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According to Love Sport Radio, Crystal Palace are interested in Fulham winger and Spurs target Ryan Sessegnon.

What’s the deal, then?

The 19-year-old had his first taste of Premier League football during the 2018/19 campaign where he made 35 appearances for the west London side, contributing two goals and six assists.

And many clubs are interested in the young Englishman, with Inter Milan and Liverpool also said to be monitoring him closely.

Reportedly, Fulham value the under 21 international at £45million, but Spurs – with shrewd negotiator Daniel Levy at the helm – apparently believe he is worth just £25m.

And as a result of the lack of progress between Fulham and Tottenham, it is thought Palace may swoop in and steal Sessegnon from right under the Champions League finalists nose.

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Sessegnon needs shallower waters before he can swim in the deep end

It is clear he has the ability to be one of the very best players in the Championship – he scored 16 goals and laid on eight assists while in the second tier with the Cottagers.

But there is no way of sugar-coating what was a drastically underwhelming season given he was only involved in eight goals and was even in and out of the team after the Christmas period.

There was definitely a bigger buzz around Sessegnon’s name coming off his season in the Championship than there is now, and that would not fare well for him at Spurs.

Let’s get it right, Mauricio Pochettino does have a knack of bringing through young English talent.

But that is only the case if you are capable at that high level – look at Andros Townsend, Tom Carroll, Ryan Mason, Aaron Lennon, Jake Livermore, Kyle Naughton – all of these were sold by the Argentine.

Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…

For that reason, in order for Sessegnon to build a confidence, a swagger that enables him to play with a freedom which was clearly lacking last season, Palace may just be the perfect fit.

He would find it easier to force his way into a starting position – even if that was at full-back when Wilfried Zaha is on the left of a front three.

A mid-table Premier League side is the natural progression in the youngster’s career – jumping into Champions League level competition could just harm his development and he may fall straight back down to where he was before – look at Zaha after all.

It is a less glamorous option, but sensibly speaking Sessegnon should seriously consider the Eagles if they make a formal offer.

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Former Scotland international Jackie McNamara reckons Rangers could sell one of Alfredo Morelos or James Tavernier this summer, speaking to website Football Insider.

What’s the story?

So far this summer Rangers have wasted no time in making additions to Steven Gerrard’s first-team squad.

Along with the permanent signing of Steven Davis, five more have arrived – Greg Stewart, Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie, George Edmundson and Sheyi Ojo.

As yet, the Gers boss has managed to keep the core of his first-team intact despite completing those deals, but McNamara reckons that one of last season’s big players could be sold to make room for more signings.

Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…

As quoted by Football Insider, the former Dundee United boss said:

“Rangers, there will be changes there in some way, inevitably some ins and outs to fund things for them.

I think either Morelos or Tavernier could move on to free up quite a bit of money for them to invest in other positions.

I think Morelos is the one that they think will earn them the most money, Tavernier’s one that could bring them in a good bit of money. He has done well last year.

It’s hard to put a price on him. They were talking about £20million for Morelos which I don’t think they’ll get anywhere near. I think more realistic will be £10million or £12million.”

Should Rangers look to sell either player?

Both Morelos and Tavernier scored the bulk of Rangers’ goals last season as the team’s top two scorers, netting a massive 47 between them across all competitions.

With Tavernier also contributing an outstanding 20 assists, it’s clear that losing either would significantly hamper the team’s ability to create and score goals next season.

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Replacing either directly in the transfer market feels unrealistic given their enormous contributions, unless the Gers are sitting on extensively scouted targets that they know can produce those kind of numbers.

If Rangers are serious about challenging Celtic next season then they can’t afford to sell either right now.

Retaining the club’s best players is just as important as adding quality to the squad if they want to make a trophy charge.

After last season’s promotion disappointment, Marcelo Bielsa will surely be desperate to get things right this time around. That starts now, though, as making headway in the transfer market will be key. However, links to QPR’s Massimo Luongo, via London Football News, are not what the Whites will have had in mind.

The Australian midfielder is reportedly being allowed to leave Loftus Road this summer because his current deal with the London club expires next summer and he’s unlikely to renew his contract because of the wage structure at the club.

With a move away from Loftus Road looking likely, it seems strange that Leeds would be after his signature. Comparing the way that Luongo played in the 2018/19 season to Mateusz Klich is revealing, as the Polish Leeds man comes out on top in goals, assists, shots per game and his pass success rate.

It has to be said that defensively Luongo is the better option of those two players, but even on that front the Australian international comes second to another Leeds midfield man, Kalvin Phillips, who edges out the QPR man in aerial duels won per 90 and clearances, all stats collected via WhoScored’s player comparison tool.

The argument might be there for Luongo to come in and play a rotational role in an attempt to counter-act the ‘Bielsa-burnout’ that has been so well documented, with Sky Sports producing an article on the issue, however, with the £4.05m rated star, valuation via Transfermarkt, being let go from QPR over his wage demands, that may end up being a fairly expensive rotational option if he were to join.

Would you want to sign Luongo this summer, Leeds fans? Comment below and let us know!

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to reports, Leeds United are about to sell Pontus Jansson to Brentford for £5.5m.

Understandably, this has caused uproar amongst the fanbase, but the backlash from supporters still doesn’t change the fact that the Whites may be about to make their worst transfer decision for years.

What’s the story?

Just 12 months after rejecting a £10m bid for the Swede from Russian club Krasnodar, the Whites are about to sell Jansson for almost half that amount.

Brentford are the club who will be benefitting from this deal, and it has to be said that the Yorkshire club aren’t getting anywhere near the centre-back’s actual value.

Jansson’s value

In the modern market, it’s hard to place a price tag on a player’s head due to the ridiculous era of fees that we’re living in.

Tyrone Mings is set to move to Aston Villa in a deal worth up to £26.5m, and Bristol City have put a £30m price tag on Adam Webster’s head.

Jansson beat those two men to a spot in the PFA Championship Team of the Season last term, so why are the Whites willing to get a fraction of the fee for a player who was judged to be better?

Last summer he was apparently worth at least £10m, but after a good season his value has somehow almost halved – it doesn’t make a bit of sense, and the Whites are making a ludicrous decision with their key man.

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With the amount that other clubs are demanding for their defensive talents Leeds will struggle to replace Jansson next term, and despite reported issues he’s been having off the pitch, his influence at the back will be sorely missed.

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Friday’s Premier League transfer roundup brought you an enquiry made for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, West Ham’s offer for Sebastien Haller and Manchester United’s prepared bid for Yusuf Yazici. Today’s edition includes Arsenal’s rejected attempt to bring in a Celtic full-back, Tottenham’s offer for a Serie A youngster and Liverpool’s eyes on a former Anfield star.

Arsenal’s Tierney bid rejected

Unai Emery has a relatively slim budget to work with this summer at the Emirates Stadium, so you can forgive him for attempting to stretch it as far as possible. However, other clubs who are having their players targeted are unlikely to be so understanding. That is the case with Celtic, who have rejected a bid from the Gunners for left-back Kieran Tierney. The London outfit offered £25m for the 22-year-old, but that was not good enough for the Scottish Premier League champions. For them, Arsenal wanted to pay too much of the sum in add-ons, with the Bhoys instead looking to receive a bigger portion upfront.

Tottenham make Zaniolo offer

Tottenham have already done some good business this summer, with both Jack Clarke and Tanguy Ndombele having joined. And they aren’t about to stop there, it seems. According to journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the Lilywhites have made an offer to AS Roma for their 20-year-old playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lodged a bid of €27m (£24.3m), with Toby Alderweireld also included the deal. That will bring the overall package to €50m (£45m). With the former Southampton defender already being a target for the Giallorossi, it may be enough to convince the Serie A club to part with the Italian international.

Liverpool eye Coutinho return

Philippe Coutinho signed for FC Barcelona for a huge in January of last year after having impressed during his time in the Premier League. However, since then, things have not gone his way. He may even be on the move this summer, and a return to his former club is a possibility. According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, the Reds have made a bid for the Brazilian. Jurgen Klopp and co are looking to take him on an initial two-year loan, with a purchase option of £88m. The 27-year-old has also agreed to the Merseyside’s club’s proposal.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

This Thursday will see Wolves embark on their first European journey since 1981.

It’s been a long time coming for the black and gold but when they take on Crusaders, they will realise a dream that would have felt near impossible before Nuno Santo arrived.

The Portuguese, who has managed in the Champions League with Porto, comes with minuscule success in Europe, having taken them to the last 16 via a 5-0 win over Leicester in 2016/17.

They also have the likes of Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio among their ranks who experience at the top level in abundance.

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However, Wolves could be on the verge of landing another player with a proven track record in Europe, despite his tender age.

Last week, Express & Star reported that the Midlands outfit were in a great position to land Patrick Cutrone from AC Milan.

The Italian, reportedly, could be on his way out of Milan as they look to sign Angel Correa.

Cutrone enjoyed a fabulous 2017/18 term, netting 18 times in all competitions but dropped off last season.

He scored nine fewer goals but was in lethal form in the Europa League, scoring four times in just five matches, finding a far more efficient route to goal than he did domestically.

That record, therefore, could prove incredibly beneficial if he does indeed link up with Nuno’s side in the upcoming term.

The 21-year-old netted twice against Olympiacos whilst also scoring against Real Betis throughout the group phase as he proved a constant threat with 1.8 shots per game in the competition.

If you compare that to those at Wolves already, it would put him level with Diogo Jota but only behind Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez.

In the video below, find out which former Chelsea star could be set to challenge Raul Jimenez as top dog at Wolves…

His one key pass per match in the Europa League, meanwhile, was only bettered by Jimenez and Moutinho across Premier League action.

Of course, their numbers are across far more games but it gives a quick indication of both the type of player Cutrone is, and what he can offer to Wolves.

Adding players to their slim squad with European experience could prove key and by landing the Italian, they should have no fears over his ability to perform on the continental stage.

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The bottle cap challenge is the Internet’s latest craze that has people all over the world participating.

The idea is to knock the bottle cap off the bottle in a unique and impressive way. Whether it’s with your legs, hands or even with a football, it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s entertaining in some way, shape or form.

Numerous stars have already participated in this new trend and the latest one to join them was Everton’s Tom Davies.

The 21-year-old midfielder managed to accomplish the task of getting the cap off with an impressive shot that just barely scratched the bottle top, getting the cap successfully out of the picture.

He quickly took to

/B0ET8LeBhhx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link” data-lasso->Instagram to share his success.

Of course, this did not go unnoticed as his social media account was soon flooded with comments and people congratulating him for beating the challenge.

Some of his teammates were also there as well as other famous people sending their support.

But the question does remain: How many tries did it really take to do it?

Davies still hasn’t answered that one so we’ll simply have to wait and see.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to ABC Sevilla, via Sport Witness, Leeds are looking to offload Bailey Peacock-Farrell this summer, rather than Kiko Casilla.

What’s the word?

Leeds’ goalkeepers has been a topic of uncertainty at Elland Road this season with varying publications suggesting either Casilla or Peacock-Farrell could leave before the new campaign gets underway.

Football Insider laid claims earlier in the window that the Whites were trying to find a buyer for the Spaniard before Marca suggested that suitor could be Sevilla.

However, there have also been reports linking their number two away too.

Alan Nixon reported that Burnley were taking a look at Peacock-Farrell whilst ABC Sevilla, via Sport Witness, now say he’s the more likely to leave.

The newspaper mentions that Leeds want to bring in a young replacement.

Cunning plan in place

It was always going to be intriguing to see who got the nod between the sticks at the start of the new season but we’ve now been given an indication that perhaps Casilla is still Marcelo Bielsa’s favoured choice.

The former Real Madrid man sat out the first half of last campaign but was then reintroduced to the side after the New Year period, only to put in some inconsistent displays.

However, the plan of bringing in a young goalkeeper to be Casilla’s understudy could be a masterstroke, preparing Leeds efficiently for the future.

Both Peacock-Farrell and the Spaniard were less than convincing in 2018/19 with the former dopped when Casilla arrived and then the former Real Madrid man having a shocker in the play-off final second leg, but the opportunity for a young individual to learn from someone who once played for one of the biggest clubs around is something that cannot be taken for granted.

Therefore, it would be a shrewd tactic from the Whites to move on Peacock-Farrell and develop a younger individual behind Casilla instead.

In doing so, it will give Leeds time to bed in a new stopper, possibly without the pressure of fighting for a starting role at the same time.

At the age of 32, Casilla has considerable levels of experience in the tank, something that might well prove invaluable going forward for whoever arrives behind him.

[ad_pod ]This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…ÂAston Villa have gone above and beyond in order to prepare themselves for the new season.Through the exit door of Villa Park went eight released players as well as Ross McCormack, but what followed has been rather remarkable.They’ve spent over £120m on 12 new faces but it doesn’t look as though their work will stop there.This week’s signings included Tom Heaton and Marvelous Nakamba as the Villans added to their goalkeeping department and their midfield.However, it’s Nakamba and Douglas Luiz who could help one of the players who was at the club last term improve even more.

On the chalkboard

After releasing Glenn Whelan and Mile Jedinak, finding more defensive-minded midfielders was going to be key.

Whelan appeared more regularly in midfield than the Australian who was also trusted to play in defence at times.

Nakamba moved to the club after a fee of £11m was agreed whilst Douglas’ entrance signalled an expenditure of £15m, taking the spend on the two to £26m.

Both of them boast the ability to play in defensive midfield with the former standing out in the Champions League in 2018/19.

He made 4.4 tackles per game in continental football whilst we’ve already detailed on FFC the impact the Brazilian can have against some of the best teams in La Liga.

Considering their ability to break up the play from deep in midfield, it could free up the dynamic John McGinn. He was incredibly influential in defensive and attacking phases of play last term, scoring seven goals and assisting nine as well.

In the process, he made 2.1 tackles on average each match.

However, bringing in two holding players like Nakamba and Douglas can now give McGinn more responsibility in attack, thus helping him to enhance his game in that part of the pitch.

The twinkle-toed midfield man has already shown his extreme class in pre-season, scoring a sensational solo goal against Charlton as he weaved his way past one defender and then the goalkeeper on the byline.

The Scot is a truly tremendous player in the final third, completing 1.9 dribbles per outing and having 2.5 shots every 90 minutes.

Perhaps with Douglas and Nakamba arriving, we could start to see moments like the one we saw against Charlton on a more regular basis.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Wolves have practically one foot in the group stages of the Europa League following their third round qualifying first leg routing of Pyunik last week.

A Raul Jimenez brace in between Matt Doherty’s opener and a Ruben Neves penalty secured a four-goal advantage going into the second leg at Molineux on Thursday.

By the time they face Manchester United in only their second Premier League game of the season on Monday night, Wolves will have played four European ties and it’s only the middle of August.

That run of Thursday-Sunday games will only continue as they look dead certain on making the next round.

How much of an impact that will have on their Premier League ambitions remains to be seen but their opening stalemate with Leicester City has to be a good signal towards a positive result.

Having travelled to and from Armenia in the week – a 6,700-odd mile round trip, Wolves showed no signs of adversity but it’s still only early days.

On the chalkboard

As the season trundles on, something will have to give unless Wolves take the European burden on top of another decent finish in the league like a duck to water.

Nuno Santo may believe that the club’s first venture into a European competition in nearly 40 years will have little impact on where they finish in the Premier League, but history suggests he is wrong.

A couple of seasons ago, Sean Dyche’s Burnley extraordinarily finished seventh but their time in Europe appeared to hamper their progress in the league even though they didn’t make it past the qualifying stage, as they finished 15th last season.

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Similarly, Everton, West Ham and Southampton have all followed the same precedent making it seem all too likely that Wolves will be the next to feel such a strain – one that involves being in another country during the week and then somewhere else in the UK by the weekend.

Everton went from fifth to finishing 11th the following year whilst making the round of 16 matches in the Europa League; West Ham followed a seventh place finish with 11th and Southampton were nearly relegated a year after facing Inter Milan in the group stages.

Having finished seventh themselves last term, it looks ominous that Wolves could be an addition rather than an exception to the rule.

However, they do seem slightly better equipped for bucking the trend – they won’t be selling some of their major stars to Liverpool as Southampton have done in the past for example.

Santo has also added depth to his squad with the additions of players who carry some sort of European pedigree – Jesus Vallejo from Real Madrid and Patrick Cutrone from AC Milan are just two and they come from teams that regularly compete in Europe and have numerous trophies to their names.

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