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Chelsea blew the title race wide open this weekend with an excellent 2-0 win over Manchester City.

The Blues put the disappointment of last weekend’s loss to Spurs behind them and saw off the Premier League champions behind another excellent performance from Eden Hazard.

However, there is still a chance that Hazard is playing his last season for the Blues, and we here at the Tavern think that the Blues need to be eyeing up potential replacements.

And one man we think would be a superb addition for Chelsea is Dortmund and England sensation Jadon Sancho.

The young England star has been superb since making the move to the Bundesliga, and he possesses similar qualites to those of Hazard, with his pace and dribbling ability marking him out as one of the most dangerous wingers in the game at the moment.

Sancho would no doubt cost a fortune, but Chelsea will likely be armed with funds from a potential Hazard sale if they make their move, and who better to spend it on than someone like Sancho.

The youngster has the world at his feet at the moment, and Chelsea would be wise to make their move before others start to sniff around the classy wide man.

Chelsea fans, what do you think? Would you take Sancho back? Let us know in the comments!

Tottenham Hotspur’s magnificent rise in recent years has been well documented and many signings have cemented themselves as crucial players in Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Of those, Christian Eriksen has established himself as the main hub for Spurs’ creativity in the five years since his arrival from Eredivisie giants Ajax in 2013, accumulating a total of 175 Premier League appearances in the process.

Costing a reported £11.5m, the acquisition of the Denmark international has proven to be one of the best pieces of business of any Premier League side during recent years and Spurs have seen his value increase significantly.

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At 26, Eriksen is now approaching the prime years of his career at a time that coincides with the impending move to a new stadium and fans flocked to social media to give their assessment on the midfielder on the anniversary of his Tottenham debut.

We have gathered some of the best reactions below.

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After Manuel Pellegrini was appointed as West Ham United’s new manager in May, fans swiftly turned their attention to transfer activity.

The club had a brush with relegation last season, but were able to survive under short-term boss David Moyes.

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A handful of players have been linked with moves to the London Stadium, and according to a club insider, three could come through the welcome gates next week.

ExWHUemployee is widely regarded as a reliable source, and on Saturday it was claimed that Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko and Fabian Balbuena could all sign on the dotted line in the next few days.

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Wilshere is expected to join on a free transfer after ending his 17-year spell at Arsenal following the expiration of his contract.

Yarmolenko is believed to be on the verge of signing from Borussia Dortmund after the winger struggled to impress in his first season at the Bundesliga outfit, where he scored six goals in 26 outings.

Balbuena is expected to round off next week’s transfer activity as he is reportedly poised to join from Corinthians.

After ExWHUemployee posted the tweet, fans gave their reactions, and there were split views.

Chelsea have warned clubs that they will not loan out their youth players unless they are guaranteed regular football, reports The Mirror.

What’s the story?

Following England’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup, a number of Chelsea’s young guns are believed to be wanted by a handful of clubs.

The Mirror claims that Fikayo Tomori and Jake Clarke-Salter, both of whom performed in the tournament in Korea, are being eyed.

Tammy Abraham, Ola Aina, Nathaniel Chalobah and Jay Dasilva are also believed to be among the Chelsea youth players catching the attention of other clubs.

In most cases, Premier League clubs are happy to loan out their developing stars to Championship outfits or destinations abroad, but it seems that Chelsea are getting strict.

According to The Mirror, the West London outfit are keen for their crop of youth talent to gain first-team experience, so will only allow a loan move if the players are guaranteed starts.

Will this approach help or hinder?

In the past, Chelsea have failed to bring youth players into the first team, with managers opting instead to spend large fees on proven talent.

The Blues have a vast number of players in their academy, the majority of which have had various spells on loan but continue to struggle to get a chance at their parent club.

It seems that Chelsea are now giving more of a priority to the progress of their developing players, and it is understandable why after they won a fourth consecutive FA Youth Cup in April.

The Blues’ new approach regarding their loan policy is positive for the youngsters, some of which rarely get played when they join other clubs temporarily.

The only downside is that it may prevent clubs from sealing a deal if they cannot guarantee regular football, which would limit the players’ loan options.

The Emirates will be a far more relaxed place this week, as we finally say goodbye to November. The month that has cursed Arsene Wenger throughout his managerial career is gone for another 11 months.

Things could have been disastrous for the Gunners this November, with pivotal Champions League games and matches against both Tottenham and Manchester United, but they have escaped the month relatively unscathed, even if a little short on momentum.

[ffc_insert title=”An Ode to Thierry Henry” name=”Golden Goal” image=”https://www.footballfancast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2000-10-01T000000Z_1_MT1ACI235759_RTRMADP_3_SPORT.jpg?admin” link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/arsenal/arsenal-v-manchester-united-an-ode-to-thierry-henrys-greatest-ever-goal” link_text=”Relive a wonderstrike” ]

Performances have slipped to a level that is scarily reminiscent of Arsenal teams previous to this, mind. An additional notch of grit and resilience has made November less than appalling for Wenger’s side, with a late goal at Old Trafford, a scraped draw with Paris Saint-Germain and a hard-working victory over Bournemouth keeping the unbeaten record intact. That, in itself, is a confidence boost for a team who have so often fallen short during the periods of strife during a season. Wenger’s side look a more complete unit than previous campaigns, able to cope with a couple of injuries, as the second string shows it can still work towards result, even if the performance are not as exciting.

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When the fixture list looks quite as daunting as November had done for Arsenal, its easy to place an excess amount of importance on each fixture. This month could have been a calamity for Arsenal, it could have ended in a run of defeats and seen them drift away from title contention. That, frankly, was unlikely. Considering their previous form, this was perhaps the least that was expected from the Gunners in the month of November and they produced it. A slight gap has built from the league leaders, but they can still take comfort from the fact there is plenty of room back from Spurs in fifth place.

Other Arsenal sides could have crumbled either in some of November games or between times. They were not without their periods of peril, but – while form has dipped – Arsenal are still in with a shout of competing across multiple fronts this season. A usual crisis point for the Gunners sees far more destruction than we have witnessed to date, this is comparative small fry. So much has gone wrong for Arsenal over the last decade, it is easy to see any minor blip as a season defining crisis.

This is far from that. If Arsenal see this as their worst period of the 2016/17 season, they are set for an enormously successful campaign. The November curse is still very much present, but this team is hardened to adversity and must now look ahead to a positive December.

“Results over style” is what is being murmured at Anfield by the likes of creative midfielder Adam Lallana, and you do indeed get the sense that it is now results that are of more importance to Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, who for too long has focused on style over substance.

The signing of Christian Benteke from Aston Villa was a big indicator that the Northern Irishman was ready to change his ways, and their win over Stoke was another sign that there is a real change in style happening at Liverpool.

That is not to say that the Reds will now be a long ball team, but it looks as though that Rodgers realises that results are key for him in this crunch period. He needs points and needs them on the board early, otherwise he will come under intense pressure from the Liverpool board.

When Liverpool lost the title at home to Chelsea in May 2014, the sight of hopeful crosses into the box from deep were every bit as painful as Steven Gerrard’s painful slip that day. Gerrard acknowledged that the Reds were too desperate to score; their inexperience cost them as they “lost their way” and went too “gung ho.”

In particular. he pointed out the Reds went into the game with the “same tactics” that served them so well in their eleven game winning run and when it failed, they did not know what else to do. They panicked.

A lot has changed since that fateful day. The signing of Benteke could be the most significant change in that time, and judging by his debut against Stoke, the big 6ft 4in striker might well have a major impact on Liverpool’s approach play.

The clear clue lies with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who hit more successful passes into the final third of the pitch at Stoke than in any away game last season.

While it wasn’t exactly hit and hope football that was being played, there was a bigger balance to the Reds’ play. There was more opportunity to mix it up. And it is no coincidence that Rodgers’ men put in the third most amount of crosses in on the opening weekend of Premier League football.

Rodgers even acknowledged that Benteke’s aerial threat opens his side up to new opportunities. He said: “I thought Christian was outstanding.

“He showed all the elements of his game today: his touch, hold-up play, movement in behind. He always really occupies a back four, on his own at times, and it is important to have that ability to be unpredictable.”

The key word there is “unpredictable”, which is something that, under Rodgers’ Liverpool, simply have not been at all in his time at Anfield, and who have always tried to play like Barcelona rather than mix it up. However, Liverpool don’t have Lionel Messi or the likes of Iniesta and Neymar, they can’t try to play like Barcelona all of the time and, if that is all that they try to do, they become far too predictable to play against. That’s why variation in style with Benteke will be crucial this season.

Finally, the fact that players are coming out and saying results are more important now shows Rodgers has got his message across, and now with Benteke on board the Reds look far less predictable; that could well be to their advantage this season.

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The Women's Super League is targeting a 150% increase to the value of its broadcasting deal following the explosion of the women's game.

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• WSL targeting 150% increase in broadcast deal
• League wants £20m deal
• Current contract worth £7.5m

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The WSL's current domestic broadcast deal – shared between Sky Sports and the BBC – is valued at £7.5 million ($9.57m). That contract will soon be up, and the UK's elite women's division is targeting a new deal worth £20m when they issue the tender document next month, as reported by the Mail.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Women's football has surged in popularity over the last few years, with England's European Championship triumph in 2022 playing no small part in that. The WSL is expected to follow the Premier League's lead by making more matches available to broadcast, although it will need to convince broadcasters that a 150% increase in the deal is merited.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The fact that the market for live football matches is close to saturation could prove a hurdle for the WSL. However, a proposal – supported by TNT Sports – to lift the 3pm blackout slot for women's matches could help. TNT is expected to bid along with Sky and the BBC, though the latter is unlikely to significantly increase its £750,000 contribution to the current broadcast deal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE WSL?

  The WSL will look to persuade broadcasters that the appetite for more live matches is there among audiences. Should the league secure the extra investment it is looking for, then the women's game could grow even further.

Rob McElhenney has explained why he looked like a battered “prizefighter” during Wrexham’s record-breaking promotion push in 2022-23.

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Red Dragons landed National League titlePlenty of drama taken in along the wayHollywood stars left dazed and confusedGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons enjoyed a season to remember last time out as they swept their way to the National League title. They collected more than 100 points and scored a century of goals, but were pushed all the way to the finish by Notts County.

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The stress of a dramatic fight for honours took its toll on all concerned, with hearts racing in North Wales on a regular basis. McElhenney and fellow co-chairman Ryan Reynolds were dragged along for the ride, with the Hollywood duo losing their cool despite being accustomed to performing under intense pressure.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

McElhenney was left looking like he had gone 12 rounds with world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury when attending a meeting with County that saw Ben Foster save a stoppage-time penalty in a 3-2 win, with the ‘It’s Always in Sunny in Philadelphia’ actor admitting to feeling dazed and confused as what was supposed to be a fun sporting project began to impact his health.

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WHAT THEY SAID

McElhenney has told while casting his mind back to the epic win that carried the Red Dragons a long way towards their eventual coronation – with the events of that day being captured on camera in the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary: “You, intellectually, know what happened. But you emotionally, almost forget. With my nervous system, I still feel the anxiety from the end of the Notts County game. I’ve mentioned in one of the episodes that I had a massive double stye. You can see them in the documentary. My eyes are swollen up like I’m a prizefighter. That was simply due to the stress. In watching some of the footage, I felt a lot of those things coming back, even though I knew it was a happy ending.”

A huge number of American stars are facing up to summers of speculation regarding their futures – but which will be in new homes come September?

It's going to be a busy summer for Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and the rest of the U.S. men's national team's young stars. And it's not just because of international duty, although the USMNT's participation in both the Nations League and Gold Cup will certainly lead to many players suiting up for the U.S. with trophies on the line.

No, it's a summer where many American stars find themselves at a crossroads on the club level. Transfer season is upon us, and there are plenty of American players with uncertain futures as the window prepares to open.

Some will make mega-money transfers this summer, having earned them with standout play. Others will tumble down the ladder a bit after failed moves. Some will go on loan or to a new league or return to a parent club. There are plenty of scenarios at play here.

With that said, GOAL has you covered with a look at which USMNT stars could be playing for new clubs next season:

(C)Getty ImagesFolarin Balogun

The USMNT's newest star looks set for a new club. Balogun set Ligue 1 ablaze while on loan with Reims, scoring 20 goals for the French side. Those goals are what make his USMNT commitment so damn exciting. The U.S., finally, has a goalscorer.

However, it remains to be seen what club will benefit from those goals next season. A return to Arsenal is possible, although they seem set with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah at striker. AC Milan are the club that has been most heavily linked, although their crosstown rivals Inter have been mentioned too.

RB Leipzig, Marseille and Monaco have also been listed as options, while Premier League clubs may also look to make a move for a player that has no shortage of suitors heading into the summer.

AdvertisementGettyChristian Pulisic

Chelsea have a bloated squad, and Pulisic needs minutes. It isn't hard to put two and two together here.

Pulisic has been linked with plenty of clubs, with Juventus the most recent team said to be in the market for the American winger. AC Milan and Napoli have been named as potential suitors, as have Newcastle, who have money and the Champions League on their side.

It'll all come down to what Pulisic wants. Is he willing to take a step back to try and take two steps forward, or does he have the confidence to move laterally in an attempt to prove that it's Chelsea, not him, that is missing out?

It'll be one of the transfer sagas to watch, and one that will have a lasting impact on a player that is still the face of the USMNT.

GettyWeston McKennie

Well, we know Mckennie won't be back at Leeds, that's for sure. McKennie will, at least temporarily, return to Juventus, a club that is dealing with its own crisis at the moment. Leeds' relegation ensured that McKennie's move would not become permanent, not that anyone involved would want it to after his failed loan spell.

Prior to his Leeds move, McKennie had been linked with Fulham and Aston Villa, the latter of which earned a European place next season. Brighton are also said to be interested, offering McKennie another Premier League option should he choose to remain in England.

Few would blame him if he opted to go somewhere else, either back to Italy or Germany, perhaps. The Leeds experiment was a total failure, and now McKennie is tasked with getting his next move right after missing the mark with his winter loan.

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GettyTyler Adams

The only member of the Leeds' American trio to come out of this season looking better than he did when he went in, Adams will have options this summer.

Much will depend on what price Leeds sets, of course, but Adams is far too good for the Championship. Manchester United are among the clubs linked, but minutes could be hard to come by for Adams at Old Trafford.

Several top-10 Premier League clubs will no doubt be interested, as Adams is a prime candidate to remain in the Premier League. The question, ultimately, will be where, but whichever team gets him will get a solid, high-level No.6 that has proven himself in the Premier League, Bundesliga and Champions League.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras realizou na manhã desta sexta-feira um treino aberto para sócios-torcedores e associados do clube, no Allianz Parque. Vanderlei Luxemburgo comandou mais uma atividade tática e foi obrigado a fazer uma mudança na equipe titular: Luiz Adriano deu lugar a Gustavo Scarpa.

O camisa 10 participou do início dos trabalhos no campo, mas de acordo com o clube precisou ir ao vestiário mais cedo por conta de uma indisposição. Como o Verdão ainda fará mais um treinamento no sábado, antes do jogo contra o Mirassol, o centroavante não está descartado.

A escalação da atividade desta manhã teve: Weverton; Mayke, Felipe Melo, Gustavo Gómez e Viña; Patrick de Paula, Zé Rafael e Lucas Lima; Veron, Gustavo Scarpa e Willian. Já os reservas trabalharam com:Jailson; Emerson Santos, Luan, Vitor Hugo e Victor Luis; Bruno Henrique, Gabriel Menino e Alan; Raphael Veiga, Luan Silva e Wesley.
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​Viña teve o nome publicado no BID na manhã desta sexta e deve ser inscrito à tarde. Poderá, portanto, fazer sua estreia no fim de semana. Marcos Rocha e Ramires, tratando lesões, são ausências para o confronto da sexta rodada do Campeonato Paulista, assim como Dudu, suspenso.

Com 10 pontos após cinco jogos, o Palmeiras é o vice-líder do Grupo B, atrás do Santo André, que tem 12. O duelo com o Mirassol, vice-líder do Grupo C, está marcado para as 16h de sábado, no Allianz Parque.

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