Alasdair Gold reveals Mourinho will take a look at Luke Amos

According to Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold, Jose Mourinho is likely to “take a close look” at Tottenham’s Luke Amos.

What did he say?

Amos has played just the one senior game for Spurs, but was a regular for the U23s, playing 52 times. Back in the summer of 2018, after a comprehensive 4-1 victory over AS Roma in pre-season, Mauricio Pochettino waxed lyrical over the midfielder, claiming he “has a lot of quality”.

But since then, Amos has spent time out on loan, with him spending the current campaign at Loftus Road with QPR, where he has featured 26 times. And Gold has revealed that current Spurs manager Jose Mourinho may want to take a look at him when he returns.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

He said: “When it comes to younger players out on loan, Spurs will have to make decisions on the likes of Luke Amos, Jack Roles, George Marsh, Anthony Georgiou and Armando Shashoua.

“All but Shashoua have contracts until 2021. Mourinho is likely to take a close look at Amos who impressed Pochettino two summers ago and was handed his Premier League debut only to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury the next month which wrecked much of that season.”

Ruthless

Amidst the emergence of the likes of Troy Parrott and Oliver Skipp, it’s easy to forget Amos was also a Spurs starlet who seemed destined to break into the first-team back when Pochettino was in charge.

Sadly for him, that hasn’t been the case, and with his contract coming to an end in the summer of 2021, Spurs will have a major decision to make as Gold alludes to.

At 23, he can no longer really be considered a young starlet, and the window of opportunity for him to really make the grade in north London is rapidly closing.

The fact he still hasn’t really shown enough in his loan spells previously to warrant a chance in the Spurs squad says it all. Whilst it’s fine for Mourinho to want to give people a fresh opportunity, he really needs to be ruthless with Amos. There are certainly far younger, and perhaps even more promising players in the Spurs academy who are more deserving of his time and attention.

Meanwhile, Alasdair Gold has provided a major update on this AVB signing.

Liverpool fans discuss potential new deal for Harvey Elliott

After becoming the youngest ever player to feature in the Premier League when he came on as a substitute for Fulham back in May 2019, Harvey Elliott earned himself a high-profile move last summer to Liverpool.

The 17-year-old has since made seven first-team appearances for the reigning European champions, quite the achievement considering Jurgen Klopp’s side are trying to battle for the biggest titles on offer.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Whilst he has yet to score for the senior side, he has been a part of a couple of massive victories, not least the FA Cup triumph over Merseyside rivals Everton, and the astonishing EFL cup clash against Arsenal at Anfield.

Now, Football Insider claim the Reds have agreed terms with Elliott over a new three-year deal, and are expected to make an announcement in the coming months – it’s further claimed he will earn £20k-a-week, more than other youth team players at the club.

After hearing about the contract update on Elliott, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

Some Liverpool fans however seemed to be far more accepting of Elliott’s potential new deal, suggesting that he could be a “star in the making” under Klopp and that it’s “well deserved”.

As is always the case with youngsters and new contracts, the big concern for Klopp and co is to ensure that Elliott keeps his feet on the ground and doesn’t lose track of what should be most important to him so early on in his footballing career.

There have been countless examples of talented players falling by the wayside because they’ve been given too much too soon – someone like Ravel Morrison at Manchester United certainly springs to mind.

It will be up to the coaching staff and the support around Elliott to make sure he doesn’t head in that same way even with a bumper new contract.

Aston Villa: Fans reveal player they can’t wait to see next season

Many Aston Villa fans have revealed the players they think will have an improved season next term, with many selecting Wesley as the man they think will do better.

Much of Villa’s focus at present is on their Premier League future, currently sitting 19th in the league standings with football at a standstill due to the recent pandemic.

A lack of consistency has been key this season for the Claret and Blue, and Dean Smith has only seen a handful of players continue to impress.

Jack Grealish has arguably been the top performer at the club, but his future is very much a concern with the likes of Manchester United and Everton both linked with interest.

Arriving last summer to bolster Smith’s attack was Brazilian striker Wesley, but a recent injury has seen him miss out, despite gradually performing better and better as his adaptation to English football continued.

Looking ahead to next season, fans have revealed who they think will surprise next season and impress with many opting to choose the ex-Club Brugge man.

Reacting to a debate via social media account @VillaTilliDie, fans shared a few names:

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Villa discussion going on in the Vital Villa Forum! Click here to get involved!</p

Quiz: The Ultimate Newcastle United quiz

As Newcastle United’s projected takeover rumbles on, you could be forgiven as a Magpies fans for thinking that this is going to fall through at the eleventh hour with every man and his dog looking to derail the prospective new owners’ hopes of purchasing the club.

Only time will tell and from a personal note, it would be great to see another club with endless riches look to take on the old guard at the top of the Premier League, whilst also evoking memories of the mid-90s when Newcastle were arguably the most exciting team to watch in the country.

The St. James’ Park faithful deserve success; it’s certainly been long overdue.

In our latest Magpies quiz, we look back at the club’s history and have compiled a quick-fire 10 questions to see how knowledgable you supporters really are…

Chelsea: Julian Nagelsmann’s Timo Werner comments could hint at Liverpool hope

Timo Werner looked set to be joining Chelsea next season after a shock swoop earlier this month, but an update Julian Nagelsmann could send Blues fans crashing back to earth.

The RB Leipzig manager could have also handed Liverpool a boost in their fading hopes of signing the German star. In an interview with Sport1 (via Sportsmole), Nagelsmann has said he expects Werner to leave the club but nothing is set in stone just yet.

“The transfer is not fixed, you have to emphasise that,” he said on the Chelsea move. Frank Lampard’s side have activated the forward’s release clause and have agreed personal terms, but it seems there are still some dots left to be connected.

After months of speculation surrounding a potential Anfield move, Werner shocked the footballing world by agreeing terms with Chelsea (via BBC Sport). The man who admitted he wanted to play under Jurgen Klopp and felt he would be a ‘good fit’ for the Reds instead reportedly decided to join one of Liverpool’s Premier League rivals.

As a result, many Liverpool fans were naturally heartbroken whilst the Blues are rubbing their hands together as they await his arrival. But could a spanner have been tossed into the works following Nagelsmann’s latest comments?

It seems unlikely that Liverpool will be able to rectify any mistakes made along the way of this rollercoaster journey which has ultimately led to a dead end. The current financial climate in football has been tough on multiple clubs and the Reds may simply not have the funds to make the move happen.

Chelsea, however, have done brilliant business in coaxing Werner to London, with the transfer all but completely signed off. It will be a double heartbreak for Kopites if the move goes ahead but it seems like Lampard has done enough to get his man, despite Nagelsmann’s latest comments.

How do you feel about Nagelsmann’s update, Blues fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…

The New Lawn

Key information about The New Lawn

The New Lawn is one of the newer stadiums as it was built in 2006 and it now houses Forest Green Rovers. The ground itself is located in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire and is also one of the more eco-friendly stadiums out there.

Its maximum capacity is 5,140 but only 2,500 are seated. The New Lawn also has a pitch that measures 101 by 64 metres and is covered with natural grass with no undersoil heating installed nor a running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 4,836 was set on 3 January 2009 when Forest Green Rovers faced Derby County.

A history of The New Lawn

The New Lawn has been the home of Forest Green Rovers ever since it was built in 2006 but the club was originally settled at a ground called ‘The Lawn Ground’, which was also famously known as a place ‘at the top of the hill’, hence the club’s nickname ‘The Little Club On The Hill’.

But in 2003, the £3million project was authorised by the council and construction of a new stadium commenced on 3 May 2005. And this was despite much frowning and controversy due to the ground’s location which was on school playing fields. The New Lawn would be finished in 2006 and the first official game to be played there was a friendly clash against the England C team in September.

The ground now has various facilities to house 230 car parking places, three coach parking places and a total capacity of 5,140 across two seated stands – the main stand and another seated stand. However, the stadium is yet to be converted into an all-seater so 2,640 places are still in the standing area.

Interestingly enough, during the 2007/08 season, Forest Green Rovers would share The New Lawn with Gloucester City due to severe flooding to their own stadium but have since moved on. In one of their proudest moments, the ground was picked to be a part of the city of Bristol’s 2018 FIFA World Cup bid to act as a training ground facility in December 2009.

But now, The New Lawn is actually famous for its environmental and eco-friendly features and works. In June 2011, they began work on the pitch at the stadium to make it the first organic football pitch in the whole world and then, at the end of that very same year, they also installed 180 solar panels to the EESI stand to help the club generate its own electricity.

A year after, the first solar-powered robotic lawnmower was introduced on a football pitch for the first time in British football – they called it the Etesia robot mower or more commonly known as a ‘mow bot’. In August 2012, they also played a pre-season friendly game against Manchester United in aid of the Sustainability in Sport Foundation, another environmental cause.

Finally, The New Lawn hosted what is believed to be the world’s first-ever vegan football clash on 1 November 2014 in a Conference National game versus Lincoln City.

Tickets to watch Forest Green Rovers at The New Lawn

All tickets to watch Forest Green Rovers play at The New Lawn can be found on the club’s official website. There are three types of ticket available: premium seated, seated, and standing. The price won’t go up depending on the game and the most expensive adult ticket costs £25.

There are also season tickets that can be found on the aforementioned website. The adult season ticket in a premium seated category costs £425.

https://www.fgr.co.uk/ – Official website of Forest Green Rovers

Manchester United: Red Devils could miss out on Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish because of one shock twist

Manchester United could miss out on Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish because of one shocking development.

As far as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is concerned, Sancho and Grealish are his top targets this summer.

However, Manchester City’s European ban has been overturned by the Court of Arbitration following a successful appeal, and they could now enter the race to sign the pair in the summer.

Solskjaer has admitted transfer plans have gone out the window as the Red Devils are hellbent on reaching the top four.

To make matters even worse, City had been concerned a lack of European football could cost them dearly in the transfer market.

While they were still an attractive outfit under Pep Guardiola, the arch rivals are well aware of the benefits the Champions League can bring.

Now that the Citizens don’t have to worry about that problem anymore, they can turn their attention to some of the best players in the world.

Just like Solskjaer, Guardiola has been plotting a rebuild, and Sancho and Grealish could jump to the top of his list.

At one point it looked like plain sailing for Man United but now the future is unclear.

Realistically, City can afford any name at any price, thanks to the financial might of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Meanwhile, Ed Woodward has warned the club’s spending may be limited, which will no doubt raise some eyebrows as the transfer window approaches.

It will be a huge blow for Solskjaer if he misses out on Sancho again, as he has been pursuing the Dortmund star for over three years now, with seemingly no end in sight.

United fans, do you want Woodward to sign Sancho and Grealish? Let us know down below!

Sunderland: Stewart Donald reacts to Sammy Yu’s claim

Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has reacted to claims made by potential new owner Sammy Yu over his failure to respond to telephone calls.

With the 2019/20 season abruptly ended, Sunderland missed out on gaining promotion from League One for a second successive season, amid myriad rumours about a potential takeover bid.

Current owner Donald has made no secret of his desire to sell the Wearside club, revealing that he wanted out after just 19 months in charge.

One potential buyer for the club has been Chinese entrepreneur Sammy Yu, who claimed last week that his attempts to make contact with Donald had fallen on deaf ears.

Donald, who met with supporters on Thursday to discuss the club’s potential sale and other pressing matters, has now hit back at Yu via an interview with BBC Radio Newcastle, as quoted by Sunderland Echo.

“Sammy Yu came on to us a while ago and we were expecting an offer months ago from him. I know there’s been speculation on him, but as of yet no offer.

“We’ve tried to get back hold of him because we read the article and he said he’d get back to us.”

Yu is not the only potential new owner of Sunderland, with Mark Campbell also having been heavily linked in recent days and weeks.

As per Sunderland Echo, Donald also revealed his asking price for the club, which he confirmed was set at £37.5m.

At the present time it seem as if Donald is holding out for an offer which will ensure that he gets back what he paid for the club.

Sunderland fans may be uncertain which claim to be believe, with Donald and Yu seemingly contradicting one another’s accounts, although it certainly appears that any potential deal between the two parties has not got off to the best start.

Do you think Donald will sell Sunderland this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…

Celtic must steer clear of Ajeti amid transfer interest in 6 foot 3 colossus

Celtic could be sleepwalking into a disaster as they hone in on the loan signing of West Ham flop Albian Ajeti, even more so when there’s a far better option out there.

What’s the word?

According to German newspaper B. Z. Berlin, the Scottish champions are one of several clubs keen on Union striker Sebastian Andersson.

It’s claimed that the 6 foot 3 colossus has a release clause of just €5m (£4.5m), although there’s interest from the likes of Lille, who are looking to replace Victor Osimhen, recently-relegated Watford and Schalke 04, who have reportedly already engaged in talks.

They also hint that the decision is firmly with the 29-year-old to decide where his future lies – and staying in the capital isn’t out of the realms of possibility either.

Forget Ajeti

Sky Sports’ Anthony Joesph believes Ajeti will have a medical at Parkhead on Wednesday, which is a season-long loan with an £5m option to buy, but surely the SPFL giants are better off landing Andersson for that price?

The Swiss forward has struggled to adapt to the physicality in the Premier League despite playing in the Champions League for Basel and on the international stage in the past.

It’s not as if the Scottish top-flight is any less brutal – in fact, it’s probably even tougher, which only bolsters the claims for the Swedish battering ram instead.

The towering Berlin ace provided 13 goals and one assist in all competitions but more impressively, he won an average of 7.4 aerial duels per game, via WhoScored.

All 6 foot 5 of Kristoffer Ajer could only manage 3.3 per game in the Europa League this season.

Nick Hammond mustn’t flirt with making such a blunder over Ajeti – what is he going to offer that’s different to Odsonne Edouard or Leigh Griffiths? But in Andersson, the Hoops could have the second coming of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

AND in other news, Celtic eyeing summer raid for one of USA’s ‘golden generation’…

Marcel Brands can make amends at Everton with Lucas Ocampos swoop

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti probably has plenty of positions high on his agenda this summer but one role that shouldn’t be overlooked is out wide…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Toffees are interested in signing Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos after an impressive season in Spain.

It’s claimed that the Italian is aiming to revamp his midfield both centrally and out wide with both Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure potential targets too.

The reliable journalist claims the Argentine is an “exciting player” who the Merseyside outfit have long had an interest in – even under Marco Silva. He’s currently valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, so he won’t come cheap.

Brands amends

But if Everton truly want to launch an assault on those European places next season, it is names like Ocampos’ that they have to swoop in for.

Director of Football Marcel Brands produced a bit of a stinker last summer, splashing out a massive £34m on former Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi, who only delivered one goal in the Premier League all season.

Though this is a chance for the Dutchman to atone for his mistakes with Ocampos in another league to the Nigerian.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old has provided 18 goals and four assists whilst averaging 2.6 shots and 2.2 dribbles per game across the Spanish top-flight and the Europa League – the latter of which he has made the final for.

Ocampos is able to play anywhere along the front three too, so Ancelotti won’t be sort of uses for him. He’s pretty much the perfect all-round winger – pace to burn, dribbling skills and at 6 foot 3 a threat in the air, and from set-pieces.

He’s claimed to be playing with “confidence and swagger at the moment” which is something you won’t find in Ancelotti’s 12th-placed strugglers, therefore the Argentina international be the most welcome addition at Goodison Park.

AND in other news, Toffees could land an instant replacement for Djibril Sidibe…

Game
Register
Service
Bonus