AC Milan are planning on reviving their interest in Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere at the end of the season, according to Calciomercato.
What’s the story?
The Italian outfit were heavily linked with a swoop for the midfielder last summer, but in the end, the England international joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan.
Injuries have hampered Wilshere’s progress over the last few years, and much-needed game time was the objective when he moved to the South Coast.
Under manager Eddie Howe, the midfielder has put a string of performances together, starting 14 Premier League games, playing 1255 minutes so far.
Wilshere is due to return to the Emirates when his loan move expires in the summer, but doubts have been raised over his long-term future at Arsenal amid claims that he is yet to agree a new deal, reports The Telegraph.
Italian publication Calciomercato believes that Milan are tempted to jump back into the market for Wilshere.
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What should Wilshere do?
In ideal situation, the midfielder would probably want to return to Arsenal and cement a regular spot in the first team.
Whether that would be the case remains to be seen, partly because of Wilshere’s injury record.
If he can keep a clean bill of health, the Englishman is capable of challenging for a place in midfield, with Santi Cazorla, Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin among the other options.
On the other hand, this could be Wilshere’s biggest opportunity to experience a new club and really make his mark.
With regards to Milan’s reported interest, not many English players have been able to cut it abroad, and the fact that Wilshere rejected loan moves from overseas last summer suggests that moving to a foreign league is not a desire he holds.
Liverpool have, perhaps, their best shot a Premier League title in recent years this season under the management of Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds currently sit third in the table, level on points with second-place Tottenham and seven points behind leaders Chelsea.
After an excellent first half of the season, however, where they went all of September, October and November unbeaten in all competitions, times have got a little tougher at Anfield as the club have headed into the New Year.
Since the start of 2017, Liverpool are yet to win. Two draws in the Premier League against first Sunderland and then Manchester United, with a draw at Plymouth and a loss at Southampton in the cup competitions wedged in the middle, mean the Reds are in danger of losing pace in their pursuit of title glory.
January is the perfect opportunity for Klopp and the powers that be at the club to invest wisely to ensure they can keep up the sort of form they showed in the early stages of the season, then. Here are THREE places we think the Reds need to strengthen during this transfer period…
Centre-back
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It is funny suggesting that Liverpool need to strengthen in this area seeing as they have six options on their books already, those being: Joel Matip, Ragnar Klavan, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva and Joe Gomez. You could even call it seven as Emre Can is a fairly capable centre-back.
Amongst those six/seven, however, the Reds lack a genuine world-class option and a real leader at the back. Sakho looked as if he could have become that man at the back end of last season but it is likely the Frenchman will now part ways with the club after his mid-2016 sagas. Investing in someone to lead the line week in, week out at the back is a must this January, and it is something Klopp has built his teams upon in the past with the likes of Mats Hummels for example.
Goalkeeper
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Loris Karius, unfortunately, hasn’t been the ‘keeper the Liverpool faithful hoped their club had signed. Hailed as the Bundesliga’s most promising and Manuel Neuer’s potential successor last season, the German shot-stopper has been lacklustre to say the least and it didn’t take long for Klopp to give him the axe.
While Simon Mignolet’s form has improved after his return to the side, the former Sunderland glovesman is hardly the world-class clean sheet merchant that the Reds crave. Chelsea have Thibaut Courtois, Arsenal Petr Cech, United David De Gea, Tottenham Hugo Lloris and Manchester City Claudio Bravo (I joke). With the exception of the latter, all of Liverpool’s rivals have high quality in that position, so it is time they caught up.
Striker
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One of the things we have enjoyed the most about Liverpool this season is their ability to share goals around the squad freely, with almost everyone getting in on the act at some point. Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana have seven each, while Sadio Mane leads the pack with nine. Philippe Coutinho and James Milner also have six each – quite a remarkable.
You can’t help but feel, though, that if the Reds had a consistent striker who could guarantee them 20 goals-a-season they would add an even more cutting edge to their attacking trident. Divock Origi may prove to be that man in the future, but the youngster still has a lot to learn.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that Ashley Young could leave before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, as reported by The Mirror.
What’s the word?
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has revealed their could still be some transfer activity at Old Trafford in the next few days, as he stated after the FA Cup victory over Wigan Athletic on Sunday afternoon that Ashley Young could leave.
The 31-year-old has struggled to earn regular opportunities at United this season and has attracted a wealth of competition from rival Premier League sides. However, Mourinho himself would prefer to keep the veteran winger in his squad.
What was said?
Speaking after the game, Mourinho said:
“The only player that I am aware of a possibility to leave, and I am waiting just for the 31st of January to know really what is going on, is Ashley Young. [He’s] a player that I would love to keep, I will not be happy at all if he leaves but he’s the only player that I was informed there would be a possibility of him leaving.”
Where could he go?
According to The Mirror, Everton, Swansea City, West Brom and Watford are all interested in signing the veteran and talks are likely to go ahead in the next few days. Of those clubs, Watford could use the fact that he started his career there to secure a return.
However, the fact that Mourinho would prefer to keep Young at the club may make it difficult for interested parties to secure a deal. With the window entering it’s final two days, interest could come too late.
As reported by The Daily Star, Jose Mourinho hasn’t ruled out Luke Shaw having a future at Old Trafford and has urged him to fight for his place.
What’s the story?
Despite having made just one start at Manchester United since November, it seems Manchester United defender Luke Shaw’s career at the club isn’t quite over yet.
When asked about the left-back recent days, Mourinho offered words of encouragement.
Quoted by The Star, the United boss said:
He has to work and wait. Against Watford I wanted one defender on the bench and the defender is someone who can play in more than one position. The only thing I can say is that Luke is working well. He doesn’t have any problem and he is working well. He is fighting hard. There is no problem with him. He is fighting hard.
That will be welcome news to the former Southampton star, who has failed to find a regular place at United since Mourinho joined the club last summer.
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Can he still offer something?
There’s no doubting that on his day Luke Shaw is still a highly effective left-back. He did get a chance to impress recently, taking part in United’s 4-0 win over Wigan at the end of January. He didn’t put a foot wrong there, showing plenty of the ability that the Old Trafford side shelled out for.
With United fighting on four fronts in the weeks and months to come then the large squad at Mourinho’s disposal will be vital. Shaw will likely get more games to show what he can do. If he takes those chances then there’s every chance he can go on to have a successful career at the Red Devils.
Arsenal and Liverpool clash at Anfield this weekend in a huge clash, which could have a drastic effect in the battle for a top-four finish and the resulting Champions League spot that comes with it.
The Gunners have had a difficult few months, as they suffered a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich and fell out of the title race, but Liverpool have also found things difficult and enter the game on the back of a surprise defeat to Leicester City.
However, Jurgen Klopp’s side are unbeaten against their closest competitors in the Premier League this season but Arsene Wenger’s side have endured a lot of problems in their big matches, as they’ve picked up the least points against top-six sides when compared to their fellow sides at the top-end of the table.
As such, Arsenal fans aren’t too optimistic about their chances at Anfield and are dreading what they feel will be an inevitable defeat.
Widespread media outlets have suggested that it is only a matter of time before Romelu Lukaku signs a new long-term deal at Everton.
The Belgian’s future was a huge talking point last summer, with rumours linking the striker back to his former club Chelsea.
It did not help matters that Lukaku reiterated publicly that he wanted to play Champions League football.
However, when Ronald Koeman replaced Roberto Martinez as manager, the 23-year-old decided to remain at Goodison Park.
Earlier this week, talkSPORT reported that Lukaku has agreed a new five-year deal with Everton, but it has not yet been officially announced by the club.
On Thursday morning the attacker, who has scored 18 Premier League goals this season, tweeted a snapchat from his car, presumably on the way to training.
Fans took the opportunity to urge Lukaku to hurry up and commit himself to the Merseyside outfit.
The Belgian has netted just one goal fewer than the league’s current top scorer Harry Kane.
Lucas Joao has told O Jogo newspaper that he intends to return to Sheffield Wednesday and play for them next season when his loan deal at Blackburn Rovers expires in the summer.
What’s the word?
The Portuguese forward was shipped out on loan in January to pick up more game time and Championship experience.
The 23-year-old had started seven league matches for the Owls and came off the bench in three during the first half of the campaign.
In that time, Joao provided just the one assist and failed to find the back of the net, but after a slow start at Blackburn, he is beginning to find his feet.
The attacker is yet to start a game, but he has made four appearances off the bench and scored three times, his latest of which came in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Fulham.
While speaking to O Jogo in his homeland, Joao suggested that he does not intend to stay with Blackburn beyond the summer, but instead wants to play Premier League football with the Owls.
“Last year, it was a close call, we didn’t get promoted. I hope it happens this season, even because I could play in the Premier League.”
Could Joao become an asset to the Owls?
The forward is already in his second season as a Sheffield Wednesday player, but he has so far failed to secure a regular spot in the first team.
Sending players out on loan can sometimes be construed as a bad sign, but at the moment, Joao’s switch to Blackburn will only benefit the Owls in the future.
The young gun may not be starting many games, but he has proven that he can score important goals.
The 94th-minute hit against Fulham on Tuesday night earned Rovers a crucial point and in turn kept Sheffield Wednesday in the playoff places.
There is still a long way to go yet in terms of the club’s promotion bid, and Joao needs to improve aspects of his game, particularly his ability to keep hold of the ball, be he could become a good option if the club make it into the top flight.
Leeds United defender Pontus Jansson has told Sydsvenskan that he is not paying attention to transfer speculation.
What’s the word?
The 26-year-old has been an important part of the Whites’ Premier League promotion push this season.
He joined Garry Monk’s side from Torino on loan in the summer and has gone on to make 28 appearances in the Championship and has even scored three goals and provided an assist.
Jansson has helped the club reach fourth in the table, eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places.
Speculation has been rife that Southampton are keeping tabs on the Swede after ClubCall reported that the Premier League club had sent a scout to watch him.
However, the man himself has insisted that he is only concentrating on matters on the pitch.
He told Sydsvenskan:
“They do that for sure, but it would be foolish to think of it now that I’m at Leeds, a huge football club that has not been in the Premier League for a long time. It would be foolish to focus on something else. I had a good season and we take it as it comes, but right now my full focus is on Leeds.”
Could Jansson be tempted away?
Leeds will be in a strong position to keep the defender on a permanent basis if they achieve promotion to the top flight come the end of the season.
There is a clause in the deal that gives the Whites an opportunity to seal his signature once the loan expires.
However, if Leeds fail to climb back up to the Premier League, it would be tempting for anyone if a club in the elite division came calling.
The fact that Jansson has claimed that he is not thinking about transfer speculation right now, suggests that he may be open to options in the summer.
Unbeaten records do not come less spectacular than Manchester United’s. The raw numbers look great, they deserve a minor ripple of applause perhaps, but the truth is it has relied on draws. Many of those draws have been at home, at a stadium that was the most feared away trip in English football until the departure of Alex Ferguson.
No Premier League team has drawn more matches than Manchester United. They’ve had eleven of them. Eleven matches where they could not find a winning goal and the majority of those have been at Old Trafford. Frustrated by poor finishing, stunning goalkeeping and questionable tactics, their charge for the top four looks in doubt with a number of encounters against their fellow top seven rivals still to come.
The last of those draws was this weekend as Tony Pulis’ West Bromwich Albion did what Pulis sides do best. The Baggies sat deep and limited United to only a handful of chances, most of which were not even bordering on the clichéd realm of ‘half chance’. Creatively they were lacking and they once again could not find a breakthrough. Indifferent finishing will eventually regress, but this has become a prolonged issue for Manchester United that has haunted an altogether disappointing season.
Next up is the visit of Everton. Ronald Koeman’s Toffees have been a mixed bag against the top six this season and will still be licking their raw, rival-inflicted wounds from Saturday lunchtime. Although their defence was disorganised and individually error prone at the weekend, Koeman will know as well as anyone what needs to be done at Old Trafford. With an industrious, balanced midfield the Dutchman will protect his defence and sit deep, leaving Romelu Lukaku as the attacking outlet. The blueprint to prevent Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United has become all too clear.
Everton’s own faint top four hopes were slashed to irrelevance by Liverpool, but they will be fiercely determined to return to the sort of form that has made them such a force 2017. Lukaku is unlikely to be as quiet as he was at Anfield, with Manchester United’s defenders all too likely to make a rash judgement.
After an improvement at the start of this calendar year, Manchester United have seen the greater problems from earlier in the campaign re-emerge. Injuries take some flak for it, as does Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s suspension, but it is Mourinho who is responsible for how ponderous his side often are in possession. An emphatically uninspiring draw with the Baggies with further confirmation of where Manchester United are currently at.
As good as they could be, this has been a season of underperformance and disappointment at Old Trafford. It is not simply down to luck that they have drawn so many league games, there are fundamental issues in the team that must be solved if next season is to be any better. Defeat to Koeman’s side on Tuesday would see United level on points with the Toffees and their top four challenge as good as over, with both sides out of the running.
With his side short of invention and tempo in the final third, Everton are an unpleasant, poorly timed opponent for Mourinho.
The countdown is on to today’s massive Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park.
Aberdeen await the winners in the final and both clubs are desperate to lift the trophy. For Celtic it’s the chance to secure a rare treble and go the entire domestic season unbeaten. For Rangers winning the competition would represent significant progress and give supporters what they’ve craved most over the last few season, major honours.
The teams have been announced and one man is causing excitement amongst Celtic supporters; Patrick Roberts.
The young winger has more often than not found himself on the bench this season, with the consistent James Forrest usually keeping him out of the first eleven.
However, the on loan Man City star now has the opportunity to impress in one of the biggest games in the season and fans certainly think he will make a big impact.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his inclusion…