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According to The Express, Southampton have joined the hunt for Charlton’s Joe Aribo, with Arsenal and Manchester City also interested in handing the 22-year-old a chance in the Premier League.

The midfielder has been a vital cog in Lee Bowyer’s promotion-chasing Addicks side, scoring 10 goals and chalking up five assists in all competitions, although his contract expires this summer, meaning his current employers can do very little to stop him seeking pastures new.

A dynamic, pacey number 8, the London-born ace deserves the challenge of playing in the Championship at least, although he could do one better with any of the aforementioned top-flight sides.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has shown his willingness to trust younger players in the starting XI, just ask Yan Valery or Jan Bednarek for instance, and the opportunity to work under the former Leipzig boss is an exciting one.

But would Aribo be a good signing for the Saints? Football FanCast’s writers give their verdicts on whether he would be a smart addition below…

James Bayliss

“I know very little about Joe Aribo but I saw he was linked with Arsenal and Manchester City. If he’s available on a free transfer and he’s scoring from midfield it seems to me like a no-brainer in terms of risk.”

Why should Southampton be more like Dortmund? Find out in the video below…

Harry Sherlock

“Aribo has been linked with a number of top clubs in recent weeks and while that is not necessarily an indicator of quality, it is a promising sign for Southampton fans. He has yet to make the step up to Premier League level but there is nothing wrong with securing a free transfer and crossing your fingers. Southampton would have to do just that but, if it works, they could have the next Dele Alli on their hands.”

Billy Meyers

“There’s absolutely no danger in Southampton signing Joe Aribo. The Charlton man is a young English talent who will probably be worth a fortune if he finds his feet early and puts in some good performances. If that does happen, the Saints will be glad they took the plunge on a relatively unknown quantity. This is a wholly risk-free signing, and one that could merit a huge profit in a few years time.”

Is James Maddison the best England player right now not to have earned a single cap for the senior side? Most probably. The Leicester star has taken his game up a level since arriving from Norwich City and as one of the most gifted attacking midfielders in the Premier League, it remains a mystery why Gareth Southgate hasn’t yet called him up. Despite his lack of international recognition, Maddison is one of the most highly sought-after players in English football, and if reports are to be believed, he could well be gracing the Champions League next season with a move to Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham.

According to Football Insider, Spurs have made an approach to sign the 22-year-old and have been told it could take up to £60m to prise him away from the King Power Stadium this summer. In his debut season in the top-flight, Maddison registered seven goals and seven assists in 36 league games, and struck up a superb understanding with Jamie Vardy. Indeed, after the arrival of Brendan Rodgers as manager, the Englishman seemed to take his game up a level and it’s little surprise to see him being linked with a host of clubs.

Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, Maddison was even dubbed as the ‘next Dele Alli’ after bursting onto the scene at Coventry, and it was reported in 2016 that Spurs were very much interested in bringing the midfielder to north London, but that a move failed to materialise.

But with Christian Eriksen (according to Jaime Astrain of El Chiringuito via the Mirror) edging ever closer to the exit door, Maddison could be the ready-made replacement for the Danish playmaker. Someone with that ability to unlock packed defences with a cute pass but also with that eye for goal, the Leicester man has proven already he can cut it at Premier League level, and would no doubt relish the prospect of taking another step up with Spurs.

With Pochettino’s young core coming to the fore this season with a Champions League final to look forward to on Saturday, Maddison would seamlessly fit into the Lilywhites’ set-up. His mentality of constantly wanting to improve, the rise from lower league football like Alli, and that desire to work hard off the ball, are all things that the Spurs’ manager would enjoy working with.

Whilst trying to lure him away from the clutches of Leicester might take some doing, Spurs are in a glorious position to capitalise on what has been one of their best seasons in history. Convincing someone like Maddison to join will never be easier than what it could be this summer. And having already missed out on his signature before, Spurs will be left to rue it once more if they can’t finally get the job done now.

Spurs fans, would you back a big-money move for Maddison? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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According to an exclusive report from The Sun, Manchester United have told Romelu Lukaku that he is free to find a new club this summer with Inter Milan and Juventus keen to sign the forward.

What’s the word, then?

Well, despite not performing too badly in the 2018/19 campaign with 15 goals and four assists to his name, the Belgian international looks set for an Old Trafford exit after holding showdown talks with club officials.

The Red Devils have made it clear that the former Everton star will be sold if an offer in excess of £75m arrives. Lukaku has netted a respectable 42 goals in 96 games for the 20-time English top-flight champions, finding the back of the net roughly once every two games – but it appears his time at the club will now come to an end.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Everton closing in on cash windfall

Whilst the Anderlecht academy graduate certainly won’t be the beneficiary of this harsh transfer decision by United, his former club Everton certainly will be.

The Times reported earlier this month that the Toffees would be due a £5m cash injection if Lukaku left Old Trafford before the expiry of his contract, which is set to happen in 2022.

The chances of that financial windfall coming Everton’s way now looks to have increased massively after The Sun’s claim that United have told the Belgian he can leave the club, with Inter interested in his services as well as Juventus.

Having already bagged £75m for his services, and with the original deal containing an additional £15m in ‘easily achievable’ add-ons as reported by The Times, the Merseysiders unquestionably got the better of this deal with another £5m looking likely to land in their pockets.

It was an incredibly smart deal of hedge-betting; if Lukaku had gone on to be a success at United, Everton would have pocketed a maximum of £15million, but they’re now benefiting from his apparent struggles instead. Although his return to Goodison Park was short-lived, Lukaku’s 2017 exit also saw Wayne Rooney move the other way.

Everton only finished 12 points behind United in 2018/19 and managed to smash them 4-0 at Goodison Park towards the end of the season. With £5m under their belts and a summer of decent recruitment, the Toffees could get a lot closer to United next term than some people think.

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This summer is going to be massive for a whole host of European giants. From Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, a lot needs to be done. One club, though, that arguably needs the most work is Manchester United, and the fact that they’ve rejected a swap deal offer from Inter Milan that would see Romelu Lukaku and Ivan Perisic switch clubs is a good start.

The source that claims Inter Milan made that offer which Manchester United quickly rebuffed is Gazzetta dello Sport, via Calcio Mercato, and it’s easy enough to see why the Old Trafford hierarchy has turned their noses up. Perisic may have been a quality option a few years back, but now that he’s 30-years-old it would be a calamitous move to swap him for a striker who could bring in a massive transfer fee.

Even Ed Woodward has proved that he might have an ounce of sense in him somewhere, even if it the first we’ve seen of that. Romelu Lukaku likely won’t be staying on at the club, though, so Woodward still has work to do as he attempts to squeeze the best deal out of the big Belgian striker. It’s going well so far, though, as with Inter Milan keen and now aware that Perisic won’t cut it, they should be set to offer some respectable money soon.

You can read the Red Devils’ verdict on the Lukaku offer here:

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Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was reported that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be handed a new 12-month contract extension.

The England international spent almost the entirety of last year out with a cruciate ligament injury which he suffered in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Roma in 2017/18.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

He made his comeback as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield at the end of April, making just two appearances in total throughout the 2018/19 campaign as Liverpool won the Champions League.

A new 12-month extension would take Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at the club to 2023, and would also allow him to have the year back on his contract that he lost whilst recovering from injury.

The 25-year-old missed 366 days in total due to the cruciate injury, and it is a move that appears to have gone down well with some of the supporters – the former Arsenal man has become a real fans’ favourite at Anfield.

A few of them aren’t too happy, though.

Let’s take a look at some of the responses on Twitter…

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According to Sky Sports News, West Ham United have launched a £13m bid for Eibar midfielder Joan Jordan.

What’s the word, then?

Having already secured the signature of Pablo Fornals from Villarreal, West Ham are seemingly looking to raid La Liga once again for Jordan.

Indeed, according to Sky Sports News, the Hammers have made a £13m offer for the 24-year-old, although a similar bid has also arrived from Valencia.

In the current market, £13m does not go too far.

However, West Ham would be securing the services of an extremely talented player if they managed to lure Jordan to the London Stadium.

The fact that Jordan’s contract with Eibar expires next summer is one of the main reasons why his valuation is so low.

And the Hammers must not pass up the chance to secure the Spaniard, who would make a real difference to the team’s midfield next season.

What type of player is Jordan?

A well-balanced central midfielder, Jordan scored four times and contributed four assists in 36 La Liga appearances for Eibar last term.

Meanwhile, WhoScored credit the midfielder with a pass success rate of just over 83% in La Liga during the 2018-19 campaign.

There will be more glamorous signings in the Premier League this summer. However, few will be better value for money than Jordan if the deal goes through.

Fornals will turn out to be a wonderful player for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

And following the capture of the Spaniard with Jordan’s signing would be an excellent piece of business by the capital outfit.

Whilst clubs across Europe are threatening to overspend on average footballers, the Hammers are on the verge of sealing a real bargain.

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According to the Express, Manchester United are finding it difficult to offload the troublesome Alexis Sanchez this summer due to his non-existent form and huge wages.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Red Devils signed the Chile international back in January 2018, but he has endured a miserable 18 months at Old Trafford and has managed to score just five goals for the club.

He hit just two last term, all whilst raking in £25m-a-year; a figure that even the filthy rich Chinese clubs have turned up their noses at this summer.

Could United be in the hunt for an £85m blockbuster signing this summer? Check out the video below…

Sanchez has hit two goals already at the Copa America, somewhat showing that he still has talent, but it very much seems like his United career is over if the club can find anyone to take him off their hands.

Solskjaer’s hopes dashed, but what did he expect?

The former Arsenal man suffered four separate injuries in the 2018/19 campaign and missed a whopping 20 games in total.

Add in the fact he scored just twice and earns a reported £25m-a-year salary, and United were always going to struggle in their attempts to offload the 30-year-old this summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had reportedly hoped to get rid of players like Sanchez in order to bring in young, hungrier options, but it doesn’t look as if he will be able to offload his problematic No.7.

But what did United expect? Who would want to take the washed-up forward with his current injury problems, awful goal record and astronomical wages?

United have been kidding themselves if they thought they’d be able to find a buyer for their expensive flop – their failure to find a new home for him should come as no surprise.

Solskjaer was naive to think he’d be able to just cast the forward aside and use the funds to rebuild a team. Maybe it’s time for a change in approach and thinking about how to reintegrate the Chilean at Old Trafford.

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Manchester United are still in the hunt for Aaron Wan-Bissaka but fans don’t understand why the deal hasn’t been completed already.

The Daily Mail reported on Saturday that United officials have been locked in talks with Crystal Palace recently in an effort to secure a deal for the full-back.

Could United be in the hunt for an £85m blockbuster signing this summer? Check out the video below…

The paper reckon that the Old Trafford side are on the brink of concluding a £42.5m deal that will have significant add-ons attached.

Wan-Bissaka had a breakthrough year at Palace last season, making 35 Premier League appearances, impressing with his athletic and ambitious forward play as well as his robust defending – only Wilfred Ndidi and Idrissa Gueye made more successful tackles than him in the top flight in 2018/19.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hoping to usher in a new successful era at Old Trafford, the 21-year-old has the potential to breathe new life into the Red Devils’ play on the right flank.

Man United fans don’t understand why the transfer pursuit has turned into something of an extended saga, taking to Twitter this weekend to share their thoughts on the report…

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According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs chasing the signature of Jordan Hugill.

It’s no secret that the Whites could do with a fresh look up top after their struggles in front of goal cost them dearly last season.

Indeed, the Yorkshire outfit had the worst conversion rate in the division last term, and something needs to change on that front.

The 6 ft striker spent last season out on loan at Middlesbrough where he wasn’t too effective, scoring just six times for the Riverside outfit.

He has previously been a handy player in the Championship having scored 12 goals in the 2016/17 season, and his good performances at Preston earned him a £10m move to West Ham.

If he can reproduce the form he showed prior to joining the London club he could be a good signing, but that is no doubt a risk considering his struggles in recent campaigns.

Football FanCast’s writers have had a go at delivering their verdicts on whether or not Leeds should really be targeting for the Hammers outcast…

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Matt Dawson

“Hugill has had a turbulent few years after signing for West Ham but a move to Leeds could be exactly what he needs to kick start his career after a promising loan spell with Middlesbrough. However, the concerning thing for me about Hugill is his lack of goals and whether he can actually benefit Leeds, considering finishing the amount of chances they made was the biggest failing of Marcelo Bielsa’s side last season.

“The Whites had three members of their squad that scored double figures, but none scored more than 15, whilst Bamford found the net on nine occasions (Whoscored). With that in mind, I don’t think they’d be any better off by signing Hugill, who has never scored more than 12 times in a single Championship campaign. If they are to achieve promotion, they need to sign a striker with a far better record in front of goal. This is a move that Leeds should forget about.” 

Harry Sherlock

“Hugill simply isn’t very good. He hasn’t made any sort of impact at West Ham United and he wasn’t overly impressive on loan at Middlesbrough. His time at Preston was a little more productive – 30 goals in 114 games – but one still has to wonder why on earth the Hammers signed him. Leeds United are a club that should be chasing promotion next season after their play-offs near miss last term and Hugill isn’t going to be the man to take them into the Premier League. His goal record stinks and for  West Ham looked desperately out of his depth. Leeds should avoid him like the plague.”

Ben Goodwin

“After Patrick Bamford mustered a measly nine Championship goals last term, the last thing Leeds need is another inconsistent striker. Only once in his career has Hugill scored double-digit league goals in a season, and the 27 year-old is actually getting worse not better – he scored two fewer goals last season than in 2017/18, despite playing ten more matches, meaning his tally has now decreased from the previous season in each of the last two campaigns (Whoscored). Leeds should be looking to sign hungry players determined to progress who can, ideally, really hit their stride in the next few years when the Whites are hopefully in the Premier League. Hugill’s career seems to be going in the opposite direction to that.”

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The end may very well be near. After a series of underwhelming performances and that unsavoury exchange with the club’s supporters at Old Trafford, Paul Pogba’s career at Manchester United might just be over. For the second time.

Reports in recent weeks and months had suggested the Frenchman was perhaps angling for a move away, and now, after some comments from Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola, there appears to be no way back.

Speaking to The Times, Raiola confirmed that the France World Cup winner wants to leave the club this summer and that he was in the process of trying to arrange a move away for his client.

The report adds that Real Madrid are understood to be the 26-year-old’s preferred destination, although Juventus are also interested in securing his signature for next season.

After hearing the revelation, United fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the matter and there was certainly a sense that enough was enough when it came to Pogba’s future.

Red Devils supporters urged the club to get rid of him in order for the side to move forward, and simply wanted any interested teams to stump up the money they wanted.

Indeed, some fans pointed to the Frenchman’s “heart being elsewhere”, and said that it had reached a point of no return in respect to any chances of him potentially staying.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below: