Blackpool starlet Thomas Ince has claimed that whilst he is flattered by interest shown in him by major Premier League clubs, he is happy at Blackpool.
Ince has had a superb two years at Blackpool, narrowly missing out on promotion last season and looking to go one better this time out, but after the departure of Ian Holloway to Crystal Palace it may be a good time for a big club to swoop in with a bid.
Blackpool have ruled out the sale of their main man and former Liverpool youngster, but every player; especially in the Championship; has their price.
“I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for Blackpool,” Ince told the Blackpool Gazette.
“I’ve been given the chance to play week in, week out at a very high level
“It is flattering to have all that interest. It shows you are playing good football and are in good form but my focus is on playing for Blackpool.”
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Liverpool should not be considering a move for ex-Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.
What’s the word?
The 26-year-old would have alerted many clubs when he announced earlier this month that he will be leaving the North London club.
The midfielder has been at Arsenal for his entire career, but injury problems hampered his progress.
Last season, Wilshere returned to the Gunners for the 2017-18 season after spending the previous campaign on loan at Bournemouth.
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However, he was unable to hold down a regular starting spot, and after having talks with new manager Unai Emery, the 26-year-old decided to seek pastures new.
A handful of clubs have been linked to Wilshere, but he is yet to sign a deal with anyone.
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Why should Liverpool avoid him?
There is no doubt that the midfielder has the skills to thrive in a decent team, but his injuries have taken its toll.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side have plenty of energy and work at a million miles a minute.
The Reds manager likes his players to press with intensity, but due to Wilshere’s problems he may not be able to cope with the demand.
Liverpool have shown progress under Klopp, but in order to continue the trajectory, they require proven stars that can deliver on a consistent basis.
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That is not something that Wilshere can guarantee.
Even the staunchest Leeds United fan would admit they were outfought and outclassed against Middlesbrough on Friday night, but Eunan O’Kane insists the squad is not short of leadership.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side went behind early after Patrick Bamford found himself free in the box to put the hosts ahead. The game sort of spiralled out of control from there, as Adama Traore put the Leeds defence to the sword and Bamford added two more to claim his hat trick.
Still, O’Kane says the squad has plenty of strong characters and will bounce back from the poor result.
“If we continue to play like that then we’re miles away”, said the Irishman. “It was a very deflated performance from us and we got what we deserved in the end, which was nothing. It’s very disappointing from our point of view and we have to be better than that. But when I look around our dressing room, I don’t feel that we have weak characters there.
“We have some very strong ones. We have to take this on the chin and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The 27 year-old midfielder has come under intense criticism for his recent performances, and Friday night was no exception.
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When O’Kane was subbed off late in the game, fans on Twitter joked they didn’t realise he was even playing, and they aren’t best pleased with his post match comments either. Some of the best twitter responses can be found below…
The big question on everyone’s mind is whether Liverpool can continue their previous season form which saw them finish second place in the English Premier League without the services of prolific striker Luis Suarez.
However, after his sale, Brendan Rodgers has reinforced the club which quite a large number of new faces as he looks to continue to build his perfect squad.
With planning for next window already said to have begun, here are SIX transfers the Reds could complete when the January market reopens.
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CLICK ON CHRISTOPH KRAMER TO SEE THE FULL LIST
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Dani Alves
//www.youtube.com/embed/DSZmTJ_NFuI
Name: Dani Alves
Age: 31
Position: Right Back
Nationality: Brazilian
Club: Barcelona
Price: £10 – £15 million
News of Dani Alves making a switch from Barcelona to the Premier League has recently been circulating the media with Liverpool and Manchester United rumoured to be preparing a bid.
Regarded as one of the world’s best right back, Alves has had huge success in the La Liga with many trophy-filled years. Not normally known for his defensive game, he is very devastating in the attacking side with his ability to dribble, shoot, and cross from anywhere along the right flanks.
Antonio Candreva
//www.youtube.com/embed/PPTrhWQVpIA
Name: Antonio Candreva
Age: 27
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Italy
Club: Lazio
Price: £18 – £24 million
With Liverpool opting to play down the flanks, the addition of Antonio Candreva will only make them stronger. Squad depth is a key asset to any side having to compete in the Champions League as well as in the domestic league and competitions.
Candreva is known for his ability to dribble the ball with pace along the wings and hopefully build a relationship with fellow countryman Mario Balotelli who can convert his crosses into goals.
Marco Reus
//www.youtube.com/embed/rlYrndbblKk
Name: Marco Reus
Age: 25
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Germany
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Price: £19.8 million (summer release clause)
Although Marco Reus has picked up yet another lengthy injury, a host of clubs will still be trying to take advantage of his £19.8 million release clause that will be triggered next summer therefore Dortmund may need to sell him or offer him a new contact.
Liverpool had already negotiated a move to bring him to Anfield, but it was said that his ankle injury halted any big money moves. The German club will need to do all they can do make sure he is back to full fitness or risk seeing a huge drop in his market value ahead of the summer.
Xherdan Shaqiri
//www.youtube.com/embed/tvXakNsBBSQ
Name: Xherdan Shaqiri
Age: 22
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Switzerland
Club: Bayern Munich
Price: £15 – £20 million
Another winger that Liverpool has been tracking throughout the summer is Xherdan Shaqiri, someone who could add even more depth along the flanks. His pace and physical ability would be a perfect fit for the Premier League with many believing the move would have taken place.
With the Reds still said to be monitoring the player, it is high likely that they will continue their spending to try and land the Swiss attacker. His role at Bayern Munich is also quite limited given their world class forward line, adding to the chance that he could make a switch to the England.
Christoph Kramer
//www.youtube.com/embed/uYPQbZJaAII
Name: Christoph Kramer
Age: 23
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Position: Defensive Midfield
Nationality: Germany
Club: Borussia Mochengladbach (on loan from Bayer Leverkusen)
Price: £8 – £13 million
Liverpool have already signed a defensive midfielder in Emre Can, but could decide to add yet another player to the role after being linked with a move for Christoph Kramer. His move to Anfield could spell the start of a huge battle in the deeper midfield role to play alongside club captain Steven Gerrard.
Having already represented the German national team with an appearance in the World Cup finals against Argentina, he seems to be able to excel under large amounts of pressure as he is said to have become the heart of his team’s midfield.
Martin Odegaard
//www.youtube.com/embed/-8d1yoqryTU
Name: Martin Odegaard
Age: 15
Position: Attacking Midfield
Nationality: Norway
Club: Stromsgodset
Price: £10 – £12 million
Liverpool were prepared to make a £10 million offer to try and sign Martin Odegaard from Norwegian club Stromsgodset on deadline day, but to no avail. He has already made 11 appearances, scoring three despite being only 15 years old.
Odegaard was also called up to make his Norway national team debut recently, picking up large interest from many of Europe’s elite clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.
Manchester City and Chelsea are possible destinations for former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, according to his agent.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked with AC Milan recently, but his agent Jose Maria Orobitg rubbished rumours suggesting a deal had been reached and opened the door for a move to the Premier League.
Chelsea are believed to be long-term admirers of the ex-Barca coach, with the club’s owner Roman Abramovich coveting the style of play adopted by the manager.
City are also in the frame with current boss Roberto Mancini under increased pressure following two disappointing Champions League campaigns.
Orobitg claimed that both club’s are viable options for his client:
“Milan is an option, as are Manchester City and Chelsea.” He is quoted by ESPN.
“Pep is listening to offers and evaluating them, but he will not coach this year. We’ll talk about it in June.”
However, he did highlight AC Milan as the most likely option:
“Anything is possible next year. I speak to (Milan vice-president Adriano) Galliani all the time, and when I speak to him he is very friendly.
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“We have a good relationship. Who knows what will happen in the future.”
Guardiola resigned as manager of Barcelona during the summer after an immensely successful period with the Catalan giants.
Arsenal fans are eager for the club to make a move for Hirving Lozano after watching him in action for Mexico against South Korea on Saturday night.
After his wonderful goal against Germany in their opening group match, Lozano was again central to a Mexico win against the Koreans, providing the assist for Javier Hernandez to score the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory.
The 22-year-old is also coming off the back of a superb season in Eredivisie for PSV, scoring 17 goals and assisting 8 more in league action.
It’s a fantastic return and his potential to become a big player at the elite level seems strong, making him a very attractive prospect for Arsenal and Unai Emery this summer.
Fans would certainly like to see him signed, believing he can offer the attacking spark the Gunners have been looking for over the last 12 months.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on signing him after his Saturday performance…
Leeds United fans have been taking to Twitter to call for the club to tie down star Pablo Hernandez to a new contract.
The attacker has been one of the club’s most consistent players in a season where consistency has been a real struggle.
The Elland Road outfit started the campaign in fine form, leading the Championship table until they were undone by Millwall at The Den in the middle of September.
That 1-0 defeat sent the club spiralling down the league and the club failed to rediscover their form and saw the losses come at a more frequent rate.
The Spaniard, who is valued at £2.25m by transfermarkt.com, has been in good form during that time, having managed to contribute six goals and has provided a further eight assists for the Whites in 32 matches across all competitions.
However, those performances have not seen any movement on a potential new contract, with the 32-year-old’s current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
Fans have been voicing their concerns on Twitter and have called for the club’s hierarchy to get negotiations started sooner rather than later.
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Tottenham must stop selling their big name players if they are to fulfil their top four ambitions, according to their former star, Micky Hazard.
Spurs have made a habit of offloading top performers at their peak in recent seasons, with Gareth Bale having left to sign for Real Madrid in a world record £87m deal last summer.
The Welshman is latest in a long line of players to have exited White Hart Lane for a large fee, following the likes of Luka Modric, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick.
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Hugo Lloris recently signed a new contract quelling fears that he would become the next to head away from north London, but with Michel Vorm having been since signed there is still talk of the Frenchman going to Paris Saint-Germain.
Mauricio Pochettino was drafted in with the aim of getting Tottenham back into the top four, and Hazard believes that the Lilywhites will only have a chance of achieving this aim if they stop offloading key players:
“Lloris has just signed a new contract, so I hope the club will keep hold of him for at least another year.” He told talkSPORT. “But, as we found with Bale, if he wants to leave he will do.
“Bale behaved in the same manner, he signed a five-year deal and then we got £87million for him from Real Madrid, so if the same happens with Lloris then fine. But I hope he stays because he’s absolutely top draw, Lloris is the key for Spurs.
“One of the problems the club has had in recent years is that we’ve let all our best players go. If we had been able to keep hold of the likes of Bale, Modric and Berbatov we could have qualified for the Champions League and maybe even challenged for the Premier League.
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“It’s a problem the club has to address, we can’t keep letting our top players go because they always go on to be successful somewhere else.”
Sunderland AFC has announced TLC88.com as the Asian betting and gaming partner officially for the club.
The partnership represents the first sponsorship venture in Asia for the club and it is seen as part of giving the football club an international appeal.
An initial two year deal has been agreed between the two parties and the website will offer exclusive bets for a range of activities online alongside football betting odds.
Sunderland AFC’s international marketing director Mike Farnan was quick to praise the deal as he went to say “This echoes our commitment to partnering with top line international brands and we are delighted with the partnership.”
The club declare the deal on a week where their North East rivals Newcastle announced a controversial new shirt sponsorship deal for the 2013/14 season with pay day lenders Wonga.
The morality of the deal could similarly be brought into questions with TLC88.com offering people across Asia the opportunity to bet in play on Barclays Premier League football as well as online casinos and gaming.
Mike Chong, Asia Pacific Strategy Director for www.TLC88.com, was quick to dismiss these fears adding “We believe that our knowledge of developing fun, interactive and engaging platforms will provide Sunderland’s international fan base with an exciting, new gaming experience.”
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Now that a deal has been made to broaden Sunderland’s appeal away from England, they will be looking to deal with domestic matters in hand. Next up they welcome visitors Newcastle United to the Stadium of Light and there will be no love lost between the sides, when the sides clash on Sunday.
West Ham fans have been loving some of the recent transfer stories, but they’re not so fond of their latest goalkeeper target.
According to Spanish outlet AS, West Ham are eyeing up a summer swoop for Roberto Jimenez, who could be available for just €2million (£1.75m).
The veteran goalkeeper, who played at every youth level for Spain but never cracked the senior side, spent last season on loan with Malaga, and his parent club Espanyol are looking to cash in.
The Hammers will likely be linked with plenty of Malaga players after they hired the Spanish club’s director of football, Mario Husillos, this week.
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The 6 ft 3 Roberto is a solid goalkeeper, and his experience and knowhow would certainly be an astute addition for under £2m, but fans are hoping for bigger and better things, as he’s not exactly a marked improvement on last season’s horror show in goal.
Lukas Fabianski seems to be the top target for the number one shirt in East London, and fans are bashing the links to the 32 year-old Roberto, who kept just six clean sheets last season in a struggling Malaga side.
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You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, and one fan doesn’t want either goalkeeper target…