Please Rafa, sign the contract! For all that Newcastle fans aren’t surprised a deal is yet to be agreed, they’re so desperate to see Benitez stay at St James’ Park beyond this season. He just has to, there’s simply no other option. 

Clearly, there would be a tremendous boost around the ground should the Spaniard stay and it could help Newcastle sustain a better future. The Mike Ashley era has given fans precious little reason to smile but the sight of the former Liverpool boss extending his deal would do exactly that.

Though whether or not it will happen is another matter and that is desperately worrying those adoring fans.

For all that Rafa Benitez has done for the club, it would be horrendous to see him leave and that’s why Mike Ashley needs him to sign a new contract and then make available a stunning war-chest that will ensure Newcastle are very active in the summer transfer window.

Big signings are the ones that fans dream about and Atletico Madrid’s Gelson Martins would certainly be a player who fits that category.

Martins, (who is valued at £25.2 million on Transfermarkt) was a January target for Newcastle (as per Sky Sports), at least until Monaco swooped in and stole him away at the last minute.

Since, the Portuguese winger has scored three times in nine appearances, helping Monaco consequently steer clear of the relegation zone. Though Newcastle seem to be alright and will play Premier League football next season, the addition of Gelson Martins would have been tremendous and could of help seen a more rampant move up the table.

If they have the audacity to try again in the summer, a wing-wizard with the quality that Martins possesses is exactly what they need. Explosive and unpredictable, he’d offer the ultimate upgrade on wide options such as Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie, as well as making a statement in the transfer market.

Clearly, there’s interest there and surely Monaco will undergo major changes – they already have since Martins’ arrival in January – so perhaps the Toon Army would be wise to try and relaunch a move. Things haven’t worked out in the Spanish capital but the former Sporting Lisbon ace is so obviously a talent.

With pace in abundance, skill and overall end product, Martins is still only 23 and therefore has time on his side to really adapt to life in Newcastle.

Do you agree that Newcastle should try and sign Martins again? If not, why not? Let us know!

As an outsider looking in, being a backup player for any team looks like a lonely job.

Minutes are hard to come by, weeks and months could be spent just sitting on the substitute bench, and it seems no matter how hard they try the only way to start games is either in cup competitions or an injury to other players.

For Carl Jenkinson, though, being a backup has been the story for most of his career, but being second fiddle to Hector Bellerin is something the fans aren’t fazed about one bit.

Dubbed “the professional Arsenal fan” by the supporters, Jenkinson has won a special place in the hearts of fans for being the player that gives it 100% no matter how long he hasn’t played for and for being a well-documented follower of the club.

Since joining the club from Charlton as a 19-year-old in the summer of 2011, Jenkinson has only managed 69 appearances for the club in the eight years the right-back has spent at Arsenal, and although many thought his time would be over when Unai Emery came to the club the 27-year-old defender has been of some use for the Spaniard this season.

Jenkinson has started three Europa League games this season, all of them in the group stage, and in February the England-born defender started his first Premier League game in nearly two years for the Gunners, and his first start in the league at the Emirates Stadium since 2013.

Although Ainsley Maitland-Niles has established himself as the replacement for Hector Bellerin as the Spaniard recovers from an ACL injury, Jenkinson is surely likely to remain at the club next season as a backup yet again.

But not just backup in the right-back, but as reinforcement in every position of the defence. Emery has done some tinkering to Jenkinson’s game this season, transforming him from a right-sided defender and nothing more to a player who can play across the back four.

Jenkinson has played and impressed in every area of defence this season, and with the fullback entering the prime years of his career it won’t be a surprise to see more of the English defender next season as Arsenal’s surprise backup defender.

Arsenal fans, what is your favourite Jenkinson memory?

علّق كينجسلي كومان، على هدفيه في شباك أتلتيكو مدريد، ومساهمته في فوز فريقه بايرن ميونخ برباعية دون رد، بمنافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

والتقى بايرن ميونخ حامل اللقب، مع أتلتيكو مدريد، على ملعب “آليانز آرينا”، ضمن مباريات الجولة الأولى لدور مجموعات دوري أبطال أوروبا. (طالع تقرير المباراة).

وقال كومان في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا”: “لعبنا بشكل جيد وسجلت هدفين لذا أنا سعيد”.

وبسؤاله عن هدفه في نهائي الموسم الماضي أمام باريس سان جيرمان، والذي منح اللقب لبايرن ميونخ، أضاف كومان: “أفكر في الأمر أحيانًا، لكننا الآن في موسم جديد ونريد الفوز به مرة أخرى”. أهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وأتلتيكو مدريد

[ad_pod ]

West Ham United are lining up a summer move for long-term target Gary Medel, per Claret & Hugh.

The Hammers were tracking the Besiktas midfielder in January but no move materialised.

What’s the word?

Football FanCast reported at the start of January that Medel was on the club’s radar as a potential signing.

Indeed, sources at the club told FFC that he was being considered as a back-up to Declan Rice.

He will be out of contract in 2020 and Claret & Hugh report that manager Manuel Pellegrini remains wary of the lack of depth behind the 20-year-old.

Indeed, the story claims that were the England international to pick up an injury, there is no obvious replacement at the club.

Medel has subsequently been identified and a fee of around £5million has been touted.

A sensible move

Medel would be a solid if unspectacular signing for the Hammers.

He has experience of English football, having played for Cardiff City in the 2013-14 season, and is a national compatriot of Pellegrini.

With Rice shouldering the burden of being the only natural defensive midfielder at the club, a bargain move for Medel makes all the sense in the world.

He would only play sporadically but, at the age of 31, he is unlikely to care, while he will surely be heartily compensated.

Rice will of course be delighted that the Chilean will only be a reserve for him, but also be pleased about his arrival as he can learn from a player with huge experience in a position he is still learning about.

Sheffield United lost ground this weekend in the race for promotion as they saw Leeds win while losing at home Bristol City themselves.

The Blades, who have been in fine form for much of the season in the Championship, will be hoping to land a top two spot, but will still know a play-off place is a massive bonus for a club who are only in their second year back in the Championship.

With the summer bound to be another big one regardless of their league, the Blades are today being linked with a move for Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie.

The 27-year-old has developed into a fine central midfielder in the Scottish league, and with his contract running out, the Blades are looking to swoop and add the impressive all action midfielder to their ranks over the summer.

And we here in the Tavern feel it would be a shrewd move by the Blades to land Shinnie, who would fit in well with the club ethos at Bramall Lane.

In Shinnie, United would be getting a player who is all action and plenty of heart, something that manager Chris Wilder loves to see in his players.

Add to this their lack of options in the middle of the park outside of John Fleck and Oliver Norwood, and Shinnie’s arrival would appear to make massive sense for the club.

The Blades don’t and never will have the biggest budget in the Championship, so signing someone on a free with the ability, drive, and will to win like Shinnie has could well prove to be a brilliant move by the club.

While others are interested, it has to be said that Shinnie and the Blades look like a match made in heaven.

Unai Emery’s Arsenal is still a work in progress.

The Gunners have shown resounding signs of improvement under the Spaniard, yet also been unable to shake away the problems which led to Arsene Wenger’s departure.

Indeed, if their abysmal away form is any proof this season, they’re lacking the experience to weather the storm in different conditions. In order to get rid of this stigma, the North London giants need some experienced, multi-talented players to give them a cutting edge.

Well, according to reports from Corriere dello Sport (via TEAMtalk), Ivan Perisic is a player Emery wants to sign in the summer.

The Inter Milan winger’s not had the most prolific season so far, only scoring 5 goals and assisting 4 in the Serie A so far. During a crisis period for the Italian side, Perisic’s own form’s dropped and he’s not as influential as he once was.  However, that won’t stop Emery from chasing for his services.

At his best, he looks exactly the player you Gunners must be desperate for. Hard-working, able to get up and down the pitch and someone who can take big games by the scruff of the neck, as he proved during England’s infamous World Cup semi-final with Croatia in 2018.

A World Cup finalist and Bundesliga winner, he knows what it takes to thrive under pressure. Perisic seemingly loves playing under daunting conditions, often finding his best form under it. In Emery’s attacking system, he could work wonders in creating chances through the left, while also enabling freedom for Alexander Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Perisic’s stunning dribbling ability, venomous feet and knack for creating something out of nothing can help Arsenal develop a much more clinical style. Despite his age, Perisic can still bamboozle Premier League defenders with his trickery and thrive from Arsenal’s electric style thanks to his inquisitiveness going forward.

Needing some bite, moving for the former Dortmund ace would have Arsenal showing their teeth ahead of next season.

Arsenal fans, would you be excited by Perisic’s potential arrival this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

كشف مصدر خاص مقرب من اللاعب الدولي المصري، علي غزال المحترف ضمن صفوف لاريسا اليوناني، عن تلقيه 3 عروض بالدوري المحلي.

وكان غزال قد قرر خلال الفترة الماضية أن يعود للدوري المصري الممتاز بدايًة من الموسم المقبل.

طالع أيضًا | رسميًا.. حسام عاشور ينضم للاتحاد السكندري لمدة موسمين

وأوضح المصدر، أن أندية وادي دجلة والجونة والإسماعيلي، تسعى للتعاقد مع علي غزال، بعدما قرر العودة إلى مصر.

وشدد المصدر على أنه هناك مفاوضات مع اللاعب وحتى الآن لم يحسم وجهته المقبلة.

يذكر، أن غزال قد لعب لنادي وادي دجلة قبل أن يخرج في رحلة احتراف طويلة بين البرتغال والصين وكندا وأخيرًا اليونان.

You don’t really associate Arsenal with incredible freekicks, but Alexandre Lacazette’s winning goal proved another story.

The Frenchman’s first-half strike was all it took for Arsenal to seal passage to the Europa League semi-finals for the second year in a row, and with the tournament favourites now eliminated, the Gunners could well be on their way to a first piece of European silverware in over 20 years, and Lacazette will be key in this goal.

Lacazette has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season, shortlist for the club’s Player of the Season award, and his ability to turn up on the biggest of stages is what sets him apart from other members of the squad.

Arsenal managed to sign the striker for just £47.7 million back in 2017.

Aside from his goal, which will be what fans remember today, his overall performance was worthy of the man of the match award. Lacazette drove at the Napoli defenders all game and found it easy to find the space to create chances for himself and strike partner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who should have scored on more than one occasion.

If Arsenal are to return to the Champions League, where it be through finishing in the top four or by winning the Europa League, Lacazette will be one of the driving forces behind it, and his importance for the club is growing stronger and stronger as the games keep on rolling.

Arsenal fans, how many goals can Lacazette reach at the end of the season? Let us know!

Tottenham have been accredited the nickname ‘the Harry Kane team’ in recent years by those both inside and out of the industry. None more prevalent than Pep Guardiola, who in 2017 recognised that ‘the Harry Kane’ team were indeed in the title race. Kane is, of course, one of the most important players in the squad. However, in his absences this season, another has emerged as a true superstar – Heung-min Son. 

The South Korean has received relentless praise this season, and rightly so. However, it must also be noted that the forward was once viewed very much as a fringe member of the squad. Son now represents one of Tottenham’s greatest bargains in recent times. Son was brought in from Bayern Leverkusen for just £22m – ask yourself – how much is he worth now?

In his first season managed just four goals and a single assist in 28 Premier League games. In all honesty, this is a poor return for a player who was touted to be an exciting signing for Tottenham. Son most certainly adapted to life in the Premier League, however. He has subsequently reached totals of 14 and 12 goals, currently again standing on 12 with five games remaining.

The forward has indeed vastly improved since his first year at Tottenham, but has stepped it up another level this season. It’s not just goals and assists, Son has emerged as arguably the clubs’s most important player while Kane remains sidelined. He has shown real leadership and nerve, stepping up in crucial moments where no other player did.

The standout moments for Son must be the winning goal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City, alongside winning the 2019 London Player of the Year.

Son represents such a key player for Tottenham, largely because of his versatility. He has shown he can play on the wing, up front as part of a two or even on his own. The South Korean gives Tottenham an abundance of options, but also gives his all game in game out. There have been moments this time where Son has looked genuinely exhausted, but has never stopped.

Earlier in the season, after a fine performance against Leicester, pundit Garth Crooks said: “When Son plays, his pace gives Tottenham a dimension they lack without him. Two seasons ago he was the most improved Premier League player. Now he’s the most improved Premier League finisher.”

It really does some up the improvement Son has made since his transfer to Tottenham, something emulated by many under the tenure of Pochettino. It seems implausible that Son will move away from Tottenham in the near future. But if he were to, he would now be worth a lot more than the £22m Tottenham originally paid for him – what a bargain!

Tottenham fans – do you think Son is the biggest bargain in recent history? How does he compare to Dele Alli?

[ad_pod ]

Arsenal fans have professed their love for Santi Cazorla after the midfielder got back to his very best against Barcelona on Tuesday.

The midfielder, who spent six years at the Emirates Stadium between 2012 and 2018, returned to former club Villarreal in the summer.

His career has been ravaged by injuries and, in September, he revealed to the BBC that he had undergone a total of 11 operations on an Achilles injury that almost cost him his ability to walk.

However, he is back to full fitness now and ran rings around perhaps the best team on the planet as Villarreal and Barca played out a pulsating 4-4 draw in midweek.

Indeed, Cazorla laid on a sumptuous assist to Carlos Bacca for his side’s fourth goal, splitting the defence with a superb through-ball.

And Arsenal fans have expressed their regret at the club allowing him to move on, while praising the Spaniard’s incredible performance versus Lionel Messi and Co.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!