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أفادت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، أن نادي بشكتاش التركي تراجع بشأن التعاقد مع الدولي الهولندي لوك دي يونج مهاجم فريق برشلونة.

دي يونج انضم إلى برشلونة في الصيف الماضي خلال اليوم الأخير من الانتقالات قادمًا من إشبيلية ليعزز هجوم الفريق الكتالوني.

طالع أيضًا.. تشافي يحدد أول ضحية وصفقة هجومية لـ برشلونة في الشتاء

وكشفت “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، أن نادي بشكتاش التركي، الذي كان يرغب في ضم لوك دي يونج، تراجع عن الصفقة ورفض ضم اللاعب الهولندي.

بشكتاش رفض ضم دي يونج، وقرر الاعتماد على باتشواي ويالسين وتوسون، مما يجعل دي يونج ليس أمامه سوى العودة إلى إشبيلية.

إشبيلية أعار اللاعب في الصيف الماضي، مع أحقية الشراء لـ برشلونة، لكن النادي الكتالوني يبدو أنه لا ينوي استكمال موسم الإعارة للاعب الهولندي، بسبب عدم تأقلمه مع البلوجرانا.

دي يونج كان طلب من المدرب رونالد كومان المدير الفني الهولندي للفريق، المشاركة، ويبدو أنه لن يجد مكانًا في برشلونة بعد أن تمت اقالة رونالد، مع اقتراب تولي تشافي من قيادة النادي الكتالوني.

Burnley could be boosted by the potential return of two key defenders from injury ahead of the new Premier League season.

Lancashire Live reported that James Tarkowski and Ben Mee are both hopeful of being fit in time for the season opener against Leicester on 19 September.

The former missed Tuesday’s friendly against Preston with a minor knock but is expected to recover before the first league game, while the latter is recovering well from a thigh problem which ruled him out of the concluding weeks of last season (as per Lancashire Live).

The importance of the centre-back duo to Sean Dyche cannot be understated. Tarkowski played every minute of Burnley’s 2019/20 Premier League campaign and was their most-used player in all competitions throughout the season.

Club captain Mee had also been on course for an ever-present league campaign until injury at the end of June forced him to miss the Clarets’ final six games. Kevin Long stepped up in his absence and delivered some strong performances, but he too has had a delayed return to pre-season involvement.

With Ben Gibson effectively exiled and potentially being sold back to Middlesbrough, it left Dyche needing to play youngsters Jimmy Dunne and Bobby Thomas at centre-back against Preston yesterday, although the duo may well gain confidence from keeping the Lilywhites scoreless in a 0-0 draw.

Lancashire Live added that left-backs Charlie Taylor and Erik Pieters had both been utilised in a central defensive role in pre-season as Dyche attempts to have all bases covered in case of a shortage of natural options in that area.

While Dunne and Thomas should benefit from their integration into the first team, neither has played a competitive senior match for Burnley, so throwing even one of them into the fray for the Premier League opener this month looks very risky.

Mee and Tarkowski were unmovable as the Clarets’ centre-back partnership before the captain’s injury over the summer and both will likely be perceived as essential first team players by Dyche this coming season as well.

Whether they will win the race against time to be fit for 19 September remains to be seen but it is at least encouraging to hear reports that they could make it for the Leicester game, with Burnley benefitting in this case from not playing on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

Burnley fans, how crucial will it be to have Mee and Tarkowski fit for the start of the league campaign? Have your say by commenting below!

Everton could be handed an opportunity to offload one of their biggest mistakes from last summer if fresh reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Premier League rivals Burnley are keen to sign Toffees midfielder Fabian Delph as a direct replacement for Jeff Hendrick, who recently joined Newcastle United.

It’s claimed that Sean Dyche has ‘big interest’ in the 30-year-old but it’s likely to come down to price with the player currently valued at £9m by Transfermarkt.

The Times also believe that Everton would be willing to sell Delph following the arrival of Allan and likely additions of James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

£17m nightmare

Delph cost a total of £10m with add-ons included after Marco Silva clinched him from title-winning Manchester City, but he’s failed to make such an impact at Goodison Park.

The veteran played just 17 times, averaging 1.6 tackles, 1 clearance and 0.4 key passes per game, via WhoScored, so it’s been quite an underwhelming signing all round.

Strangely, Richard Keys lauded the move, dubbing it as one of the steals of the window – a “robbery” in fact, claiming “he’s Everton’s James Milner. Again – like Luiz and Milner – a top pro.”

Marcel Brands made an exception against his normal profile, claiming that allowances would be made for “older, good value” targets but clearly that’s not been the case with the Englishman.

As per Football Insider, Delph is apparently picking up a whopping £120k-per-week in Merseyside, which means the club have blown around £17m on him already.

Therefore, if the Clarets do indeed try to sign him, Brands and co should absolutely accept whatever they can, especially after Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield revamp.

They simply cannot afford to continue to have Delph sat on the bench or in the stands next season.

If anyone was committing a robbery, it would be Delph on the Toffees rather than what Keys was implying.

AND in other news, Everton swoop for La Liga FLOP is a disaster waiting to happen…

Chelsea are eager to get back into action and continue their mission to secure Champions League football next season.

The Blues have won six of their seven matches played since the Premier League restarted and are on track for a top four finish. As it stands, Frank Lampard’s side are third in table after leapfrogging Leicester, but the battle is still a close one. Chelsea must stay ahead of the Foxes and Manchester United, with just two points between third and fifth place.

Sheffield United are hoping to secure a spot in the Europa League and will be fighting tooth and nail for a result on home soil, so Chelsea must be at the top of their game.

Transfer Tavern have predicted how Lampard might set up to face the Blades this evening…

There’s no reason for the manager to change anything about his attack, with Christian Pulisic, Willian and Olivier Giroud scoring a combined nine goals since the Premier League restart (via Sofascore).

Billy Gilmour though will miss out after picking up an injury which will see him out for up to four months (BBC Sport). Ross Barkley could be dropped to the bench after failing to contribute to any of the three goals scored in their last outing. The additions of Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could freshen up the engine room and catch the Blades off guard. Loftus-Cheek bagged himself an assist coming off the bench against Crystal Palace and could be a key component of Lampard’s midfield.

Kurt Zouma lost possession 12 times against the Eagles so the centre-back partnership could be switched up by adding Antonio Rudiger to the back-line alongside Andreas Christensen.

It could be a cagey affair at Bramall Lane so the Blues must stay tight at the back and try to score early in order to maximise their chances of another important three points.

How do you think Chelsea should line up against Sheffield United, Blues? Have your say in the comments below!

Manchester City return to Premier League action tonight when they welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium as the English top flight resumes following a three-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus.

The fixture had been pencilled in for 11 March but was then postponed, with Gunners manager and Pep Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully the 38-year-old has since recovered and he now prepares to go up against his former boss for the first time as a manager.

For Manchester City, their hopes of a third successive Premier League title are merely mathematical at this stage, with 25 points to make up on Liverpool, and they will be eager to atone for their last outing, the 2-0 derby defeat to Manchester United on 8 March.

As Guardiola’s team finally grace their home stadium for the first time since the mid-February win over West Ham, Football Transfer Tavern predicts the starting line-up for the visit of Arsenal, anticipating no fewer than five changes from the XI that began the loss at Old Trafford. As per WhoScored, the Spaniard has the luxury of a fully fit squad from which to choose.

Ederson will almost certainly retain his place in goal, although there could be a much-changed back four just ahead of him. Aymeric Laporte is fit to return after the hamstring injury he picked up against Real Madrid in February, so he could slot in alongside Fernandinho at centre-back.

Neither Benjamin Mendy nor Kyle Walker started at Old Trafford but may be reintroduced to the defensive unit for the visit of Arsenal. Those changes would see Oleksandr Zinchenko, Nicolas Otamendi and Joao Cancelo all drop out of the starting XI, with the latter the subject of transfer speculation in recent weeks linking him with an Etihad exit.

Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan are likely to retain their places in midfield and Kevin De Bruyne, who scored twice in the 3-0 win over the Gunners in December, should come back into the line-up after missing the derby defeat with a back injury sustained in the Carabao Cup final. That would see David Silva dropping out of the team to make way for the Belgian.

The one anticipated change in attack sees Riyad Mahrez coming in for Phil Foden on the right wing, with the Algerian hoping to add to his tally of nine goals and 14 assists this season. Sergio Aguero should continue at centre-forward while Raheem Sterling might just about keep his place on the left wing.

Guardiola may decide to bring the fit-again Leroy Sane back into the team in place of the out-of-form England attacker, although with the German not playing a senior game in 10 months following his cruciate ligament injury, the manager could well prefer to bed in him gently with a run-out from the bench rather than throwing him straight into the line-up.

Man City fans, do you think this will be the team that Guardiola picks to face Arsenal tonight or would you make some changes to it? Let us know in the comments section below!

Newcastle United’s takeover may have hit a problem, according to the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards.The Magpies reporter has regularly provided supporters with updates throughout this whole process and this week he issued his thoughts about the situation on talkSPORT and it makes for worrying news.A clip from his interviews was posted to Twitter, which can be viewed below, but the journalist went on to say that he believes there ‘obviously is a problem’ in regards to the Premier League’s owners and directors test.

Edwards also claims there has been an air of anxiety in the Magpies fanbase as a result of differing reports coming from different camps, he said: “the longer it goes on, you naturally start to worry that they’ll find a way to block it and I think that’s where we are at the moment.”

Cameo Clubs: Which obscure teams did these football legends play for?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

It’s hardly an encouraging piece of information from someone in the loop.

The £300m takeover by a Saudi Arabian-backed consortium appears to be rumbling on into yet another week, meaning it is quickly approaching two months since news first broke that Mike Ashley was finally prepared to sell the Magpies.

AND in other news,ÂNewcastle fans fume over Jim White takeover claim

Lots of Tottenham Hotspur fans have discussed the potential incoming of Baptise Santamaria after the Angers midfielder was linked with a move to the north London club in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Spurs are reportedly keeping tabs on Santamaria according to the Daily Express (relayed by Ricky Sacks), who is also a target for Leicester City, and Everton have watched him play a few times.

The 25-year old has been dubbed ‘the next N’Golo Kante’ by The Metro, as the French international plays in a similar position, and Brendan Rodgers says that he is looking to improve his squad as per the article.

Comparing the two Frenchman in their respective leagues this season, Santamaria averages more tackles, shots, long and through balls per game than Kante, but the latter averages more interceptions, clearances, key passes and dribbles, according to Whoscored.

One supporter claimed that Santamaria was better than Eduardo Camavinga, and based off certain stats in Ligue 1 this campaign their case is somewhat justified. The former averages more interceptions, shots, key passes, dribbles, long and through balls, as per Whoscored.

These Lilywhites discussed the potential transfer of Santamaria on Twitter:

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Spurs discussion going on in the Vital Tottenham Forum! Click here to get involved!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ current season is going relatively under the radar.

They sit eighth in the Premier League table and have one foot in the Europa League knockout stages after they opened up a five-point cushion in Group K with victory over Slovan Bratislava last time out.

However, their season could have been so much better. In reality, they could have sprung their name into the elite conversation, that being a place in the top six of the Premier League, something they’ve never achieved in their history.

Their league campaign understandably got off to a slow start, failing to record a victory in their first six matches, but they are now currently unbeaten in seven with fewer defeats than reigning champions Manchester City and Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur.

Although, they have recorded the least amount of victories of any side in the top half, a position they currently hold for the first time since the opening weekend.

In the summer, the task ahead was well known. Wolves had to endure a gruesome qualification campaign to get to where they are in Europe today – they have since played 24 competitive matches, which is likely to be more than any other top-flight team.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Old gold boss Nuno Santo should have used the off-season to add strength in depth to bolster his team’s chances of bettering last season’s seventh-place finish whilst sufficiently competing on a continental stage.

He did bring in a couple of first-team faces, but not enough.

Take how some of those that finished in the top six last season went into the summer – Chelsea were faced with a transfer ban and the unknown qualities of having a new manager while Manchester United had issues of their own, which have proved to be the difference this campaign.

And in further hindsight, Spurs have struggled to deal with the heartbreak of losing the UCL final with North London rivals Arsenal also failing to impress after splashing £72m on Nicolas Pepe.

All of the above meant that Wolves had a perfect opportunity to slip in and cement their name amongst the best in the league – just look at Leicester City this season, they genuinely look like the only contenders to Liverpool at the moment.

Squad depth, alternative options, and European-quality players were needed. Nuno and Fosun have one chance to rectify that in January. Take advantage.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Jose Mourinho has the perfect opportunity to turn Spurs’ form around this weekend and kick off his spell at the club with a bang.

Tottenham Hotspur face West Ham United in a London derby that is likely to be packed with incident.

Indeed, this is a game that Spurs really need to win. They haven’t picked up three points in the league since September and haven’t won away from home since January. West Ham, though, are in a similar boat. They, like Spurs, have won just three times in the top-flight but they have lost five times and also recorded four draws.

The fact is that they have been simply woeful for as long as Spurs have.

Since beating Manchester United 2-0 in September, they have lost 4-0 to Oxford United in the Carabao Cup, drawn 2-2 with Bournemouth and 1-1 with Sheffield United and been beaten by Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and Burnley. In those seven games, they have conceded 17 goals and scored just six.

On the same weekend that the Irons beat United, Spurs lost 2-1 to Leicester City.

Since then, they too have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup – by Colchester United – and have beaten Southampton and Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League twice. They were also thumped 7-2 by Bayern Munich in Europe and also lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool. Draws with Watford, Everton and Sheffield United have seen them pick up three more points. In their 10 games since the loss to Leicester, Spurs have scored 17 goals and conceded 16.

The stats, then, show that the Hammers are coming into the fixture in worse shape than Mourinho’s men and that is pretty astonishing given the form of the north Londoners, so if the Portuguese can’t get his reign off to a winning start here, one has to wonder when they will be able to.

But by the same token, this really is a fantastic opportunity for Mourinho, and not simply because he’s playing a club enduring form worse than Tottenham’s.

First and foremost, there is no doubt that his appointment has divided opinion amongst supporters. Before it was made official, a number voiced their concerns on social media.

It is likely they have since become more accepting of the situation but regardless – and in light of how his spells with Chelsea and United ended – the Portuguese has some winning over to do.

While West Ham may not be the calibre of club Spurs see as direct counter-parts, this is unquestionably a bitter rivalry between two sets of supporters who do not like each other one bit. A win, under any circumstances, will always win some favour amongst fans.

At the same time, Mourinho can provide evidence that he is in fact the right candidate for the job by instantly correcting one of Pochettino’s failings – Spurs’ abysmal away form. Their last Premier League victory on the road came against a now-relegated Fulham in January, but West Ham, for reasons expressed above, are the ideal opposition to flip that trend on its head.

Combined with the huge potential to win over disgruntled fans, this match is a golden opportunity for Spurs’ new gaffer.

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…

It looks as if some doubt is finally creeping into his mind.

And depending on who you ask, that’s either a really good thing or a really bad thing. Fulham’s goal on the weekend came as a result of yet another horrendous error by Blues goalkeeper Lee Camp.

What’s he said?

Although he insisted that there was a foul on defender Marc Roberts whilst the ball was up in the air, Blues manager Pep Clotet spoke after the game and said that he would have to consider whether or not there was indeed any blame that could be attached to Camp on this situation:

“I need to speak with Darryl [Flahavan] the goalkeeper coach and ask his opinion but you would take it that the ‘keeper needs to catch that ball or put it out.”

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Could change be in the air?

It’s no secret if you’re a regular to FFC that Camp has been the subject of much debate on these pages due to the number of points that he continues to cost the Blues, and it’s something that even the fans have questioned throughout the campaign.

He’s been an ever-present figure this term and after making mistakes against Leeds United, Derby County, Wigan Athletic and now this one against Fulham, it looks as if Clotet is finally starting to realise that he might not be up to the task after all.

This latest error could not have come at a worse time for Camp with the international break upon us.

Now the club have two weeks to really sit down and think about the goalkeeping situation, not just for this season, but for the long term as well. Birmingham have got a couple of young goalkeepers on their books like Moha Ramos and Connal Trueman, who will both be eager to try and make that breakthrough into the first team.

If the Blues are to make a change, now is the best time to do it. Give them a full two weeks of getting used to the first team, a nice settling in period and then they’ll be ready to go when the club returns in a fortnight to face Huddersfield.