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Farhad Moshiri must sanction Marcel Brands’ new contract after Carlo Ancelotti praised Everton’s Director of Football for his role in Abdoulaye Docuoure’s summer arrival.

What’s the word?

In quotes shared by the Liverpool Echo, Ancelotti has thanked Brands for suggesting the Toffees made efforts to sign Doucoure from Watford ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The Italian tactician had sought to add an energetic presence in the engine room who could partner Allan, but saw efforts to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg thrown out of the window after he made it clear he wished to leave Southampton for Tottenham Hotspur.

Brands presented Doucoure to Ancelotti as an alternative to Hojbjerg, having tried to sign the Frenchman for the past two years and he eventually sealed a £20m deal in September, following the Hornets’ relegation to the Championship.

Ancelotti has been amazed by Doucoure’s performances at Goodison Park since his arrival on a three-year contract, which is now noted to feature an option to extend by a further 12-months that either Everton can activate or is triggered by a set number of appearances.

“When we started to talk about the transfer window, Doucoure was on the list of the club,” Ancelotti said. “He was not on my list, but we talked together and we both agreed to sign him.

“I think it was, after six months, a really fantastic signing because Doucoure is playing really well. Doucoure is really good physically and he’s able to recover really fast, really quick.

“He doesn’t show problems with his physical condition. He has played a lot of games, but he is still really good, fresh, and has no problems at all.”

Get Brands signed up

Everton’s majority shareholder Moshiri should take note of Ancelotti’s praise for Brands’ role in Doucoure’s move to Goodison Park, as it shows the calibre of players that the Italian and Dutchman can sign when working together.

Doucoure has played more minutes in the Premier League this season (1,983) than any of other Toffees player, along with a joint team-high 41 successful tackles, second-most interceptions (29) and fourth-most key passes (18) at Goodison Park, per WhoScored.

Brands is expected to pen a new deal with his current £2m-a-season contract up at the end of May, but it has previously been speculated that Moshiri could wait until those terms expire before making a final decision on his continued role.

The 58-year-old has been a vitally important cog in the Toffees system since his arrival in the summer of 2018, with the former PSV Eindhoven figure in charge of Everton’s strategy across the first-team to the academy.

He also sits on the Blues board and Chief Executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale stated upon his promotion that Brands would work on delivering a long-term vision that has clearly worked wonders given the players signed in the past two years.

Ancelotti has previously commented on the “beautiful relationship” he shares with Brands and that Everton would only make signings if there was a total agreement between the pair, while also describing the Dutchman as an “important” part of the club.

So, Moshiri not giving his signature to a new contract could prove very detrimental to the long-term picture on Merseyside, and prevent Everton from signing players like Doucoure again in the future.

AND in other news, a £16m-rated enforcer is open to a summer transfer following Everton’s interest…

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Jamie Vardy is suffering without James Maddison, but has still tipped Leicester to finish second.

Vardy has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, but hasn’t found the net since Maddison suffered a hip problem against Aston Villa last month.

Leicester themselves have picked up just four points from their three Premier League games since winning at Villa Park, and were dumped out of the Europa League by Slavia Prague.

Their injury problems went from bad to worse when both Jonny Evans and Harvey Barnes were forced off against Arsenal earlier this month – with the latter expected to be ruled out for at least six weeks following knee surgery.

But Windass believes that Leicester, who lie in third just one point below Manchester United, will avoid a repeat of last season when they collapsed post-lockdown to finish fifth.

He told Football FanCast:

“We’re talking about Vardy, Maddison and Barnes. Two out of the three are injured. Yes, Iheanacho scored a wonderful goal against Burnley, but is he going to get you another six or seven goals? I’m not so sure. Maddison is a big miss for Vardy.

“I always had a midfield player or a winger that if they didn’t play, I didn’t get as many chances, and I think that Jamie Vardy will be thinking, ‘come on Maddo, get fit please, quickly’. Nine times out of ten, Vardy’s goals come from Maddison.

“But it’s a definite that they’ll get in the top-four, I actually think they’ll get in the top-two.”

Maddison and Vardy have struck up an excellent partnership since the former joined from Norwich almost three years ago, and as Windass says, the striker isn’t the same without Maddison behind him.

The pair have combined on a number occasions in recent years, and the quicker Maddison returns, the better Leicester’s chances are of finishing in the top-four.

Signing number one is already through the door for Celtic. On Wednesday afternoon it was confirmed that Liam Shaw would be a Hoops player next term after agreeing on a pre-contract.

Though, they cannot rest on their laurels now.

What’s the word?

This week Airdrie boss Ian Murray had some exciting news for Celtic supporters, confirming that young winger Thomas Robert had spent the last two weeks undergoing a trial at Lennoxtown.

Son of former Newcastle hero, Thomas Robert, the 20-year-old’s stint in Glasgow was a successful one.

In quotes supplied by the Daily Record, Murray said: “I can provide clarity on Thomas being in with Celtic and training with them.

“It’s brilliant for him personally and brilliant for the club because it shows that we are doing something right. It was a no-brainer to let him go on trial with Celtic. It was a chance for Thomas to showcase himself and train with top level players and coaches.”

The Bhoys were first linked with a move for Robert back in December. He has since attracted admirers from Rangers, Aberdeen and Dundee United too.

The youngster is out of contract in the summer so Nick Hammond has a great chance of securing his signature permanently.

Bye-bye Christie

Celtic have made a phenomenal effort in the last few weeks to snap up young talent. Shaw’s imminent arrival testifies that, while attempts are being made to tie down Wigan forward Kyle Joseph.

Robert is the latest player in a long list of potential arrivals, therefore.

However, as exciting as this move would be, it could be bad news for a certain Ryan Christie.

The winger has had a disastrous season at Parkhead, scoring just five times compared to the 20 he netted last term. His performances have been dwindling for a while now; scoring just two goals in his last 25 matches.

He’s had pundits on his way and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he leaves. Frank McAvennie thinks an exit is on the cards and with Leeds and Arsenal interested during the winter window, he certainly has suitors.

Christie’s performances are only getting worse, putting in a diabolical display at Ross County. He had four attempts on goal that night but failed to convert any of them. The Scotland international even missed a sitter from a matter of yards out.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Robert might not be too clinical yet either but he’s a promising talent that plays in the same position as the Celtic forward. His four goals this term prove he can find the net and he certainly possesses plenty of energy too.

Murray commented back in December: “He [Robert] showed his class again against Clyde with the corner kick, but it wasn’t just that, in the first half he was excellent, his touches on the ball, his movement, his timing in the releasing of the ball, the way he picked up space, was excellent.”

If you’re looking at the perfect model to replace Christie, that would be it. Robert is a talented forward who is capable of not only playing on the right, but also on the left and in central areas.

On a free transfer, Robert would be a no-brainer for the Bhoys. He may even force Christie out too.

AND in other news, Celtic manager search takes fresh twist; it should be good news for Hoops supporters…

What do Josh Maja, Sam Greenwood, Bali Mumba, Luke Hewitson, Morten Spencer, Joe Hugill and Logan Pye all have in common?

They are, of course, products of Sunderland’s academy. Equally, they are all no longer Mackems players.

Over the last few years, Sunderland supporters have become accustomed to seeing some of their best young products picked up by bigger and better teams in England and on the continent.

It was one of Stewart Donald’s biggest criticisms as an owner. He neglected the club’s youth products and instead, chose to spend rather large sums of money on first team recruitment. With the club in need of bouncing back quickly to the Championship and then the Premier League, it was a do-or-die attitude.

He spent £4m on Will Grigg after he lost Maja, a sum of money that he would have done better to throw into a new contract for Sunderland’s lost academy product.

Instead, Maja ended up at Bordeaux and is now scoring goals for Fulham in the Premier League. Had some of these young talented individuals stuck around, they could have played a role in getting the Black Cats back to where they want to be.

Sunderland’s academy has understandably suffered and last season they failed to win a single game. It was a campaign for their young starlets that just about summed up the diabolical straits in which the club found itself.

There is a rejuvenation happening at the moment, however. Lee Johnson has taken the club to fourth in League One and has also guided them to a Papa John’s Trophy final.

Now under the proud ownership of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, there is a sense of positivity. He has already spoken a strong game about the academy, planning to completely revamp it.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-sunderland-news-and-gossip” title=” Latest Sunderland news and gossip!”]

He said: “I look forward to supporting our new academy leadership group as we strive to deliver a best-in-class youth system with a clear talent pathway through to the senior squad.”

Unfortunately, he is set to repeat one of Donald’s biggest mistakes pretty instantly. He may have desires to make the academy stronger but one of their best young talents could leave in the not-too-distant future.

That’s because Mitchell Curry is set to join David Beckham’s MLS franchise Inter Miami.

The striker has only been at the club for half a season after signing last summer from Middlesbrough but, after being handed a one-year deal at the Stadium of Light, he is in danger of swiftly leaving.

He hasn’t played since December but his record for the under-23s has been nothing short of excellent. The 21-year-old has played ten times in Premier League 2 this term, finding the back of the net on seven occasions.

Evidently, he is lethal in front of goal and has bags of potential. Like Hugill and Maja before him, he is capable of beating the goalkeeper with great regularity.

With just one appearance in the Mackems’ first team, it wouldn’t be a disastrous blow to their ambitions to lose him to MLS. That being said, given Louis-Dreyfus wants to provide better support to the youth system, this isn’t the best of starts.

Curry is clearly a talented player judging by his underage form, Sunderland will have to hope he doesn’t turn out to be another ‘one that goy away’ like Maja.

AND in other news, Johnson surely buzzing with Sunderland “slow burner” who completed 100% take-ons

With Gareth Southgate’s England squad close to being announced, one Aston Villa man who the Three Lions boss should absolutely be bringing into the fold, is Matty Cash.

England have got three World Cup qualifiers to come at the end of this month, and reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that out of Villa’s English contingent, the main two new boys could well be Ezri Konsa and Matt Targett.

All three of Villa’s defenders, and of course the already established Tyrone Mings, should be names Southgate surely has to be familiar with given the Midlands club’s outstanding performances in the Premier League this season – Dean Smith’s side currently lie in ninth in the table.

Speaking just back in January, Gabriel Agbonlahor lauded the £17m-rated Cash, urging the England boss to be keeping an eye on him and the others. He said: “I just hope Gareth Southgate is getting to see as many Villa games as he can because I feel Konsa, as well as Matty Cash and Matt Targett, are going under the radar a little.”

As per Whoscored, Cash has averaged an impressive 2.6 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game in the Premier League this campaign, both of which rank him first among all of Villa’s players – and by quite some distance too.

But he’s not just a reliable force defensively either, also progressing as an attacking outlet for Smith too. His average of 0.8 key passes per game ranks him seventh for Villa, and is fourth on the list for crosses per match with 0.7.

And, when you compare those numbers to a couple of England’s other mainstays at right-back over the past couple of years, the Villa man does come out looking good.

The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker have all averaged significantly fewer tackles and interceptions per match than Cash, while the Villa man also favours better offensively compared to the Man City full-back.

It’s no surprise that former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips has dubbed him “sensational”, while adding: “Cash has come in and he has been flawless. He has taken to the club like a duck to water. You have to give credit to the player and the recruitment department. They have obviously done their homework. He has been one of their shining lights this season.”

So while Konsa, and even Targett, seem to be at the forefront of a potential call-up to the England squad, Southgate should seriously consider bringing in Cash and unleashing him on the international scene.

Meanwhile, Marlon Harewood’s claim could be good news for Ollie Watkins…

Leicester City created yet more modern-day history at the weekend by overcoming Manchester United to secure a first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 1982.

Kelechi Iheanacho was the star of the show once again for the Foxes, getting on the scoresheet twice and continuing his stunning recent run of form.

Youri Tielemans also turned in a majestic showing for the home side, with his control of the ball and authority in midfield allowing the hosts to dominate an under-par Red Devils side.

The Belgian was an ever-present throughout the game for Leicester, having 76 touches of the ball according to WhoScored. Only centre-backs Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu received the ball more than the former AS Monaco midfielder.

The Belgian was also only beaten in terms of successful passes played by the Foxes centre-back pairing, with Tielemans completing 60 passes at an 88.3% success rate. It goes to show how dominant he really was considering that United duo Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek could only accumulate 55 passes between them throughout the game.

On the topic of the Red Devils’ midfield, Tielemans continued to stomp all over them throughout the 90 minutes with a particularly gutsy and determined showing. The £49.5m-rated midfielder produced three tackles, two interceptions and a clearance as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were kept at arm’s length.

It was in the attacking sense that the 23-year-old really thrived though. He had four shots throughout the game, even more than two-goal hero Iheanacho, and as a matter of fact, every single player on the pitch.

One of those shots was golden too as Tielemans topped a hugely impressive performance with a well-taken goal – finding the bottom corner from range after a clever one-two with Iheanacho.

He will surely be satisfied with his evening’s work as Leicester took another stride towards history.

AND in more news, take a look at which bargain transfer the Foxes must avoid this summer…

Plenty of Leicester City fans have been reacting to news regarding striker Kelechi Iheanacho on social media.

According to The Sun, the 24-year-old is now ready to sign a new deal at the King Power.

Iheanacho’s current deal with the Foxes, worth £60,000-a-week, expires next year, and it appears as if a new contract could see his salary increase to £90,000-a-week.

A source close to the striker says Iheanacho feels manager Brendan Rodgers has taken his game to the next level, bringing out the very best in him over recent months.

The Nigerian has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, with his latest strikes coming in the 3-1 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup prior to the international break.

Foxes fans split

@TheSunFootball shared the story on Twitter on Thursday morning, which as to be expected, received plenty of interaction from several Leicester fans in the replies.

Here’s what some had to say…

“60k a week? for a couple of good games, rather that money go to Youri”

Credit: @connorclaylcfc

“Correct decision, man is a goal machine”

Credit: @seanfromenderby

“The final paragraph is something I would not have dreamed of up to 2/3 weeks ago ‘With money tight throughout the game, the £25million the Foxes paid to sign the Nigerian from Manchester City in 2017, is beginning to look like a bargain.’”

Credit: @hargraa

“SIUUUUUUU”

Credit: @LcfcLeejon

“Having a good run fair play to the lad not done enough for a pay rise not a top striker in my opinion”

Credit: @ctk1_

“He really upped his game fully deserves it”

Credit: @Jamie1884LCFC

In other news: Many LCFC fans react to transfer news on 2020 target, find out more here. 

In an exclusive interview with Football FancCast, Wolves’ all-time top scorer Steve Bull, has revealed that he pleaded with West Bromwich Albion to stay at the club before moving to Molineux in 1986, where he now has a stand named after him.

Bull dropped down to the Fourth Division to get regular first-team football and remain in the local area and has since been inducted into the Wolves Hall of Fame after making 561 appearances for the club.

The former England international joined the club as they were on the brink of relegation, however, that didn’t stop him from reaching two play-off semi-finals and agonisingly losing both of them.

Speaking on what the conversation was like before being sold by West Brom and how he desperately wanted to stay with the Baggies, Bull told FFC:

“I was looking at West Brom at the time and they were second or third top going for Division One and Wolves were second or third from bottom of Division Four and close to going into liquidation.

“West Brom didn’t want me and Andy Thompson and they said there’s £64,000 on the table for the both of you and I pleaded with Ron Saunders for 20 minutes.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/exclusive-andreas-sondergaard-wolves-premier-league” title=”Exclusive! Andreas Sondergaard talks all things Wolves”]

“He just called me into this office one day and said that Wolves had come in for me and I said ‘Who?’  He said that Wolves wanted me but I told him I wanted to stay.

“He told me that I didn’t have a first touch for this division and I was just deflated. We were just two local lads who wanted to play football and we never looked back.”

Bull ended up earning all 13 of his England caps while playing for Wolves, with his first coming while still being a Third Division player, which is now known as League One.

The Wolves Hall of Famer is the club’s all-time record goal scorer, as well as scoring four times for his country all after being released by Wolves’ bitter rivals.

A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting negatively to a report linking the Reds with a move for Wolves forward Adama Traore this summer.

The Reds may be looking at attacking reinforcements at the end of the season as Jurgen Klopp potentially brings in even more firepower.

Diogo Jota has proven to be an excellent addition in 2020/21, but Liverpool may not want to stop there, perhaps signing a right-sided player who could be a strong backup to Mohamed Salah.

The returning Harvey Elliott could be an option in that area, but despite his prodigious talent, he remains a hugely inexperienced player who may even head out on loan again next season.

According to El Gol Digital, Liverpool are eyeing up a move for Traore this summer, going as far as to say that they are closing in on a deal for him.

The Spaniard hasn’t scored or set up a single Premier League goal this season, highlighting his lack of end product in the final third.

Liverpool fans bemoan Traore rumour

It isn’t a rumour which gone down particularly well with these Liverpool supporters, who took to Twitter to give their thoughts. One even slated Traore as “awful”.

“Not what LFC need…waste of money! Need more quality”

Credit: @Eric61342617

“I don’t want this guy whatsoever. Just runs – effective – but no end product at all!”

Credit: @Jesse_Mensah

“From what I’ve seen of him, he’s poor! His first touch is awful, as is his passing! He’s got pace and strength and from what I’ve seen, that’s about it”

Credit: @iolo_llywelyn

“Most overrated player in the Premier League”

Credit: @scottyreynolds8

“No goals, no assists, so why?”

Credit: @ArneMagnus

“He’s rubbish I’m not having that”

Credit: @lherbie13

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been discussing the future of one Reds player, but it isn’t Gini Wijnaldum or Mohamed Salah. Find out who it is here.

David Sullivan must block all approaches for Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek this summer, after Keith Gillespie claimed the West Ham duo are perfect for Manchester United.

The Red Devils product has been speaking with This Is Futbol, and suggested the Irons duo would “walk into” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

Reports by 90min have linked the Old Trafford natives with a move for Rice this off-season, but the England international is a player of interest for a host of top Premier League sides.

Manchester United have allegedly revived their interest in Rive over recent months, as club chiefs believe the 22-year-old can fill a hole in midfield and provide cover at centre-back.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea – who were quoted £80m last year – are also said to be tracking Rice, but Gillespie agrees with talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara in that he can see the West Ham product wearing the red of his former side in the future.

“I’m really impressed. I probably agree, they probably would walk into Man United’s team,” Gillespie said. “That probably shows how badly they need midfielders.

“You’ve got [Nemanja] Matic, who’s coming towards the end. You’ve got Fred, who – for all his hard work and endeavour – gives the ball away too much. You’ve got [Scott] McTominay, who at times looks the part and at times doesn’t.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-west-ham-news-and-views-2″ title=”The latest West Ham news and views!”]

Any side wishing to sign Rice this summer faces having to pay £100m, while Soucek is expected to have a list of suitors after proving to be a crucial part of West Ham’s surprise push for a European qualifying berth.

But even at £100m for Rice and however much the Irons demand for Soucek – who has a TransferMarkt valuation of £36m – Sullivan should be blocking all approaches, as the pair are too key to what David Moyes is building at the London Stadium.

The reports of Manchester United’s interest in Rice also claimed that players like Nemanja Matic and Phil Jones had come up in discussions of a part-exchange potentially involving Jesse Lingard, but West Ham would be taking a step back by accepting those terms.

“When you look at say, Liverpool, and you had Fabinho that would play that role for Liverpool and do that really well – sit and let other people go forward. I’d put N’Golo Kante in that bracket, that’s what Declan Rice does for West Ham,” Tony Cascarino told talkSPORT following news he had sustained a lateral knee ligament injury.

“He sits, he picks things, he can see things, the players trust him around him and he does the A,B,C’s of football – the simplistic things that affect a team – really well. He keeps the ball, so it is a huge blow; it is that N’Golo Kante, it’s that Fabinho role that he does brilliantly well. Fine lines, small margins make massive differences.”

Meanwhile Soucek has helped to transform the engine room at the London Stadium by adding a box-to-box machine, capable of offering defensive support and the final touch with a team-high nine goals in 30 Premier League games this term.

“He has been awesome. He has transformed West Ham, he really has. What a player he’s been for them,” O’Hara told talkSPORT last month. “A great signing that went under the radar, but his performances have been absolutely exceptional.

“If you’re Soucek and you’re having the season you are and say Man United come along, because Man United need a player like him, he’d walk into their team with his energy, his runs and scores goals.”

But no matter how much Manchester United need players like Soucek and Rice, Sullivan should put an endless stream of hurdles between them as cashing-in would no doubt break Moyes and the plans he has developed.

AND in other news, West Ham land major boost in race to sign “complete” £11m-rated target for free…