This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, one of Leeds United striker Ryan Edmondson’s former mentors Steve Torpey believes that the teenager needs to be playing men’s football this season, but he may not get what he wants.
What did he say?
The 48-year-old was the coach who moved Edmondson from the U16s to the U18s at former club York City because of his size and ability, and his performances attracted the interest of their fellow Yorkshire outfit.
The 18-year-old has made two first-team appearances for the Whites – both from the substitutes’ bench – but is yet to make his first start, although he has played a part in their pre-season preparations following his exploits for the U23s last term., scoring a hat-trick in the 5-1 win against Tadcaster Albion.
Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Speaking to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Torpey said: “He’s at that age where he needs to sample men’s football and if that’s at Leeds, brilliant.
“If the manager sees him of that calibre and he can be in and around the first team, fantastic.
“But I think he probably needs, in my humble opinion, to go and play senior football.
“With the 23s, where he’s scored lots of goals and done really well, is it the same as playing senior football in the League or even at the Conference level? Probably not, especially with the physicality he’s going to come across in the Championship.”
Torpey’s wish might not come true
Basically the former Football League journeyman either hopes that Edmondson will get his chance at Leeds or will get it elsewhere if first-team opportunities are hard to come by, but as things stand it appears both of those scenarios are unlikely to happen.
The Whites have two senior striker options in Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford who look to be above the youngster in the pecking order right now, but with the former out injured as the new campaign is set to get to underway, Marcelo Bielsa can’t afford to lose another centre-forward without another one arriving.
Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…
That surely means he is likely to remain at Elland Road past the deadline next week with Roofe and Bamford having their fair share of injury issues during the previous season as well, but it still isn’t a guarantee that he will get the football he needs with the Yorkshire club.
Once Roofe is back you would expect him to be the third or fourth-choice option up top again, and in that case he may have to do with odd minutes here and there with the majority of his playing time once again coming for the U23s.
It’s official and both the club and player have confirmed it – Alberto Moreno has joined Villarreal on a free transfer after his contract at Liverpool expired.
The Spanish full-back has signed a five-year contract with the Yellow Submarine and has already passed his medical.
Now he is ready to join the squad in their pre-season training and then start the La Liga season in August.
Moreno joined Liverpool in the summer of 2014 and has since played a total of 141 games, scoring three goals and assisting a further 11 in the process.
He became a free agent when his contract expired in July and Villarreal have grasped the opportunity to sign the 27-year-old in a cunning swoop.
Moreno has since taken to
/BztCIGyowy4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link” data-lasso->Instagram to celebrate his move and the snap was met with a lot of great wishes by his former teammates and friends on Merseyside.
Andrew Robertson and James Milner were among the first ones to reply to the snap as they showered Moreno with their best wishes of support.
Soon, other teammates followed as Dejan Lovren, Georginio Wijnaldum and Simon Mignolet joined the party.
In the 2018/19 season, Moreno was second fiddle to Robertson and he played just five games in all competitions.
By the end of the campaign it became obvious that he was effectively surplus to requirements.
Lots of Everton fans have been reacting to a injury update on Richarlison, who missed Brazil’s Copa America clash with Paraguay on Thursday night thanks to a rather bizarre issue.
Richarlison could only watch as his side secured their progression to the semi-finals, winning on penalties after a tense 0-0 draw.
According to reports in Brazil, the Toffees star has mumps and some reports have claimed it will keep him out of the entire tournament.
Now, don’t panic Everton fans, the infection usually clears up within a couple of weeks, say the NHS, but of course it is still devastating for the youngster to miss the chance at Copa America glory.
Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…
At 22 years of age, the winger-turned-striker has ten caps to his name already, bagging an impressive five goals as well.
Loads of fans have been reacting to the news on Twitter, and apart from several “Everton that” cries, most are just concerned for the wellbeing of their rising star.
Take a look at some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
During silly season, Premier League clubs are linked with a whole host of players, and Everton have been no different this summer. Manager Marco Silva will be hoping to improve on the Toffees’ 8th place finish last time out, and has already brought in Andre Gomes on a permanent deal following his season-long loan last year, as well as Fabian Delph and Jonas Lossl, in an attempt to do so. But who else could move to Goodison Park this summer? We take a look at five players Everton want to sign before August 8th…
Moise Kean’s career is only just starting, but he has already made an impact in Italy. Aged just 19, he has eight goals in 21 games for Juventus, and has also netted twice in three appearances for the Italian national side. However, despite such an impressive start to his career, the prodigy could be on the move this summer, and Everton have been linked with him. They have been joined by Arsenal in the race for the striker, but the Toffees have an advantage. Unlike the Gunners, Marco Silva and co are willing to let the Old Lady include a £36m buy-back option in a potential deal.
Nicolas Pepe had a fantastic season in Ligue 1 last term, scoring 23 goals for Lille as they finished second behind PSG in France’s top tier. It is of no surprise that he has been linked with a move away from the Stade Pierre Mauroy, but Everton’s interest is a little unexpected. The Toffees are reportedly eyeing a move for the 24-year-old, who would apparently cost a club record fee of €65m (£58.3m). The French club’s president Gerard Lopez has confirmed that the Ivory Coast international’s departure is close to completion, so it remains to be seen whether it is the Toffees who have won the race.
Most of Everton’s targets this summer appear to be offensive rather than defensive. Another one who has been linked to a move to Goodison Park this summer is Barcelona’s Malcom. The Brazilian made just 24 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan club last season and was unable to move ahead of the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and, of course, Lionel Messi in Ernesto Valverde’s starting line-up. Everton were said to be lining up an offer of €35m (£31.4m) earlier in July. The 22-year-old’s agent has reportedly told his employers that he wants to leave the Camp Nou this summer, so a switch should be expected.
Not content with targeting one Lille star, Everton also have Rafael Leao on their radar. The 20-year-old scored eight goals in 26 games for the Ligue 1 club last season, and has attracted attention from a number of sides. Along with the Toffees, Valencia and Wolves are also reportedly interested. The former two were even said to have offered €4om (£35.9m) for the Brazilian. As with Pepe, Gerard Lopez has admitted that it will be difficult to hold onto the forward, and has confirmed that that he has received offers. A switch therefore looks likely.
To finish off, we finally have a defensive candidate that could move to Merseyside before the transfer window slams shut next month. The Toffees have been linked with Adama Soumaoro who currently captains… yes, you guessed it, Lille! A transfer to Monaco for the 27-year-old has recently fallen through, which means that a switch to the Premier League is back on the cards. Crystal Palace and an unnamed German club have reportedly bid for the central defender, so Everton will need to move quickly if they are to bring him in this summer.
We are of the opinion that Leeds United need to add more direct attacking to their squad next season and Brandon Barker can be that man to get Elland Road on its feet.
Football Insider have reported that Leeds are interested in bringing the Man City youngster and Preston North End loanee up to Yorkshire. The left-winger impressed this season, particularly when fans hailed him after his goal against the Whites in August, and he could follow in Jack Harrison’s footsteps by swapping the City Football Academy for Elland Road.
The 22-year-old planned to break into his parent club’s team when he signed a five-year-deal in 2015, according to the MEN, but he’s been loaned out three times since then and has only made one 37-minute substitute appearance for City. However, his two goals and two assists in just six Championship starts this season has shown just how impactful he can be.
Despite his average of 0.8 dribbles and 0.8 shots per game this season, according to Who Scored, anyone who’s seen the Englishman cut in from the left and smash a goal in would know he could give Leeds’ front-line the unpredictability it’s missed for much of the second half of the season.
Yes, his talent is pretty raw right now and there’s no guarantee but just look at what he can do:
Now, basing opinions off of YouTube videos is probably where thousands of ill-informed football fans fall down but such a natural attacking outlet does seem like a good idea for a Whites side who struggled to breakdown the opposition towards the end of the season. For example, they bossed the passing stats against the likes of Aston Villa, Derby and Brentford, yet couldn’t find a way to capitalise and make the most of it.
Indeed, the kind of genuine pace Barker boasts could at least ask more questions of the opposition.
Barker can have a bright future ahead if he’s given the opportunity to show what he can do on a permanent basis. He can’t keep being sent out on loan forever, so they should take a chance on him just as they did with Jack Harrison, and that didn’t work out too badly, did it?
Leeds fans, who do you think Marcelo Bielsa should sign this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…
[ad_pod ]According to a Tweet from The Guardian’s Deputy News Editor Ed Aarons, Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace are eyeing the loan signing of Jean Michael Seri of Fulham.
What’s the word, then?
With the Cottagers unable to maintain their Premier League status in 2018/2019, Seri will be wanting to stay at the highest level with Monaco of Ligue 1 also interested in securing his signature.
However, if the Eagles want to be the club to keep the central midfielder in the division, then it may have to be on loan as there’s every chance Scott Parker’s men could be back in the top flight themselves in a year’s time.
Seri, a 23-time international with the Ivory Coast, arrived at Craven Cottage last summer as part of the team’s ill-fated pre-season spend from Nice.
Milivojevic’s perfect long-term partner
It’s not hard to see the potential of the bright Seri being Luka Milivojevic’s long-term partner at Selhurst Park if they manage to rescue him from the Championship.
It seems like the Serbian is the only constant in the midfield of Hodgson’s men at the moment with everyone from Cheikhou Kouyate to Max Meyer partnering him at one point during 2018/2019.
Seri’s first campaign in English football didn’t exactly go to plan, and he largely failed to make the impact that would have been expected from him.
Who is your club’s worst ever January signing? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked theirs in the video below and they didn’t disappoint…
However, the midfielder has shown his class for Nice previously and is more agile than Milivojevic, meaning his overall game would complement his nicely as he would be able to break forward while the Serbian plays a holding role.
The fact that the Eagles would get to try the African on for size before committing to a permanent deal first is excellent. That way, if things don’t quite work out for Seri in south London Palace have lost nothing.
West Ham United have been linked with a swoop for Blackburn Rovers midfielder Bradley Dack, per the Daily Mail.
The Hammers are said to have made checks on the star, who has enjoyed an excellent season in the Championship and is valued at £18million by the club.
Indeed, the former Gillingham ace has scored 15 goals in the second-tier this term, while also providing seven assists.
But should the Hammers part with nearly £20m to secure a player who has never played in the top-flight?
Football FanCast’s writers have their say below!
Harry Elnaugh
“Dack has always threatened to make that breakthrough to the PL but hasn’t yet and perhaps that should be a warning sign for West Ham. The 25-year-old seems to have found his level in the Championship and if the Hammers want to take that step up to challenge the likes of Wolves then they need some proven Premier League talent.”
Matt Dawson
“Bradley Dack seems like a typical West Ham signing and I’m not surprised to hear that they could be in the market for him. However, at £18m, they’d have to be absolutely mad. Do West Ham really need a creative midfielder this summer? Arguably not. Any money they are looking to spend shouldn’t be on him. Instead, funds should be used to bolster both defence and attack. The Hammers can find far better value elsewhere.”
James Beavis
“Dack’s sheer talent places him way above Championship level, but I’m not convinced his all-around game is suited to the Premier League. He has been an impressive performer for Rovers this term, but at £18m he would be another risky Hammers buy. Additonally, attacking midfield surely isn’t a priority for the Irons this summer given they already have the likes of Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini in their ranks. In short, he may well be considered if Samir Nasri goes, but he isn’t the Nasri replacement West Ham need.”
So then, another season of the Premier League is done and dusted and it’s time for the 20 teams to start reviewing their campaigns and putting plans in place for the 2019/2020 term.
Little has changed at the top of the league with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City marching to back-to-back English top-flight titles, but this year, they had new runners-up.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool took over in second place from Manchester United by accumulating an incredible 97 points and finishing just a single point behind the Citizens.
Despite being knocked out of both the Carabao Cup and the Emirates FA Cup at the first opportunity, the Reds have had much more joy in one other competition, the UEFA Champions League. The Merseysiders will go for glory in the final for the second successive term, against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid at the end of May.
In light of all this, today we review the season so far of Liverpool, from their player of the season, to their goal of the season and who they should sign to improve before next term…
Player of the Season – Virgil van Dijk
The biggest factor that has allowed Klopp’s team to make the title race go right down to the wire in 2018/2019 has been their defence, something that’s let them down time and time again in recent seasons, and a huge part of that has been Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
The 27-year-old joined from Southampton for a world-record fee back in January 2018 and has flourished in his first full season at Anfield, the commanding defender being crucial to both the domestic and European success with 49 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League.
As a result, Van Dijk has picked up wide acclaim from all four corners of the footballing world, fans, pundits and even his fellow professionals, who voted him the PFA Player of the Year and a member of the PFA Team of the Year. The Netherlands international will be hoping to put the cherry on the cake at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Flop of the Season – Naby Keita
In contrast, the flop of the season in the Red Half of Merseyside has undoubtedly been summer 2018 signing from RB Leipzig, midfielder Naby Keita.
After the club paid a staggering fee of £54 million for the Guinea international, he’s struggled to adapt to the pace of English football as his performances all season long have fallen well below par in the centre of the park.
Keita does have more time to make it work in England and live up to his lofty price tag – it sometimes takes even the best players on the planet a little time to settle in. However, if the flop keeps this up, it won’t be long before the whole of Liverpool loses patience and the plug is pulled.
Unsung hero – Georginio Wijnaldum
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Liverpool v FC Barcelona – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 7, 2019 Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates scoring their third goal with Jordan Henderson REUTERS/Phil Noble
Every team in every season needs its unsung hero, that one player who chips in at vital times, scoring pivotal goals or saving pivotal goals. But not quite getting the credit they deserve and the credit of some of their teammates.
That has, without doubt, in 2018/2019 been Dutch attacking midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum for the Reds, just as important as the likes of Alisson, Van Dijk and Sadio Mane at times – not nearly sung as much as them.
Wijnaldum has had the habit of popping up just at the right time for Klopp throughout the campaign, whether it be for the league winner away at Tottenham back in September or the decisive inspired brace in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, for example. A true unsung hero.
Signing of the Season – Alisson
Soccer Football – Premier League – Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 12, 2019 Liverpool’s Alisson waves to the fans as he holds a trophy for winning the Premier League Golden Glove award after the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single clu
Before the start of the term, Klopp brought four new signings to Anfield, first was the aforementioned Keita, then his fellow midfielder Fabinho from Monaco, followed by Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri and rounded off by much-needed goalkeeper Alisson from Roma.
The latter has by far been the pick of them when we look back, taking the Premier League and Champions League by storm and paying back every penny of his £66.8 million price tag, then the highest fee ever paid for a shot-stopper.
The fact that Alisson won the English top-flight Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets by fighting off competition from Man City’s Ederson is one example of just how immense he’s been in his maiden English term. The 26-year-old has saved 79 per cent of his league shots, 79 per cent!
Biggest Shock – second place
There wasn’t much wrong with Liverpool’s season whatsoever, especially in the Premier League, 97 points from 38 matches. That’s why the biggest shock of the campaign was surely that they could only finish second.
The side that have incredibly never lifted the Premier League trophy lost just once in the league throughout the whole term, regrettably, for them, that defeat came against the Citizens and was ultimately the difference between the two teams.
What really damaged Klopp’s men was a run of four draws in the space of six games in February and March, making it seven overall for the season and costing them the trophy. Though they can take pride in pushing arguably the greatest English team ever all the way and know that if they can rack up the same total next season, it surely won’t be beaten.
Best result – Barcelona (H) – 4-0
When reviewing 2018/2019, there will be one result that sticks out in the mind that bit more for everyone associated with Liverpool, one of the greatest Anfield nights in history.
Trailing by three goals from the first leg, the Reds welcomed Spanish giants Barcelona to Merseyside for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The hosts had a chance but needed to score early.
And that’s exactly what they did, taking the lead through Divock Origi on seven minutes. That advantage was doubled and then tripled by Wijnaldum in three crazy early-second-half minutes to turn the tie on its head, allowing Origi to complete his brace with just over 10 minutes to go and Liverpool to hold onto their place in the final. The undisputed best result of the season.
Worst result – Manchester City (A) – 2-1
The worst result of the campaign from a Liverpool perspective can be none other than the result that cost the Reds the title in so many different ways.
Travelling to the Etihad Stadium having held City to a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the term, Klopp’s men met an inspired team that had them a goal down after 40 minutes. Although Roberto Firmino was able to reply after half-time, Leroy Sane netted a winner for the home side 18 minutes from time in the New Year contest.
This was not just a huge blow for the Merseysiders in terms of the league table, it was a huge blow psychologically and just gave their opponents that mental edge to be able to win their final 14 games and overturn what was at one stage, a seven-point lead at the top.
Goal of the Season – Daniel Sturridge vs Chelsea
Scoring over 130 goals in all competitions, it’s little surprise that the Reds netted some absolute beauties over the course of the season, Mo Salah’s scintillating strike at home to Chelsea, Mane’s skilful finish away at Bayern Munich in the Champions League and sexy flick in the Watford thrashing.
However, they were all trumped by a thorough worldie from an unlikely source, outcast striker Daniel Sturridge, in the dramatic league draw at Stamford Bridge.
With the Blues a goal to the good in the 89th minute, the former England centre-forward picked up the ball outside the box from Shaqiri, took it out of his stride and then beautifully stroked it into the far top corner to win his side a key point. The bittersweet aspect of September’s Premier League Goal of the Month being that Sturridge is an ex-Chelsea star.
Most controversial moment – West Ham United (A)
The Reds’ campaign, filled with its magical moments, was not without its fair share of controversy now and again, with one moment much more prevalent than all the others.
It came in the visit to London Stadium to face West Ham United and involved one of if not the worst linesman calls in recent Premier League history.
In the 22nd minute, Mane converted from close-range to give the visitors an early lead, although, in the build-up, a short pass from Adam Lallana was made to the blatantly offside James Milner right in front of the linesman and was not detected. Luckily, justice was done as Michail Antonio levelled shortly after and it finished 1-1. However, Origi missed a last-gasp chance for Klopp’s men from, you guessed it, an offside position.
Turning point – Manchester City defeat
For Liverpool to lead by seven points at the top of the Premier League table and end up one point behind in second by the end of matchday 38, there had to be a turning point at some stage.
The Reds’ was an obvious one, the aforementioned early-January defeat to eventual champions Man City at the Etihad – it was the turning point in so many different ways.
Pre-match, Klopp’s side had won their last nine in the Premier League and following City’s poor Christmas form, were ahead by eight. A loss cut that margin to four and really took the wind out of their sails after a busy festive period, the Merseysiders would draw four out of their next eight league encounters and the critical damage of the turning point was done.
Since the inception of the Premier League, only three defenders have ever won the PFA Player of the Year award.
Aston Villa’s Paul McGrath was the first defensive recipient of the award back in the 1992/93 season when the defender almost led the West Midlands-based club to the league title, and 12 years later Chelsea legend John Terry was named PFA Player of the Year as his Chelsea side conceded just 15 goals in 2004/05, a defensive record still yet to be bested in the Premier League. And on Sunday night, Virgil van Dijk became the latest defender to pick up the prestigious honour.
The Dutch international has been without question one of the best defenders in world football this season, commanding the best defence in the Premier League and taking Liverpool from outside title contenders to one of the two teams who have the quality to actually go for the main prize.
Van Dijk, who has only been dribbled past once since joining Liverpool, has been a revelation on Merseyside and has taken Jurgen Klopp’s side to the next level, and it’s now crazy to think that when the defender signed for a still world-record fee from Southampton in December 2017 many fans thought the club had overspent.
£75 million is a ridiculous fee for a defender, but van Dijk’s incredible impact on the Liverpool side shows that his signing was worth every penny and some, and his latest achievement has proven that defenders will get the recognition they deserve if they step up to the plate and deliver for their team.
Liverpool fans, is van Dijk the best defender in the world? Let us know!
Man Utd are at a hugely significant point in time in their history. A wrong step could see the Red Devils dwindle even further down the table in the Premier League, whilst a good year or so could help them return to the levels of success that Sir Alex Ferguson oversaw at Old Trafford.
Key to that is the Man Utd squad. A lot of work needs to be done behind the scenes at Old Trafford, not least with a few changes with regards to staff members, but on the field is where the action happens, and without good players, the Red Devils will never win a thing.
That’s why it’s so important that the best players that are currently at the club remain at Old Trafford – and that includes young Marcus Rashford. According to the Mirror, he’s closing in on a bumper new contract at the club, and though it’s slated to cost the Red Devils nearly £80 million through its duration, the reality is that he’s the future of the club, and so it’s easy to argue that it would be money well spent.
After all, he’s an incredible talent. There’s no way around that. Particularly following the departure of Jose Mourinho, Rashford seems to have come of age. Playing both out wide and through the middle, the attacking midfielder just possesses the natural ability needed to be a constant threat moving forward. Whether it’s his pace or his dribbling or, indeed, his shooting ability, Rashford always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and that’s why he’s been so good for the Red Devils this term. He’s improved significantly upon his form from last season, and he’s proven that if he’s utilised in the correct system, he’s a surefire hit in the Premier League.
What makes his talent even the more remarkable is the fact that he’s still just 21-years-old. He burst onto the scene at such a young age, and that’s allowed him to develop at an incredible rate. Most players are only just getting their first taste of action at a top team at 21-years-old – yet Rashford has been a regular for a number of years. The best is yet to come from him, and that bodes well for the Red Devils when planning for the future.
It’s also important not to ignore the significance of his homegrown status at Old Trafford. He was made in Manchester, and he’s a Man Utd man through and through. He recognises the importance of the team, more importantly, he recognises what it means to be a Man Utd man. He’ll always give that little bit more than other players because its simply in his blood – and that’s so important. No matter what changes at Old Trafford, he’ll always remain the same.
Whether you consider his impact on the field or off of it, Rashford has all the makings of a Man Utd star. In time, he’s only going to grow in significance, and for Man Utd, he’s going to grow as the most important member of the first team. They can’t let that go – no matter the cost.
Man Utd fans – what do you think? Will Rashford still be a Man Utd man in a decade? Let us know below!