Forget Leicester: Danny Drinkwater would be much better served opting for West Ham

According to a recent report from The Independent, Leicester City are interested in bringing midfielder Danny Drinkwater back to the club. The 28-year-old only left the King Power Stadium 12 months ago to sign for Premier League heavyweights Chelsea, yet the England international has found regular football hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, and as such could be on his way out of the club prior to today’s 5pm deadline.

Yet Crystal Palace and West Ham are also thought to be keen on the £18 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), who should forget about a return to Leicester, as he would be much better served opting for Manuel Pellegrini’s Hammers.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, while Drinkwater enjoyed the best spell of his career with the Foxes between 2012 and 2017, in which time he of course helped the club to the Premier League title, it’s difficult to see how he would fit into Claude Puel’s side given the number of options the Frenchman already has at his disposal.

Wilfred Ndidi has been something of a revelation since his move to the King Power Stadium last year, while Adrien Silva slowly but surely began to prove his worth in the middle of the park as last season went on. Add Vicente Iborra into the mix, and there’s huge competition for places in Puel’s midfield.

Thus, it’s far from certain that Drinkwater would command regular football at Leicester regardless of what he has achieved there before, and having spent the best part of a year having to make-do with sitting on the substitute’s bench, starting regularly will surely be of paramount importance to the 28-year-old.

And that is why a move to the London Stadium and West Ham should be of greater interest to the Chelsea midfielder, as the Hammers’ sale of Cheikhou Kouyate to Palace has left something of a hole in the centre of their midfield.

Yes, while the Senegal international was far from his best last season and struggled for form for the majority of the campaign, he did a reasonably solid job during his stint in East London to suggest that his presence in the middle of the park is likely to be missed.

And while Pellegrini has moved to bring in Jack Wilshere, and still has the likes of Pedro Obiang (albeit he has been linked with a move away) and Mark Noble still at the club, another accomplished central midfielder would certainly not go amiss – Drinkwater is one of those.

The 28-year-old was outstanding for Leicester in helping them win the title back in 2016, and indeed played a key part in helping them stave off relegation the season before under Nigel Pearson – there’s a reason he has earned three caps for England, and indeed a big money move to Chelsea last term.

Yes, things haven’t gone particularly well for Drinkwater at Stamford Bridge, but one mustn’t forget the player that helped Leicester achieve the unthinkable just a few years ago – he’d be ideal for West Ham.

But with the Foxes appearing to be well-stocked in the middle of the park, and the 28-year-old likely on the lookout for a greater guarantee of regular football, he should forget about Leicester and indeed opt for Pellegrini’s West Ham before this evening’s deadline.

West Ham and Leicester fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Leeds fans are desperate to sign Albert Adomah

Leeds United are interested in signing Aston Villa winger Albert Adomah according to The Birmingham Mail.

The 30-year-old finished as Villa’s top scorer last season with a return of 14 goals in the Championship.

According to the report, Adomah has been keen to discuss new terms with Villa this summer with only one year left on his current contract, but talks have not taken place.

This has reportedly opened the door for Leeds United and Middlesbrough to make a move for the prolific forward.

After a slow start to the transfer window, Leeds have brought in Patrick Bamford and Barry Douglas, as well as loan deals for Jamal Blackman, Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison.

With Adomah valued at £4.5million on Transfermarkt, the winger won’t come cheap for Marcelo Bielsa.

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Leeds fans have been reacting to the latest transfer rumours on social media and here’s a selection of what they’ve had to say about Albert Adomah.

Crafty Warnock cleverly gets under Newcastle’s skin

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock’s longstanding feud with Rafa Benítez is well renowned and has lasted over a decade, but the candid manager from Yorkshire has had another swipe at his Spanish counterpart in a very clever move. 

In a press conference, Warnock claimed that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was an easy target after the club’s summer spending debacle. This comes after Benítez has frequently questioned his board’s motives over the summer, which saw Newcastle come out with a £2om profit.

This was a very clever move to besmirch his rival, effectively questioning his quality as a manager. This will put the Champions League-winning manager under pressure when he heads to the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow lunchtime.

The Cardiff manager’s comments also will continue to create discontent amongst Newcastle fans, who have not hidden their dissatisfaction with Ashley this summer. These comments could potentially create a rift between The Magpies’ fans, loading pressure on Benítez’s position at the club.

Also, by effectively cozying up to the owner, Warnock could be eyeing a potential job in the northeast. Benítez may not hang around at a club that he feels offer him nothing financially, and they may go their separate ways. Comments like these will do Warnock a lot of favours, as he may be hoping to fill the void left if the Spaniard leaves.

Despite Warnock’s gamesmanship, Newcastle should still hope to overcome the newly promoted Cardiff, who are many people’s favourite to finish rock bottom this year. Despite what may seem out of control behind the scenes for Benítez, he can do his talking on the pitch.

Linking up with Rodgers at Celtic could be exactly what Ademola Lookman needs to kick-start career

Celtic supporters in the Transfer Tavern have been reasonably subdued in recent times after seeing their side only muster a 1-1 draw with Suduva in the first leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday night.

Brendan Rodgers’ men were demoted to Europe’s secondary competition after getting knocked out of the Champions League at the third qualifying round last week, and they have a bit of work to do next week at Parkhead if they are to reach the Europa League group stages. Oliver Ntcham’s header gave the Bhoys a third-minute lead in Lithuania only for Ovidijus Verbickas to equalise for the hosts just ten minutes later, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the return leg in Glasgow next Thursday.

As such, there are many satisfied yet unenthused Celtic fans up and down the country at present, with several believing that their side need to strengthen in the final week of the window, in what has so far been an underwhelming summer of business.

And one man who their club should absolutely seek to land this month is Everton outcast Ademola Lookman, valued at £10.8 million by Transfermarkt, as linking up with Rodgers could be exactly what the attacker needs to kick-start his career.

Ultimately, the 20-year-old has endured a testing time since moving to Everton back in January 2017, with just 24 senior appearances to show for his endeavours in the last 18 months or so.

In fact, the attacker instigated a loan move to RB Leipzig in the second half of last season, and although he hugely impressed with five goals and four assists for the Bundesliga club, new Toffees boss Marco Silva has yet to play him this term.

As such, it doesn’t appear as though Lookman is going to get much of a look-in at Goodison Park this season, yet the chance to work with Celtic boss Rodgers, who has always given young players a chance, could be exactly what the England Under-20 World Cup winner needs to get his career going again.

Clearly, his efforts for Leipzig last term suggest that, not only does the 20-year-old have huge potential, but he can also produce the goods in the present as well if given the chance to shine – Rodgers has proven throughout his managerial career that he is willing to give young players an opportunity.

And not only would a move to Parkhead benefit Lookman in his quest for regular football, but Celtic would surely reap the rewards from his arrival given just how well he did in the German top-flight earlier this year – he could seriously produce the goods in the Scottish Premiership.

Thus, with Lookman’s immediate prospects at Everton looking extremely bleak, it looks like he could be set for a move away before the August 31 deadline.

And with Rodgers proving to give young players a chance during his managerial stint, a move to Celtic could be in his best interests – a move from which the Bhoys themselves could also reap the rewards.

Celtic fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Areola the kind of long term ‘keeper Tottenham should be looking to sign

Tottenham made it three wins from three in the Premier League with an impressive victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

After a slow first-half, the Lilywhites came out firing, and Harry Kane netted his second goal of the season to open the scoring. Their lead was doubled two minutes later through Lucas Moura who swept home Christian Eriksen’s pass. The Brazilian raced clear ten minutes from time to add his second of the game and inflict Jose Mourinho’s biggest home defeat as manager.

While Spurs have made headlines on the field, captain Hugo Lloris has made them for all the wrong reasons. The France international was charged with drink driving earlier in the week but started in between the sticks against the Red Devils. Behind him, there is a lack of adequate cover that Pochettino should address in the January transfer window.

One man he could target is Paris St Germain goalkeeper – Alphonse Areola. Valued at £11.5m by Transfermarkt, the goalkeeper was a key player for the Parisians last season, making 34 appearances as PSG were crowned Ligue 1 champions. Areola may find game time limited this season following the signing of Gianluigi Buffon. Furthermore, his current deal at Parc des Princes expires next summer meaning clubs will be free to negotiate with the player directly in January.

If they fail to agree on new terms, Tottenham should look to take advantage. Still only 25-years-old, Areola is still improving and developing and would be an excellent long-term replacement for his countryman. The World Cup winner also averaged more saves per goal last season and had a much higher distribution accuracy than Lloris (Squawka).

If the price is right, it could be a great move from Pochettino.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

HYS: Who was Sheffield Wednesday’s signing of the summer?

Sheffield Wednesday were very quiet in the early stages of the transfer window due to a tricky embargo situation.

The Championship outfit eventually managed to bring in two new faces on loan before the market shut on August 31.

Michael Hector has penned a temporary deal for the season from Chelsea, where he has been since 2015.

The 26-year-old defender, who has been capped 19 times by Jamaica, has failed to grab a spot in the Blues’ team and despite being on their books for three years he has not made a single competitive appearance.

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Instead, Hector has had loan spells at Reading, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hull City, where he spent last season.

During his time at the Championship club, the defender made 38 appearances and contributed with one goal.

The other of Jos Luhukay’s signings is also experienced in the second tier having spent the 2017-18 campaign on loan at Aston Villa.

Josh Onomah featured 37 times for the Midlands outfit, scoring four goals and creating three assists.

The attacking midfielder came through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur and has made 32 appearances for them, but he is yet to hold down a place in the team.

The 21-year-old has moved to Hillsborough to gain more experience at a competitive level.

So, who out of the pair was Sheffield Wednesday’s best capture this summer?

Let us know by voting below.

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The Verdict: Arsenal’s Europa League draw

Unai Emery will hope to carry his fantastic record in the Europa League over to his Arsenal tenure, with Europe’s second competition representing arguably the north London outfit’s best chance of returning to the Champions League for 2019/20.

The draw took place on Friday and the Gunners have been handed an interesting group; while Qarabag and Vorskla shouldn’t cause them too many problems, Sporting Lisbon are always a decent side. Below, Football FanCast’s expert writers give their verdicts on where Arsenal will finish in Group E.

Christy Malyan – Runners Up

“Arsenal will be expected to win Group E with relative ease but it shouldn’t be forgotten that Emery is still learning about this team, especially the players on the fringes of it. A few suspect selection calls are likely and I think he’ll use the competition as a chance to experiment anyway, so there may be a few surprise draws instead of wins on the road. Also, Arsenal play Sporting at home just after they host Liverpool and the Portuguese club will be their main competitors for top spot. The need to balance out resources between Europe and the Premier League could see the Gunners slip up.” 

Ben Goodwin – Top

“Anything less than the top spot is a failure for Emery in this group. The Europa League is his competition, and his European success definitely will have influenced the Gunners’ decision to hire him. Portuguese football is nowhere near as good as it was ten or even five years ago, so Sporting CP shouldn’t be too much of a test, while the away trip to Qarabag is perhaps the one potential banana skin fixture.”

Will Jones – Top

“Barring a disaster, the Gunners should emerge victorious from Group E without too much trouble. Sporting will put up a good fight, and the away leg will certainly test Emery’s men, but the other opponents – Qarabag of Azerbaijan and Ukrainian side Vorskla – shouldn’t pose the north London outfit too many problems.

Not only will Arsenal be confident of topping this group, but these fixtures should offer Emery a great opportunity to use his squad to its fullest extent. Outings for the likes of Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos are likely.”

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James Beavis – Top

“Emery has proven in the past that he is a specialist in this competition, and I would be very surprised if Arsenal don’t finish at the summit of Group E. You would fancy the Gunners to take nine points out of nine at the Emirates Stadium, and while trips to Sporting Lisbon and Qarabag could prove to be tricky – the latter won 3-0 on their own turf in the second leg of their Europa League qualifying tie on Thursday – the former aren’t what they were after a tumultuous summer and shouldn’t be feared.”

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Liverpool fans call for more chances for Origi

Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting to a club tweet about Divock Origi, and it seems fans are desperate for Jürgen Klopp to give the youngster another chance.

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While it’s impossible to know without being behind the scenes, Klopp seems to be very stubborn once he makes up his mind about a player.

Origi was a Klopp favourite when he broke into the team in 2016, scoring a vital away goal at Borussia Dortmund, before grabbing two goals off the bench in a Premier League match against Stoke just three days later.

The 23 year-old has never been the same since the injury inflicted by Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori though, and Klopp seems dead set on keeping Dominic Solanke above the Belgian in the pecking order.

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Fans are calling for Origi to get some more chances though, as the club tweeted about the anniversary of his Reds’ debut.

Origi scored six Bundesliga goals with Wolfsburg last season, five more than Solanke managed for Liverpool.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

HYS: Will Everton regret loaning out Vlasic?

Everton have shown signs of progress since Marco Silva took charge as manager in the summer.

However, at the weekend they were on the losing end of a 3-1 scoreline at Goodison Park.

West Ham United arrived in Merseyside with the hope of ending a four-game losing run in the Premier League, and they managed to do so thanks to two goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and one from Marko Arnautovic.

Gylfi Sigurdsson managed to get on the scoresheet for Everton, but it was a disappointing display from the Toffees, who were favourites heading into it due to West Ham’s winless start the season.

Silva recruited plenty of new faces in the summer window, and one man he allowed to leave on loan was Nikola Vlasic, who joined CSKA Moscow for the 2018-19 campaign.

The attacking midfielder – valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt – has made just 19 appearances for Everton since moving to the club last year.

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In that time, Vlasic scored twice and registered one assist, but for CSKA he is getting much more time on the pitch.

The 20-year-old has played the full 90 minutes in three of four appearances for the Russian outfit, and in a recent 3-0 triumph over Ufa, he bagged himself an assist.

Given that Everton’s attacking options have been a bit threadbare of late, has Silva made the wrong decision by letting Vlasic leave?

Let us know by voting below.

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Newcastle fans stunned by bargain Fernandez

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been giving their verdict on the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, and they’re delighted with the form of Federico Fernandez.

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Newcastle fans were left frustrated by their transfer business once again this summer, but the late move for Fernandez is looking like a real bargain.

The ex-Swansea man joined to replace the injured Florian Lejeune, and Lejeune is now going to have one hell of a job getting back in the side.

Fernandez has been perhaps the Magpies’ best player so far this season, and he was fabulous again on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez’s side are still struggling to create chances, but the defence has looked solid for the most part, and Fernandez is even outperforming Jamaal Lascelles.

The 29 year-old only won two aerial duels during the 0-0 draw, but he made three tackles, four interceptions and a remarkable 11 clearances.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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