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Crystal Palace must make a cut-throat decision on Mamadou Sakho’s future at Selhurst Park amid links abroad.

What’s the word?

The 30-year-old defender has struggled with injuries so far this season, and has yet to feature since the 2-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage in October, where he made a brief cameo from the bench, and it now appears the end is nigh for the former France international.

Sakho had been heavily linked with a move away from Selhurst Park in the summer, with L’Equipe reporting that Ligue 1 side Lyon were interested in the centre-back, but that deal failed to materialise.

However, he has been handed another lifeline, if recent reports are to be believed. According to Estadio Deportivo, Real Betis are interested in securing his services as they are targeting players who are out of contract next summer.

The clock is ticking

Having returned to Palace on a permanent basis from Liverpool for £26m in 2017, things haven’t exactly gone to plan for Sakho at Selhurst Park. The veteran defender has had his fair share of injury problems during his time at Palace, having played just 74 games for the club since his move was made permanent.

As a result, he has often found it difficult to establish himself in Roy Hodgson’s side, with Gary Cahill and James Tomkins the preferred defensive pairing last season.

Hodgson has been frustrated by his injury problems in the past, saying: “He feels, in his own words, scared that something’s going to happen if he plays and he’s unwilling to take the risk.

“We thought he was going to be back, but he is still feeling his calf injury. At the moment he is making it clear he doesn’t feel confident enough to play.

“I’m disappointed in that as I thought we would have got him back after the Newcastle second half when he played so well, but it hasn’t turned out that way. We will just have to wait and see but it’s really when he lets us know he’s ready. We’ll have to wait and see, and we are waiting for him to let us know when he’s ready.”

As much as we hate to admit it, it’s fair to say that he has simply been more trouble than what he is worth, which is precisely why the Eagles must get rid of him at all costs by any means necessary in January.

With his contract coming to a close in a matter of months, coupled with the fact that the £8.5m-rated outcast has been left on the bench for the past four Premier League games in a row, Palace chairman Steve Parish must make the ruthless call to cash in on him when the winter transfer market opens in just under a month’s time.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must swoop for Reading defender Omar Richards in January…

MatériaMais Notícias

Serginho tinha apenas 11 anos quando o craque francês Zidane, ídolo de Juventus (ITA), Real Madrid (ESP) e seleção francesa, decidiu se aposentar dos gramados. Mas graças à internet e ao videogame, que dominam sua geração, o meia santista de 20 anos pôde conhecer o drible que era marca registrada do meio-campista: o giro sobre o marcador.

Foi com esse giro que o camisa 41 do Peixe fez um golaço, aos 46 minutos do amistoso contra o Bahia, no último sábado, que garantiu o empate ao Alvinegro e lhe tornou um dos assuntos mais comentados desde então.
Embalado pelo brasileiro Wendell Lira, que pelo Goianésia faturou o Prêmio Puskas (gol mais bonito do ano), Serginho não descarta posar ao lado de Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo e Neymar na Fifa no ano que vem, mas por enquanto a prioridade é outra e bem diferente.

– Estou feliz pelo gol, se chegar ao Puskas eu vou ficar muito feliz, tem uma chance muito boa, mas vamos esperar. Na hora eu nem pensei direito, mas depois do jogo, saí correndo para ligar para o meu pai, Sergio, para dedicar para ele porque ele fez aniversário um dia antes – comentou o preocupado filho Serginho em entrevista ao LANCE!.

Além de aprimorar o giro de Zidane nos treinos, os chutes de longa distância tiveram outra inspiração, que veio do videogame…

– Eu fiquei brincando no videogame, me escolhi e fiquei dando chute de longe. Meu pai até brincou e falou que valeu a pena ter comprado “esse negócio” – recorda.

Enquanto o garoto vê e revê o gol na internet e na televisão, o técnico Dorival Júnior repassa a escalação e percebe que terá dor de cabeça para achar vagas no time. Mas esta dor de cabeça ninguém quer evitar.

BATE-BOLA COM SERGINHO, MEIA DO PEIXE, AO LANCE!

Para dar o drible do giro, você se inspirou no Zidane? Já havia feito essa jogada em alguma partida?

Eu sempre dei aquele giro, sempre treinei. Na base já cheguei a fazer o giro, mas sem o gol depois. É difícil, sim, eu treinei essa jogada no futsal, que eu jogava desde molequinho. Eu lembro de ter visto o Zidane fazer.

Como foi a repercussão após o gol para você? E o vestiário?
​
Ganhei muitos parabéns, falaram que foi bonito. Minha família falou comigo, amigos, e no vestiário o pessoal também brinca um pouco, é um momento muito legal.

Muitos jogadores na sua idade pensam em serem emprestados para ganharem experiência. Por que você pensa diferente?
​
O momento é para jogar no Santos, penso em ficar aqui. Tenho que mostrar para o Dorival que posso ajudar, ele sempre acreditou em mim e confia no meu potencial.

Na sua posição a concorrência é grande. Acha que terá mais chances depois de ter feito esse gol?
​
A concorrência vai ser sempre leal, porque além dos outros meias serem bons, nós nos respeitamos.

Você disse que se escolheu no videogame, para brincar. Então tirou o Lucas Lima do time?
​
Não! O Lucas Lima é o melhor jogador do Brasil, não pode sair nem no jogo!

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos abriu negociações com o Cruzeiro pelo empréstimo de um ano do atacante camaronês Joel, de 22 anos. De olho em opções viáveis para o setor ofensivo, o clube não prevê dificuldades pela liberação da Raposa, que comprou 50% dos direitos econômicos do jogador no ano passado, por 1 milhão de euros (R$ 3,5 milhões na época). Assim que obtiver o aval da diretoria mineira, o Peixe abrirá conversas com os empresários de Joel, que seria o segundo reforço da equipe para a temporada de 2016.

Joel chegou ao Brasil em 2011 e alcançou destaque pelo Londrina, clube que o contratou na temporada seguinte. O camaronês apareceu de vez nos holofotes dois anos depois, quando o clube paranaense deu trabalho ao Peixe na Copa do Brasil – Joel inclusive marcou dois gols na equipe naquela edição do torneio. Ainda em 2014, o africano defendeu o Coritiba por empréstimo no Brasileirão e logo depois foi comprado pelo Cruzeiro. Hoje, a Raposa detém 50% dos direitos econômicos e o Londrina os outros 50%, com participação do grupo do empresário Juan Figer, que é responsável pela administração do clube paranaense e também pela condução da carreira do camaronês.

Procurados pelo LANCE!, os representantes de Joel confirmam a negociação entre os clubes e ainda avisam que o próprio jogador está animado com a perspectiva de defender o Santos em 2016, já que espera mais espaço do que teve no ano passado. O Grupo Figer, que administra a carreira de diversos jogadores do Peixe, como o volante Thiago Maia, espera só a liberação do Cruzeiro para negociar as condições do contrato de empréstimo do Santos com Joel, que tem contrato até 2020 em Minas Gerais.

Na Toca da Raposa, a negociação já é admitida pela diretoria do Cruzeiro, que confirma o desejo de liberar Joel em 2016.

-Há muita chance de ele (Joel) sair. Assim, não ficaremos com mais do que cinco estrangeiros. Mas ainda não há nada certo – explicou Gilvan de Pinho Tavares, presidente do Cruzeiro, durante a apresentação de Sánchez Miño, novo reforço de sua equipe para 2016.

Até o momento, o Santos oficializou apenas a contratação do atacante Paulinho, emprestado por um ano pelo Flamengo. O clube pagará R$ 300 mil aos cariocas pela liberação e também será responsável pela totalidade dos salários. Além de um atacante de lado, o Santos procura um centroavante (Joel se encaixa nessa característica) e um zagueiro para encaminhar o elenco de Dorival Júnior em 2016.

RelacionadasSantosSantos faz oferta por zagueiro, mas dívida com a Ponte atrapalhaSantos08/01/2016

Sunderland are being linked with a move to sign Lewie Earl for Elliott Dickman’s Under 23s following the teenage defender’s release by Burnley, as Phil Parkinson’s Black Cats are ravished by injuries.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, the Black Cats are taking a look at Earl’s potential ahead of a possible move to bring the 19-year-old to Wearside following Burnley’s decision to release the young defender from their academy this summer.

Earl featured at centre-half as a member of the Clarets’ junior side in a Premier League 2 clash with Newcastle United earlier this season, but was allowed to leave the club after an evidently unsuccessful trial period.

Burnley were the second side Earl has featured for in 2020 having previously spent time in Preston North End’s academy, but left his boyhood side without a senior appearance to his name.

Earl, the younger brother of Preston defender Josh Earl, made a string of outings for the Lilywhites’ U18s in the FA Youth Cup during his time with the Lancashire outfit and scored one goal, coming in a 3-0 win over Norwich City.

Sunderland’s interest in Earl is thought to be a signing viewed towards the future, rather than as immediate first-team cover, per the Chronicle, following injuries to Morgan Feeney, Jordan Willis and Arbenit Xhemajli.

A modern-day gem

While Burnley opted to release Earl after just one appearance in their Under 23s, the teenage prospect was thought of highly during his time at Preston with LancsLive dubbing the centre-half as one of the Lilywhites’ U18 talents that should get fans excited.

They claimed Earl had every chance of following his brother Josh into senior football as he appears to be a real modern-day centre-half, through his comfortable nature in possession.

Earl is not afraid to get stuck in defensively, either, and could be an ideal free addition for Dickman’s U23s side as Parkinson’s dire defensive situation has gifted the Black Cats the perfect chance to snap up potential future first-team regulars.

Earl will also have a lot of enthusiasm to prove to Preston and Burnley that they were wrong to overlook his potential, and build a successful senior career in years to come.

AND in other news, an “important” Sunderland leader has smashed Phil Parkinson’s criteria with an instrumental display.

According to The Telegraph, West Brom are considering a move for West Ham’s Xande Silva in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Baggies earned automatic promotion to the Premier League with a fine campaign last season, and have had a good start to their transfer business with a permanent deal for Grady Diangana.

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Now, The Telegraph claim that Slaven Bilic is after yet another talented player from the club he used to manage, with Silva considered a “top option” alongside Huddersfield Town’s Karlan Grant.

Another Diangana

Much of Diangana’s success came from the fact Bilic trusted him with first-team opportunities, and the youngster rewarded him with a series of fine performances – he scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 30 Championship games.

In Silva, West Brom could enjoy another Diangana success story, with the 23-year-old having struggled to break into the West Ham first-team since his arrival at the club.

He has made just two appearances for the Hammers, and even that has only totaled around 96 minutes worth of football. Those who have watched him develop at academy level however speak of someone who has got all the ingredients to become a top player.

West Ham’s former U23s manager, Liam Manning, said: “Xande Silva has done really well. He’s settled in, having been here just over a week now, and his attitude has been terrific. He has shown his quality in training, like he has tonight in this game. He’s a very quick, physical player, and he’s settled in quickly with the group.”

Predominantly a right-winger, Silva can play on the left flank as well as through the middle, and he could prove to be another shrewd acquisition that really makes his mark at the Hawthorns if given a chance.

Mike Ashley has given an update on the proposed takeover of Newcastle United as Lee Ryder relayed comments made by Steve Bruce on what the Sports Direct chief executive had told him, his members of staff and the players.

As per the journalist, Ashley was speaking via a conference on Zoom straight after their final game of the 2019/20 season, which ended in a 3-1 loss to the Premier League champions Liverpool at St. James’ Park.

Dwight Gayle had actually opened the scoring for the hosts inside the opening 30 seconds of the match before Virgil Van Dijk equalised for the Reds, with Divock Origi and Sadio Mane making sure of the victory.

However, the attention swiftly turned to the prospective £300m deal between Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) group, as the former reiterated that the approval of the bid is still in the hands of the Premier League and it has been the same for a number of weeks now.

Indeed, it may please some members of the Toon Army that the current owner has come out and shared what he has heard with regards to the takeover at the Tyneside club, but it would perhaps be laced with more frustration as it is seemingly no further to being approved by the Premier League.

With the campaign finished now for the Magpies, coincided with the summer transfer window officially opening, a final decision from the league will surely have to be made sooner rather than later so that Newcastle can start their plans for the next term. For now, they will be made to wait longer until an official announcement is made.

Geordies, does the Premier League need to make a decision on the takeover this week? Comment below with your views!

Rangers chief Ross Wilson could be about to cause the club to misfire on yet another winger at Ibrox…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Record, the Scottish giants are keeping tabs on Newcastle United ace Jacob Murphy over a possible summer transfer.

It’s claimed that the 25-year-old is on a list of potential targets should Steven Gerrard offload some of the fringe players on the wage book.

Murphy cost the Magpies £12m back in 2017 and has had to go out on loan to Championship duo West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday in the last 18 months.

Ojo 2.0

This has all the hallmarks of being a typical wide man mistake at Ibrox – and although Wilson isn’t culpable for the past, he would be if he pushes ahead with a move to sign Murphy.

He’s a player that has struggled to break into the senior setup at St James’ Park whilst United have in the Premier League and it was only this season that he had started to show glimpses of why they splashed eight-figures to sign him.

Although the former England U21 international has hardly been prolific throughout numerous loan spells – per Transfermarkt, he’s only surpassed a tally of ten goals for the season once and that was at League One outfit Coventry City.

His attempt of nine goals this season for the Owls was a solid effort but could be an anomaly when looking back in years to come.

Murphy only shoots 1.7 times per game and is also dispossessed 1.3 times per match too, via WhoScored.

His lack of exposure to the top-flight hints that this one could be similar to last season’s move for Sheyi Ojo, who was dubbed one of the worst players by supporters.

The Liverpool man was another player to go out on many loans, including a temporary spell at Ibrox where he managed to score just one goal all season.

Murphy’s final ball and composure in the final third has been dubbed as “erratic” by Yorkshire Live, which only emphasises the worry of inconsistency surrounding the winger.

Wilson simply has to avoid this move at all costs.

AND in other news, Rangers ace has been Steven Gerrard’s unsung hero

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been left reeling by the latest update surrounding their reported pursuit of Philippe Coutinho.

It’s led to some members of the Spurs faithful unleashing on chairman Daniel Levy as well as the club’s ownership, the ENIC Group.

According to Marca, the north London outfit are to end their interest in the Barcelona attacking midfielder due to his wage demands.

It’s claimed that Coutinho is making around €15m (£13.5m) per season at the Spanish giants which is way beyond what Spurs and Levy are prepared to offer, which has left many supporters far from surprised.

The 27-year-old, who is valued at £50.4m by Transfermarkt, is currently out on loan to Bayern Munich where he has provided nine goals and eight assists from 32 appearances, which is pretty good going.

Coutinho joined Barcelona back in January 2018 for a whopping £142m, signing a five-and-a-half year deal, meaning he’s still under contract at the Nou Camp for another three seasons.

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Many in north London believe the Brazilian would be a very good addition for the squad next term, especially as they appear unlikely to qualify for the Champions League with Jose Mourinho’s side some seven points adrift at this stage.

These supporters have unleashed at Levy and the board for their lack of spending…

It’s that bad that one supporter went as far as suggesting that making the top ten next term would be an achievement in itself. They’re only two points from falling out of it this season, let alone what could happen in 2020/21.

There’s no indication on whether Spurs are genuinely interested in the former Liverpool playmaker, and given the signing of Giovani Lo Celso to accompany Dele Alli in attacking midfield, he may not be a needed addition.

Mourinho has plenty of other glaring issues to resolve, most notably his defence, who rank as the joint-worst in the top ten for goals conceded.

AND in other news, Spurs fans react as free agent SWOOP edges closer…

Sheffield United fans will be hoping that their club looks to buy some squad depth in the upcoming transfer window, and the recent reports suggest that the Blades are interested in signing midfielder John Swift.

According to The Daily Mail, Chris Wilder is a fan of Swift, who currently plays for Reading in the Championship. His interest is so much that the Blades have submitted a bid worth around £3.5 million.

Wilder wants to add a lot of depth to his midfield and his current contract runs out in 2022, but the Royals might have to sell due to financial implications which have been caused by recent events.

The Englishman, who came from Chelsea’s academy, has had a great season in the Championship as he has played 35 times and scored five goals whilst picking up ten assists, per WhoScored. He also averages 1.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions a game, highlighting he is very good at breaking up opposition attacks as well as being an attacking threat himself.

Comparing him to similar players in his position at the Blades, (John Lundstram and John Fleck), Swift has more assists than both of them, and more goals than Lundstram but the same amount as Fleck. Lundstram ranks highest in tackles (1.5) but Swift remains the best when it comes to interceptions per game.

It could be argued that he is doing better  in some departments because he is in the division below, however it highlights that the potential to be a Premier League player is there, and with better finishers and creators, there is no doubt that Swift could improve his goal contribution tally. The offer as well is pretty low and he is a good age at 25, so if they can sign him for the fee mentioned it seems like a no brainer.

Blades fans, what are your thoughts on this? Let us know down below!

Following Saturday’s 2-1 win at Bournemouth in the Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno Espirito Santo lavished praise on Adama Traore.

And now the Wolves fans have hailed the former Barcelona youngster for his display in the impressive victory against Eddie Howe’s side.

The Europa League team made it three straight victories on Saturday as first-half goals from Joao Moutinho and Raul Jimenez proved enough to secure all three points.

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Traore played the full 90 minutes for the visitors, and in addition to providing the assist for Jimenez’s goal, the attacker won two tackles and boasted a pass success rate of 77% at the Vitality Stadium, according to WhoScored.

And many of the Wolves fans were keen to praise the 23-year-old, who has also contributed two Premier League goals during the 2019/20 campaign, in addition to three assists in the Europa League.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the club’s supporters can be seen below: