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West Ham United have been looking to get supporters excited ahead of their tie against Tottenham Hotspur.

One previous attempt at doing this, with a video aimed at Jose Mourinho, was eventually removed from their account.

This time around they have gone for the tactic of showing a wonderstrike from Pedro Obiang against them:

However, this seems to have backfired as well – albeit not as badly as the Mourinho video – as many West Ham fans have now started thinking about how the Equatorial Guinea international should have been replaced.

The midfielder was sold to Sassuolo for £7.2m during the summer, but a like-for-like replacement was not brought in, as Pablo Fornals was the only midfielder to join the Hammers.

There are many fans who feel that this was a mistake from the club, with the likes of Mark Noble and Jack Wilshere unable to match his dynamism alongside Declan Rice.

Obiang has made eight starts and two substitute appearances for Sassuolo since joining them, averaging 1.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 1.1 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the video, including posts from disgruntled West Ham fans, can be seen below:

According to Turkish media outlet Fotospor, Crystal Palace failed in a bid to bring Alexander Sorloth back to Selhurst Park next season by offering Christian Benteke to Trabzonspor, and Eagles fans have been quick to react on Twitter.

The 23-year-old joined the Turkish club on a two-year loan deal during the summer transfer window following a nightmare first 12 months in south London in which he scored just one goal in 20 appearances in all competitions, and none in 16 outings in the Premier League.

He has fared much better with Trabzonspor this term, scoring nine goals and providing a further four assists in 20 matches – something which has reportedly caught the team from the English capital’s eye.

Fotospor say that Palace made an offer to the Turkish club that would have seen the Norway international return to SE25 in the summer, with Benteke going the other way – it was duly rejected by club officials.

Eagles supporters have been given their thoughts on the transfer story via social media, and while one said “is this a joke”, another said “no chance that’s true”.

To be fair to them, it is quite difficult to believe given what a flop Sorloth was in his first 12 months with Roy Hodgson’s men, as well as the fact they only handed Benteke a new contract extension in October.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

In other Palace news, Van Aanholt could soon get some much-needed competition in the left-back spot…

Several Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been discussing their former player Adel Taarabt after footage from his time at the club emerged on Twitter.

The Spurs Web posted a short clip of the Moroccan international showing him doing some brilliant skill, putting his foot on the ball before nutmegging an opposition player. The level of skill is highlighted by the reaction of his teammate Anthony Gardner, who turned away with his head in his hands, perhaps disbelieving what he had seen.

Despite having talent, Taarabt never made it at the north London club and in total he managed to make just 15 appearances overall whilst at White Hart Lane (Transfermarkt).

He did enjoy a good time at QPR where he scored 34 goals and provided 42 assists in 164 appearances, but his talent failed to shine through in spells with the likes of AC Milan, Genoa and Fulham. However, he is currently performing well for Benfica where he has played 40 games so far (Transfermarkt).

The 30-year-old has been labelled as a ‘maverick’ and his attitude has been questioned plenty of times during his career. After seeing the clip of Taarabt, many Tottenham fans were left reminiscing about him with quite a few saying that he wasted his talent and never fulfilled his potential, with one describing him as a ‘playground legend’.

Here is what some had to say…

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According to Caracol, Newcastle are interested in making a move for Real Madrid star James Rodriguez this summer.

What’s the word?

With the club close to being taken over, the Magpies have been linked with a whole host of names in recent weeks, and now it’s the turn of Madrid play-maker Rodriguez.

As per Spanish publication Caracol, the Tyneside club have earmarked the Colombia international as a potential signing for this upcoming transfer window, and that he has a value of €32m (£28m).

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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The report further claims that with Rodriguez’s contract ending soon with Los Blancos, the Spanish side are keen to get as much money back as possible for him, and are thus willing to offload him this summer.

Helping Joelinton

Whilst James’ stock may not have reached the extraordinary heights he hit during the 2014 World Cup when he finished as the tournament’s top goal-scorer, he still represents bona-fide quality in that attacking midfield position.

And that is exactly what someone like Joelinton is desperately in need of. The Brazilian has endured a nightmare debut campaign in English football after arriving from the Bundesliga last season – he managed just three total goals in 34 appearances across all competitions.

But having someone like Rodriguez to help feed balls into him, and play those cute passes that all strikers dream of, may be the key to finally unleashing his true potential. The Colombian has an impressive career average of 2.3 key passes per game, and having that creativity in the side would surely allow Joelinton to be presented with more chances.

Described as a “special player” by current Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, a swoop for Rodriguez makes a lot of sense.

Meanwhile, Mark Douglas reveals what Newcastle’s new owners will focus on.

Paul Robinson believes Tottenham Hotspur could sign Philippe Coutinho this summer after Bayern Munich pulled out of negotiations. 

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former player suggested Coutinho would be “a great signing for Spurs” given his experience at the top levels of the game.

He has spent the past season on loan at the Allianz Arena but Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently announced the Bundesliga club do not intend to sign him permanently.

Sources previously told the outlet his parent club Barcelona are looking to offload the midfielder before the start of next season.

A number of Premier League clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton, are also interested in the playmaker as Barca will accept offers at a significantly reduced price.

Robinson feels Spurs chairman Daniel Levy should try and take advantage of the situation, in light of the economic uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

He told Football Insider: “The market will take a hit but there will still be movement of players.

“I can still see the Coutinho deal being done. Bayern have not taken the option and he has clearly not been part of Barcelona’s plans for a while now and I can see a move back to the Premier League happening.

“I think he would be a great signing for Spurs. I do not think he has settled since leaving the country and he is clearly a player that suits the Premier League. The league is stronger with him in it, certainly.”

Although Coutinho has struggled to find the form that earned him Liverpool’s Player of the Year in 2015, it is difficult to disagree with the pundit here.

After arriving at the Nou Camp for £142m in 2018, the 27-year-old has made 76 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 21 goals and creating 11 assists in all competitions.

He has won La Liga twice with the Spanish giants, but was forced to make way for Antoine Griezmann.

The Brazil international has shown flashes of his overall brilliance at Bayern Munich, registering 8 goals and 6 assists in the Bundesliga this season, taking 2.6 shots per game, making 1.4 key passes, and completing 1.5 dribbles on average. He has been awarded a solid statistical rating of 7.29 via WhoScored at the time of writing.

While it is fair to say he hasn’t hit the same heights he enjoyed with the Reds, the £50.4m-valued ace would certainly be an upgrade on Jose Mourinho’s midfield options at present.

Indeed, the club’s record signing Tanguy Ndombele has largely failed to live up to expectations so far, receiving a low overall rating of 6.9 per WhoScored.  Similarly, Giovani Lo Celso is rated at 6.65 according to WhoScored.

As it stands, Coutinho could provide Mourinho with the experience he needs to challenge for silverware next season, as well as acting as a mentor on-and-off the pitch for the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer? Let us know down below!

Sporting director Luis Campos is set to stay at Lille despite claims that Tottenham were interested in the transfer guru, according to beIN SPORTS France via @RickSpur.  

The French outlet claims Campos will continue in his current role, following reports suggesting he had asked to be released from his contract, after falling out with owner Gerard Lopez over frustrations with the decision-making process.

Football journalist Ricky Sacks shared the news on social media, tweeting: “Luis Campos is set to continue his adventure with OSC Lille, despite previous speculation that Tottenham Hotspur were interested in his services.”

“Campos will continue under the same structure at Lille despite being frustrated at the current model.”

Earlier this month, sources told ESPN reporter Julien Laurens he had turned down a huge offer from Newcastle United, and it is unlikely he will end up in England anytime soon.

Understandably, this new development will surely strike a major blow to Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, the Portuguese duo are best friends and have worked together in the past, famously teaming up during Mourinho’s time in charge of La Liga megastars Real Madrid.

Remarkably, the Lilywhites have been without a director of football after Paul Mitchell left the North London club all the way back in 2017. Daniel Levy merely offloaded the task of identifying talent to chief scout Steve Hitchen and kept responsibility for sorting out negotiations (Forbes).

Campos is widely recognised as one of the best talent spotters in the business, as he has been credited with unearthing the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Nicolas Pepe, James Rodriguez and Bernardo Silva.

Naturally, his impressive resume has caught the attention of a number of European giants, as Barcelona, Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with him in the past.

Furthermore, he is credited with drastically revamping Les Dogues into a team that challenged PSG for the Ligue 1 title.

Unfortunately for Spurs, it appears he will remain at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

As it stands, Mourinho is facing a looming transfer window knowing he will have to work with a severely limited budget, and he could have to rely on loan deals and keeping an eye out for free agents.

Campos has worked miracles under all kinds of conditions before, and he notably built the foundations for Monaco’s sensational title win in 2017. He has even acted as a mentor to Mourinho’s right-hand-man, Joao Sacramento.

In comparison, his compatriot is used to splashing the cash, as he famously spent £94.5m to bring Paul Pogba back to Manchester United.

While Levy remains in control, the former Chelsea manager could struggle to make the signings he feels he needs to challenge for silverware. Mitchell blamed his departure on the chairman’s interference in his work.

The 55-year-old’s decision to stay in France means the Spurs head coach will lose out on another ally behind the scenes, and his absence will no doubt be sorely felt in the summer.

Tottenham fans, do you think Spurs have made a huge mistake? Let us know down below!

Glasgow Rangers can now look on as Hearts take over the mantle of attempting to hold the SPFL to account.

The Gers, of course, accused the governing body of corruption over their handling of the resolution proposal situation, whilst they even demanded that an independent investigation be carried out into the authority – in the end, that was voted against.

With the campaign being drawn to a close early, Hearts found themselves relegated to the second tier despite being just four points from safety with nine games to go. Ann Budge, the Edinburgh club’s owner, has since been pushing for reconstruction in an attempt to save her team.

A vote for a mix-up of the pyramid north of the border is currently underway but, if that is rejected, Hearts are said to be ready to mount a legal challenge – that could cost the SPFL £6m in compensation according to The Daily Record.

This has attracted the attention of the Gers supporters, and they have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has given an update on the future of Matty Longstaff as he was questioned by Sky Sports News ahead of his team’s game in the Premier League against West Ham United tomorrow.

Speaking to the outlet, the Englishman admitted that “we don’t want to be losing our best players” with reference to Longstaff, who has been enjoying a relatively impressive breakthrough season so far and is due to hold a fresh meeting with him to discuss his future.

The 20-year old has made 13 senior appearances in all competitions in the 2019/20 campaign so far, scoring three goals, according to Sky Sports.

This would be a major boost on his current £850-a-week wage and he would be earning nearly 18 times more what he is currently receiving at the Tyneside club. The prospect of moving to another country to play his football may also be attractive as a challenge for the England under-20 international, who may want to prove himself in a different climate.

On the other hand, Longstaff may be persuaded to stay if the proposed takeover by Amanda Staveley’s Saudi Arabian-led group is approved by the Premier League, with the consortium potentially splashing the cash in the upcoming summer transfer window providing that they abide by Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Nevertheless, Bruce has claimed that he would like to keep him in the northeast, but the final decision ultimately lies in the hands of the player.

Geordies, should Newcastle tie down Matty Longstaff to a new deal? Comment below with your views!

Brighton boss Graham Potter has been hailed as “one of the best English managers I have met” by none other than his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola.

The Spaniard paid the notable compliment to the 45-year-old following his team’s 5-0 win at the Amex Stadium on Saturday night and he thinks that Potter will make the Seagulls even better if given time to do so by the club’s board.

As per The Argus, Guardiola said: “It is the first season for Graham. The manager will need time. Graham is one of the best English managers I have met in the country with all respect to the other ones.

“He is and will be a successful manager because I have noticed how he is as a human being and as a manager. I am a big fan of the managers who try to play their own way and not just wait for circumstances or one moment to win the game.

“Sometimes you need more time because the way he wants to try to play is attractive, is seductive but it’s not easy. I’m pretty sure next season if the club follow him, he is going to build.”

Potter has so far had a reasonably impressive first season in charge of Brighton, who are 15th in the table on 36 points, five clear of the relegation zone with three matches left to play (as per premierleague.com).

At the same stage last season, the Seagulls were 17th on 34 points and only three clear of the drop, while are 35 games of their first Premier League campaign in 2017/18 they also had 36 points and were 13th but only four ahead of the relegation places. That points to slight improvement under the current manager.

Potter has also made Brighton slightly more potent and better defensively than they were at the same stage of last season, when they had scored 32 goals and conceded 54. They have so far found the net 36 times in the 2019/20 Premier League and shipped 52 goals, another sign of his progress with the Seagulls.

While Manchester City comfortably won both meetings with the Sussex club this season, Potter has been close to getting one over on Guardiola in the past. His Swansea side stormed into a 2-0 lead against Manchester City in last year’s FA Cup, only for the Premier League club to score thrice in the final 20 minutes and squeeze through (as per BBC).

Potter has made some gentle steps forward with Brighton this season and, assuming they don’t implode in their final three games and lose their Premier League status, they can feel that they have made some progress under the Englishman this season.

For a manager like Guardiola, who has won 29 trophies in his career (including eight league titles and two Champions Leagues) to describe the Seagulls boss as one of the best English managers that he has encountered is a tremendous compliment, and the signs from the current campaign are that Potter could make further strides with Brighton if he is shown patience by the club’s board.

Brighton fans, what did you make of Guardiola’s praise of Potter? Have your say by commenting below!

Glasgow Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos has been a stunning signing for the club.

Since making the switch to Ibrox in 2017, the Colombia international has been lethal in front of goal, scoring 77 goals in 137 matches – 29 of those came in the previous campaign despite the Scottish season being brought to an end prematurely with nine matches for the 54-time Scottish champions still to play.

However, his form has led to interest from clubs around Europe – Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have been mentioned as clubs interested in his services, whilst Everton are also said to be planning a bid. It has even been reported that the ‘Gers expect him to leave this summer.

The latest move from his agent Michael Gorman, therefore, does not appear to be too popular amongst some ‘Gers supporters. On Twitter, he has shared a graphic showing that Morelos has scored the most goals per 90 minutes of any player in the Europa League along with Bruno Fernandes this campaign.

These ‘Gers supporters are far from happy with the tweet, as they appear to think that he is trying to sell the forward – one fan even called the move “desperate”. Some supporters have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts and you can see some of the best comments below:

‘Gers fans, were you dismayed by Gorman’s tweet about Morelos? Let us know what you think by commenting below!