fine form in recent weeks, keeping their Europa League hopes alive while closing the gap on the Premiership leaders. The Hoops will turn their attention to the League Cup this weekend as they aim to topple the current holders at the national stadium.

Last season, Celtic ended the campaign trophyless for the first time since 2009/10, so the Glasgow giants will be desperate to put things right this time around, and the Premier Sports Cup is their first opportunity to do just that.

Postecoglou will also be desperate to get his hands on his first piece of silverware after arriving in Scotland in the summer, giving himself some extra time to complete his rebuilding job at Parkhead.

One way in which the 56-year-old may choose to exert some control over proceedings in what promises to be a highly-charged affair is to hand summer signing James McCarthy a rare start.

Time for Celtic to unleash McCarthy

The experienced midfielder has only featured from the off on three occasions this season after joining from Crystal Palace as a free agent, failing to showcase his true ability on each outing. However, on his day, the Republic of Ireland international can be a top-class operator in the middle of the park.

Injuries have disrupted a promising career, but McCarthy has often produced scintillating displays for both club and country, bringing guile to an action-packed engine room on many outings.

One such standout performance against Manchester City last year earned the praise of his former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, who lauded the £2.7m-rated maestro’s quality.

“I thought the action that he performed for our equalising goal (against City) on Saturday was quite incredible,” Hodgson gushed.

“To win the ball back that late in the game, to win a difficult challenge, to get himself back up on his feet and produce that pass, that was a real class act I thought. It just shows my faith in him as a class player was being rewarded.

“And his faith in himself and his determination to get back to that level of football, also being rewarded. He deserves an awful lot of credit,” concluded the former England manager.

McCarthy could have a similar impact for Postecoglou if the manager places his faith in the midfielder. The Hoops boss just needs to unleash him from the off for the first time since September and provide him with the platform to illustrate his credentials.

A squad-high average of 2.5 tackles per game at Palace in that 2019/20 campaign illustrates how effective the 31-year-old can be at breaking up play as well as contributing to goals, so today seems like the perfect day for him to return to a Celtic starting line-up.

In other news… Celtic handed huge injury boost ahead of semi-final clash, Postecoglou will be buzzing

Liverpool dealt Diogo Jota injury worry

Despite managing to pick up a comfortable 4-0 win against Arsenal in their latest Premier League game, Liverpool suffered another potential injury issue with one of their key players.

What’s the news?

During the match against Mikel Arteta’s side, Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota had to receive treatment after a collision with Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale shortly before being replaced by Takumi Minamino.

Speaking after the game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp revealed that Jota took “a proper knock against his knee.”

While there has been no confirmation on whether the injury is a serious one or not, Klopp and everyone else at the Merseyside club will undoubtedly be hoping that Jota will be able to make a quick recovery in time for Liverpool’s Champions League match against Porto to keep their winning streak going, especially with Roberto Firmino still out with a hamstring injury.

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As well as Firmino, Liverpool have a number of other senior players out injured at the moment such as Naby Keita, James Milner, Curtis Jones, Joe Gomez, Harvey Elliott and Andy Robertson, which makes it rather gutting timing for the supporters for Jota to pick up this knock.

Including his latest goal for the Reds against Arsenal, Jota has racked up a total of six strikes and two assists in 15 appearances across all competitions, showing how much of a useful attacking option he is for Klopp and the team.

In addition to that, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £40.5m via Transfermarkt, has managed to rack up an average of 2.2 shots per game and 1.5 key passes per game, highlighting how much of a threat he is on the pitch and why he could be such a loss if he sits out.

Moving forward, if the worst-case scenario were to come to fruition and Jota had to spend a period of time on the sidelines with the rest of his currently injured teammates, this would undoubtedly be a huge setback for the team, the fans, and Klopp, who would have to rely on the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to keep scoring on a regular basis just a matter of weeks before they head to AFCON.

With the duo scoring 18 goals between them in the Premier League this term, it’s safe to say that it would be a real disaster if either of them were to pick up an injury anytime soon.

In other news: FSG could finally secure Wijnaldum heir at LFC with “extraordinary” £81m-rated star – opinion

Is England’s Clash With Denmark A Safe Bet to Produce Euro 2020’s Top Scorer?

Euro 2020 has served up a couple of exciting semi-finals. Italy’s match with Spain looks fascinating, while England’s tie with Denmark is pretty eye-catching too.

The latter is England’s second consecutive major tournament semi-final, while the team has reached this stage without even conceding a goal. Then you have Denmark, who have been on an emotional journey through the competition.

However, another interesting side-plot relates to goalscorers. There are some intriguing odds on who could grab a crucial goal in the game, with a few names in the running for the coveted Golden Boot.

Sterling’s time?

UEFA.com details how Ronaldo and Schick are currently the tournament’s top scorers with five goals each. However, with Portugal and the Czech Republic now out, the path is clear for some other stars to try and claim the top spot.

One name that cannot be ruled out is of course Raheem Sterling. The England forward already has three and, at the time of writing, these England v Denmark betting odds state he is 5/1 to grab the first goal in the match. He is also 21/10 to score anytime in the semi-final, while there are even odds on him grabbing a hat-trick. The Man City star is 100/1 to score three.

It would not be a major surprise to see Sterling on the scoresheet. He has enjoyed a fine tournament, grabbing some crucial goals in the group stage and sending the country into a frenzy with the opener against Germany. His form has been there for all to see, so it may not be a shock if he adds to his tally.

Kane or Kasper?

Another England star who will surely have an eye on the top scorer rankings is the captain, Harry Kane.

The Spurs striker may have endured a slow start to the tournament, but he has burst into life in the knockout stages. His goal against the Germans settled nerves up and down the country, while he also grabbed two in the demolition of Ukraine. According to Betfair, he is 3/1 to open the scoring in the semi-final, while he is 11/10 to score at any point during the match.

Of course, the Danes have their own Golden Boot candidate as well. Kasper Dolberg scored twice in the side’s 4-0 victory over Wales, while he also grabbed another crucial goal in the win against the Czech Republic. Betfair states he is 9/1 to score first against England, as well as 7/2 to score anytime.

Real talking point

All in all, the semi-final between England and Denmark looks set to be a truly mouth-watering tie. There are many exciting elements, but the fact that several of the competition’s top forwards will feature is a real talking point.

Are Kane, Sterling and Dolberg safe bets to grab decisive goals or could another star rise to the occasion and write themselves into footballing folklore instead? Fans of both England and Denmark will be waiting with bated breath to find out. Not long now.

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