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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…

Former England international Darren Bent has heaped the praise on Fabian Delph and spoke of his importance now that Andre Gomes is sidelined.

What did he say?

Delph signed for Everton for £10m in the summer transfer window and has since been a decent addition to the Blues. The club may have been struggling this Premier League season, but the former Aston Villa man has proved to be a smart buy and could become an integral player in Gomes’ absence.

Bent told Football Insider: “Gomes is no longer there and even though Delphy is not a creative midfielder by any stretch of the imagination, he can create but that’s not his game.

“He’s experienced enough to go: ‘You know what, I know what needs to be done.’ He’s played in title-winning sides, he’s played in the Champions League, he’s played in so many big games in his career they’re lucky are Everton they’ve got someone of his calibre there.

“He brings that leadership quality and that is a character that you just can’t teach. A lot of guys haven’t got that.”

Proven experience

At Manchester City, the versatile midfielder proved to be of great importance to the side during the club’s two Premier League title wins. In 2017/18 when City steamed to 100 points, Delph played in 22 league games for the Citizens, registering two assists and a goal.

The Englishman would also go onto play in 16 Champions League matches for City, and therefore brings with him experience not many other Everton men can boast.

Gomes himself is experienced at the highest level, coming to Merseyside off the back of 78 appearances for Barcelona and 78 for Valencia. Now, it is essential Delph works alongside Tom Davies in the centre of the pitch to help keep things solid in Everton’s midfield.

The 29-year-old’s experience and proven track record will be vital in this tough period for the Toffees.

Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react following a report by The Evening Standard, which states that Dougie Freedman is interested in the vacant managerial position at Hearts.

Freedman – who is currently the Sporting Director at Selhurst Park – turned down the same opportunity back in 2017 upon agreeing to his current position, although the Scotsman is now believed to be interested in succeeding Craig Levein.

The former Palace striker – who scored 55 times for the south Londoners – has been pretty hit and miss in the role of Sporting Director in SE25.

Freedman has overseen some impressive deals, such as Vicente Guaita and Gary Cahill on free transfers, although he also signed the likes of Alexander Sorloth, who cost £9m and has scored just once in 20 games for the club.

While you may think it would be a blow for Palace to lose their Sporting Director just before the January window, it seems as if some supporters on Twitter don’t seem too upset about the possibility of Freedman departing.

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets…

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting on Twitter after Mauricio Pochettino’s former assistant at the club, Jesus Perez, posted a snap of a message the Argentine manager left on a board for the players to see after he was sacked this week.

The 47-year-old was relieved of his duties on Tuesday night and was quickly replaced by Jose Mourinho less than 12 hours later, in what was a quick turnaround for the north London outfit.

The message from the former Southampton boss thanked the players for their hard work during his five-and-a-half years in charge, as well as saying that they will forever be in the hearts of the coaching team.

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Losing Pochettino has already been a tough moment for fans given some of the moments they have enjoyed together – including numerous top-four finishes in the Premier League and reaching a Champions League final in May – making this latest gesture from him even more heartbreaking.

While one supporter responded saying “I didn’t want to believe this was true”, another labelled it as an “absolute horrible thing to see”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

In other news, one Tottenham player could surprisingly commit his future to the club following Jose Mourinho’s appointment…

Liverpool have been mooted as a potential destination for Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane.

The prolific centre-forward is one of the most talented strikers in world football, with a return of 181 goals in 278 Spurs appearances illuminating the extent of his prowess in front of goal.

However, Kane recently cast doubt over his future in north London by suggesting he is open to the prospect of leaving, per Sky Sports.

“It’s one of those things, I couldn’t say yes, I couldn’t say no. I love Spurs, I’ll always love Spurs. But it’s one of those things – I’ve always said if I don’t feel we’re progressing as a team or going in the right direction, then I’m not someone to just stay there for the sake of it.”

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In response to those reports, Chris Sutton suggested that the England international should consider moving to either Liverpool or Manchester City if either club submit an offer for his services, per BBC Sport.

“Spurs are a brilliant club, but at this moment in time they are way behind the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

“If one of those clubs came in for him, if you were Harry Kane you would be be stupid not to go.”

And those comments have stimulated discussion amongst the Reds faithful on Twitter, though the tone from an overwhelming number of supporters is rather surprising.

Despite his world class record in front of goal, plenty of fans suggested the club should avoid making a move for Spurs’ talisman.

One fan alluded to his record with injuries to justify their standpoint, while another expressed concern over his compatibility with Liverpool’s style of play.

The remainder, meanwhile, simply don’t want to see him at Anfield.

Here’s what the fans had to say about Kane…

Former Rangers ace Kevin Thomson has set up a football challenge for fans and players to try, and the Ibrox faithful are blown away by footage of Barry Ferguson’s absolutely masterful attempt.

Thomson is now a private coach, and has challenged his followers on Twitter to volley a ball off a wall 50 times without letting it touch the ground. The catch is you must alternate feet with each touch and only use your laces, as using the side of the foot makes the challenge far easier.

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The likes of Kenny Miller and Steven Davis have both joined in and they can be seen on Thomson’s Twitter feed, but no one has done it more impressively than Ferguson.

The 42 year-old had two spells at Rangers either side of a two-year stint at Blackburn Rovers, racking up five league titles, five Scottish Cups and five League cups during his career.

You can view the footage of his stunning close control and find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where one fan hailed his “magic”…

Rangers fans have slammed a “shambolic” decision from the club…

Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to discuss the latest update on rumoured transfer target Baptiste Santamaria.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding football at the moment, and whether seasons will end up getting finished, that hasn’t stopped clubs being linked with whole hosts of players ahead of the summer transfer window.

And one man who Spurs have been linked to in recent weeks and months has been Angers midfielder, Santamaria.

Now, according to Italian publication AreaNapoli, he could now be available for just €10-€15m (£8.6m-£13m) this summer, with a switch to England still remaining his “first choice” ahead of potential moves to Italy or Spain.

After hearing the latest update on Santamaria – who has also been heavily linked with Everton and Leicester – Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on a possible swoop for the 25-year-old.

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Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign Wissam Ben Yedder and Daniel Levy will face competition from major Premier League rivals, according to L’Equipe. 

Five of English football’s biggest clubs including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all in the running to land the Monaco striker.

After arriving at the Stade Louis II from Sevilla FC for £36m last August, the 29-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 starts in Ligue 1 this season, taking 2.5 shots per game, averaging 1.7 key passes, and successfully completing 1.3 dribbles via WhoScored.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is in the market to find a backup for Harry Kane after the England international was hit by a hamstring injury, and Ben Yedder could be the perfect solution, although it is highly likely the Tottenham chairman will have a transfer battle on his hands in the summer.

Popular fan page @TranSPURS shared the news on Twitter, prompting lots of replies from the THFC faithful. One fan suggested the Frenchman would make a “perfect link with Sissoko.”

Take a look at some of the mixed reactions down below…

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Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly one of the clubs monitoring Manchester United’s rising star James Garner.

According to Yorkshire Live, the Owls are interested in bringing the 19-year-old to Hillsborough but will have to battle with Championship rivals Swansea for his signature.

Garner has risen through Man United’s academy system and has made flashes of appearances with the senior squad this season. The midfielder has featured in four Europa League games for the Reds and made his Premier League debut against Norwich in October (via Transfermarkt).

The England youth international has also enjoyed his campaign with the U23s, scoring eight goals in ten appearances despite being predominantly a defensive midfielder.

According to reports, United are looking to send Garner out on loan in order to gain experience before following in the footsteps of other starlets such as Mason Greenwood, who has already made waves with the senior squad.

“I am not really too fussed which team I play for as long as I am getting the minutes in,” the 19-year-old said in a recent interview. “I am just going to keep ticking along, stay fit, and when the chance does come, hopefully I can take it and I can show everyone what I can do.”

As it stands, Wednesday could be facing a mass exodus of 17 first team players. June will see 12 players out of contract and five return to their parent clubs following the end of their loan spells. The only reported talks of contract extensions have been with Steven Fletcher, Morgan Fox and Osaze Urhoghiden (via Yorkshire Live).

The Owls could be losing four of their midfield options this summer, and with Garry Monk looking to lower the average age of his squad, Garner could be a perfect fit.

The United prospect will be eager to be one of the first names on the team sheet, which means he would give every performance in Wednesday colours his maximum. He would also be the youngest midfielder by far, adding a vital injection of pace and youthful legs to the mix.

Garner’s keen eye for a goal from the middle of the park will also be a welcome trait at Hillsborough. This season, only 13 goals have been scored from Wednesday’s midfield, a total that Fletcher has equalled by himself (via Transfermarkt).

The young Red might just be what the Owls need to get themselves out of a rut and back on form. With a loan deal likely to be the only option, bringing Garner to Yorkshire won’t break the bank and will allow Monk to continue to look for other permanent signings to rebuild this Sheffield Wednesday team.

Should Wednesday bring James Garner to Hillsborough, Owls fans? Join the conversation in the comments below!

If Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was watching Borussia Dortmund in action on Sunday afternoon, then he no doubt would have been left purring at Jadon Sancho’s performance.

The England international has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, with reports in recent months claiming that United are the front-runners to seal his signature.

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And against Paderborn in the Bundesliga, Sancho showcased just why United are prepared to shell out big-money for him, smashing in a fine hat-trick in a resounding 6-1 win for Dortmund away from home.

After seeing his impressive display, United fans flooded to Twitter to share their reactions.

Some United fans called on Ed Woodward to get a deal done for Sancho as soon as possible, with one supporter even suggesting that they might forgive him if he manages to pull it off.

Sancho was simply unplayable on Sunday, and at his absolute very best.

Aside from his three goals, he was a constant menace to the Paderborn defence, completing three of his four attempted dribbles, making five key passes, and creating two big chances too, as per Sofascore.

It’s no wonder so many United fans are desperate for him to join this summer.

Tottenham are ready to raid Jose Mourinho’s old club Real Madrid for Lucas Vazquez in the summer.

Vazquez, who moved to Madrid from Espanyol, finds himself below the likes of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Isco in the Bernabeu pecking order.

The former Spanish international has only played 18 games for Los Blancos this season, although he has made more than 200 appearances in total, and has now entered the final year of his contract.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Spurs are keen to sign Vazquez this summer, and such a move may ultimately benefit Son Heung-min.

Although the Spaniard has struggled for consistency this season, as he has registered just two goals and one assist so far, it is worth pointing out that he has won the Champions League three times and lifted the La Liga trophy.

Vazquez has been beset by multiple setbacks in recent years, including a recurring calf problem, and the 28-year-old is working on his recovery from injury.

Real Madrid have held talks with his representatives over an extension but both sides are at a stalemate, which Daniel Levy is eager to exploit.

Meanwhile, Son is Spurs’ second-highest scorer with only two goals separating himself from Harry Kane this season, while he has supplied more assists than the England international.

The South Korean has scored nine goals and created eight assists in the Premier League, taking three shots per game, averaging more than one key pass and completing at least two dribbles per match on average (via WhoScored).

Mourinho previously wanted Vazquez at his old club Manchester United and Tottenham are willing to spend £15m on the right winger, although the Galacticos value him at £23m.

The Spurs manager has been plagued by injuries to his wide options throughout the season so far. Son and Steven Bergwijn have only recently recovered from long-term injury problems, their returns set to boost the Londonders as they had slumped to several poor results in their absence.

Taking this into consideration, Vazquez could provide cover for the wide men as he would share the workload with the 27-year-old Korean to reduce the risk of injury. As his track record shows, he has bags of experience at the top levels of the game, and he has recently revealed he wants to move to England.

However, Spurs have not met Madrid’s asking price, which could prove to be a major sticking point.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Lucas Vazquez in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!