Wolves must move in for this ready-made Diogo Jota replacement

Wolves are reportedly interested in signing Eredivisie ace Oussama Idrissi this transfer window.

The Morocco international has been linked to the Premier League outfit by El Desmarque (via Sport Witness), who claim an offer of €16million (£14.4m) could be tabled for his services.

Wanderers aren’t the only ones in pursuit of Idrissi, though. The report states that both Sevilla and Napoli also have their eye on the 24-year-old forward.

How would Idrissi fit in at Wolves?

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side looked on course for a place in the top six last season but fell just outside of the margin on goal difference to Spurs. Their main attacking threat was undoubtedly Raul Jimenez, who notched an impressive 17 goals in 38 league appearances.

Next behind the Mexican was Diogo Jota with seven goals, followed up by Leander Dendoncker with four (via Sportsmole). The gap between Jimenez and the rest of the team in terms of goals scored is difficult to ignore. Wolves’ top scorer needs more support in attack if the team are to push up the table this season.

Signing Idrissi would pad out Nuno’s roster and provide more options when breaking down the opposition.

Could Oussama Idrissi replace Diogo Jota?

The AZ Alkmaar man tallied some superb numbers with the Dutch outfit last season. In 25 league appearances, Idrissi found the back of the net 13 times and provided a further five assists. His overall count for the term finished on 17 goals and ten assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

The 24-year-old also operates on the left wing, which is a perfect match to fill the Jota-shaped hole left in the Wolves squad after the Portuguese moved to Liverpool.

Although Nuno experimented with his squad last season, Jota put in some strong performances and was the difference between a loss and a draw, and a draw and a win on several occasions. Losing him to Liverpool definitely makes the left wing an area of importance to strengthen.

With Idrissi’s numbers and international experience, for the low price of £14.4million, it’s a no brainer for Wolves to snap up the Moroccan before the window closes.

In other news, Leeds can land the perfect De Paul alternative in Erick Pulgar

Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs confident Pochettino favourite will sign new deal amid rival offers

Tottenham are confident Jan Vertonghen will sign a new deal until the end of the 2019/2020 Premier League season before he leaves the club in the summer. 

Vertonghen has rejected Spurs’ offer of a new contract which would keep him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a further year.

Last month, the Premier League confirmed clubs can negotiate short-term deals for players whose deals are due to expire on 30 June.

Now, a source has told Football Insider the Lilywhites expect him to sign an extension to cover the remaining nine matches of the campaign.

The report adds Spurs are eager to reach an agreement before the Premier League clash against Manchester United next week.

Writing for The Evening Standard, football correspondent Dan Kilpatrick recently revealed Vertonghen plans to stay loyal to Spurs as he won’t be able to play for another club until next season as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

As the veteran is no doubt well aware, it is hard to imagine he will play in every game anyway.

Even though the Belgian was a favourite of former boss Mauricio Pochettino, he has fallen out of favour with Pochettino’s successor, and it seems his long stint in north London is finally winding down.

The 33-year-old, who has spent eight years with Spurs, is now weighing up his options, amid interest from Serie A sides Inter Milan and Fiorentina.

Although he has previously admitted he would like to end his career with his boyhood club Ajax, he is now considering offers from Italy.

Despite the fact he is below the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga in the pecking order, Mourinho’s side may benefit from his presence in the dressing room, as he could counsel some of his younger teammates as Spurs seek to surge into the top four.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should let Jan Vertonghen leave? Let us know down below!

Glasgow Rangers: Fans hammer Glasgow Times article

Glasgow Rangers had a great last week on the pitch, but it has not been quite as positive off of it.

The Gers won the Veolia Trophy after beating both Lyon and Nice 2-0, which allowed them to continue their pre-season preparations ahead of their first competitive match of the season against Aberdeen on August 1st. However, racial issues have reared their ugly head for the Ibrox outfit.

Firstly, portions of the Gers fanbase were outraged by the fact that the players decided to take the knee before kick-off in those clashes. Then, it emerged that Alfredo Morelos had been the subject of racial abuse, and the police were leading an investigation into the issue.

The Glasgow Times’ Catriona Stewart put together an article slamming the Gers’ response to the issue, saying that it took them too long to condemn the abuse of their player, whilst also insinuating it was the Gers fan themselves who dished out the disgusting comments. The 54-time Scottish champions were far from happy with this, especially with her saying that she has no interest in football in the piece – one fan even called the article “vile”.

The fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think below!

Arsenal News Round-Up: Aubameyang’s replacement, Wenger’s big mistake and much

The Gunners sit ninth in the Premier League following the suspension of professional sport due to the ongoing global pandemic.

They have 40 points from 28 games, having won just nine matches, and are surely out of the reckoning when it comes to qualifying for the Champions League.

As it stands, they are eight points behind Chelsea and one point behind north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Indeed, it has been Arsenal’s draws that have cost them; they have taken just a solitary point 13 times this term, the joint-highest in the table.

It remains to be seen if and when Mikel Arteta’s men will be given the opportunity to get back on the pitch but news continues to circulate around the Gunners.

We have put together a round-up of the biggest Arsenal news surrounding the north Londoners as football’s return remains in the air.

Take a look below!

Arsenal biggest Premier League flops

Football FanCast has taken a look at the biggest Arsenal flops of the Premier League era, with so many more that could’ve been included!

Aubameyang replacement?

This La Liga star would be the ideal replacement for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if the Gabon international leaves. Click here to find out who.

Soccer Football – Premier League – Arsenal v Everton – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – February 23, 2020 Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang applauds fans after the match REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for fu

Wenger’s biggest mistake

While this man was one of Arsene Wenger’s biggest failures during his time in north London! Do you agree? Click here to read more.

Gunners stars heading to Italy?

According to CalcioNapoli24, Napoli are interested in two Arsenal forwards! But can Arsenal afford to let them go?

Soccer Football – Premier League – Burnley v Arsenal – Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain – February 2, 2020 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Trialist ready to agree to terms

Goal reports that the Gunners are closing in on a deal for a 19-year-old winger who has impressed during a two-week trial at the club.

What’s happening with Arsenal’s loanees?

Football.London has laid out what may happen to all of Arsenal’s loanees this summer, with the club’s demands for Henrikh Mkhitaryan a key point. Click here to read all about it.

Dani Ceballos’ future

And finally, El Confidencial reports that the Gunners have made a decision over the prospect of keeping Dani Ceballos at the club beyond this summer!

Revealed: The referees Newcastle will want to see more of in future

Newcastle United arguably has one of most passionate fan bases in the country, with the locals creating an intimidating atmosphere at St James’ Park – the Toon faithful appeal for absolutely every decision and are dumbstruck when it fails to go in their favour.

Unfortunately, for all their protestations, you do get the feeling – looking in as a neutral – that the Magpies generally get the wrong end of the decisions from referees and linesmen when it comes to 50-50 decisions. Some would call it a conspiracy, some simply see it as par for the course of being a Newcastle fan in an era where they seem to see injustices both on and off the pitch.

Sir Bobby Robson once claimed that a referee’s job is one of the toughest around. However, it is hard not to believe that some officials favour some clubs over others. We all know those individuals in question, but it appears those at the top will always get the decisions at the detriment of the teams that are struggling.

So, which referees really have it in for Newcastle United and who are those that represent a lucky omen for them? The good people at TOFFS have compiled some top-line research that analyses the data from officials and gives football fans a definitive overview of which refs have it in for their clubs.

Will the Toon army be surprised at the results?

You can see the full report compiled by Abbey Green at TOFFS here.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EVERY PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB’S REFEREE HISTORY

West Brom are set to appoint Mick Halsall as head of academy coaching

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

According to Birmingham Live, West Bromwich Albion sporting and technical director Luke Dowling is set to continue their academy shake-up with the appointment of Mick Halsall as head of coaching.

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What’s the word?

Halsall, who is currently in charge of a similar role at League One outfit Coventry City, is poised to make the switch across the Midlands before the end of the month.

The 58-year-old will be taking over from David Kerslake after he followed Michael Appleton to Lincoln City in September.

It came soon after the long-serving academy manager Mark Harrison agreed to leave the Hawthorns to join local rivals Aston Villa with Richard Stevens being the man tasked to replace him, another former Sky Blues backroom staff member.

Halsall has been at Coventry since 2017 having also held roles as caretaker manager in his coaching career at both Walsall and Notts County.

Academy addition

His familiarity with Stevens can only serve as a positive as the pair had been working together for the best part of three years, and given the club’s long-term history of producing talents – Callum Wilson, James Maddison and now Sam McCallum, who the Baggies have actually been linked with this season.

It bodes well for the young players amongst Albion’s ranks.

Halsall earned an impressive reputation in bringing young players through to the first-team fold that then-Premier League side Stoke City came calling for his services, but those in charge at Walsall refused to accept his resignation.

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Dowling will now just need to find Appleton’s successor in order to fully complete his academy reshuffle, but for the time being, Deon Burton has stepped up to the plate with the development side snatching 13 points under his stewardship.

The young Baggies have risen to third in the Premier League 2 with several games in hand, so it appears everything is running smoothly despite the club making drastic changes over recent months.

Meanwhile, West Brom fans have been raving about one of Slaven Bilic’s regulars this season…

Newcastle journalist Andrew Musgrove slams "heartbreaking" club decision

Andrew Musgrove, who covers Newcastle United for The Chronicle, has slammed one particular aspect of the club’s decision to place the majority of its staff on furlough leave.As revealed by Lee Ryder on Monday, Mike Ashley has decided to place a large portion of the staff on furlough leave to protect the club’s future. The Magpies emailed staff on Monday morning, including the academy and scouting teams, pointing them to the government’s job retention scheme, which gives employees 80% of their wages back up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.

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

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One added detail that will really touch a nerve with supporters though is that this includes the club’s Foundation charity, an organisation that promotes healthy living for disadvantage children through soccer schools, career training and guidance and fundraising. Musgrove was not impressed.

Of course, this is just the latest move made my Ashley and the club that will no doubt infuriate fans and neutrals alike. The infamous Magpies overlord was forced to apologise last week when he tried to keep his Sports Direct stores open by declaring them an essential service, and also drew the ire of supporters for opting not to push back season ticket renewal fees.

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The three most standout words from Musgrove’s verdict are “guttingâ€, “heartbreaking†and “inevitableâ€, mainly because those three words seem to apply to pretty much every mistake the club makes at the moment.

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

Sheffield United fans were annoyed despite George Baldock’s goal

When George Baldock scored Sheffield United’s equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur, he didn’t bother to really celebrate it.It was the 26-year-old’s first-ever Premier League goal, having scored at every other level between the Championship and National League, so it should have been a special moment, especially as it was a well-worked strike that had brought the Blades level.However, VAR overshadowed the occasion, as he was made to wait for confirmation of the goal, just minutes after David McGoldrick was robbed of his season’s first:

While Blades fans were happy to see their team back on level terms, they were still furious with the decision that went against them, as well as how long it took for the goal to be confirmed.

VAR has been a big talking point so far this season in the Premier League, due to the controversy that has often surrounded it, which is the case with this game.

Many at Sheffield United feel they have been robbed of a win, as well as the enjoyment of getting their equaliser.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the goal, including frustrated Sheffield United fans, can be seen below:

West Ham’s Declan Rice ripped apart by Roy Keane on ITV

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…

Declan Rice started for England against Kosovo on Sunday evening.

The midfielder hasn’t been brilliant this term, averaging just a 6.83 rating on WhoScored this term, and in the build-up to the Three Lions’ match against the eastern European outfit Roy Keane didn’t hold back when giving his thoughts on the midfielder.

What’s been said then?

Keane was asked where he thinks Declan Rice needs to improve in order to secure his spot in Southgate’s team.

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“Where he needs to improve, where do you want me to start?” Roy Keane said on ITV’s coverage of the England game (17/11).

“His positional play, I don’t think he’s been consistent enough, he doesn’t stay with runners, he’s sloppy in possession, I can go on.

“He’s one of these players, a couple of months ago everyone was loving him, but he’s almost played his way out of the team because he’s been inconsistent at West Ham.”

Classic Keane

This is just classic Keane isn’t it?

The former Manchester United man was as cynical as ever when ripping into the England international, but to be fair to him, he’s absolutely right about where Rice is lacking at the moment.

The West Ham man has under performed for the Hammers this term, and that has contributed to the London Club’s current poor league position.

Hopefully, he takes Keane’s criticism on board and gets to work on fixing some of these issues.

Charlton fans rave over Macauley Bonne

Charlton secured a mightily impressive 3-0 victory over Derby on Saturday as Lee Bower’s men put in what was arguably their most convincing performance since Lyle Taylor got injured.

The forward had bagged five goals in six matches before having to sit on the sidelines and since then the Addicks had won just once in their last five outings before their victory on Saturday.

They were back in form against the Rams and one of their stand out performers was former Leyton Orient man Macauley Bonne.

Fans raved about the striker during and after the match as one supporter claimed he was a packet of blonde hair eye away from being Taylor.

A further individual labelled him a baller while the 23-year-old was also described as a special find.

Bonne signed for Charlton after starring in the National League last term, a division he scored 23 goals in throughout the 2018/19 campaign.

He’s started to really find his feet in the Championship and now has three goals in his last four outings.

Here’s what fans have been saying about him on Twitter.

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