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The Liverpool faithful have been raving about their captain Jordan Henderson this week after one Twitter account asked fans to describe the Englishman using only one word.

There was everything ranging from “champion” to “irreplaceable” to “underrated.”

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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Henderson has been an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side since taking the reins from legend Steven Gerrard, and he finally got his rewards in lifting the Champions League trophy at the end of last season. The Premier League triumph is next up.

The 29-year-old has played 35 times in all competitions this season, taking his total tally for the Reds to a whopping 359 appearances.

In that time, he has scored 28 goals and provided 50 assists, although such a contribution is arguably not the focal point of his industrious game.

Per WhoScored, Henderson is averaging 2.2 tackles, four long balls and 62.4 passes per game in the Premier League this term.

The 55-cap midfielder is now valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt, 13th in the current Liverpool squad, so maybe there’s a case to be made of him being underrated.

Here’s how the supporters have been describing him…

AND in other news, Five youngsters Klopp should call upon next season…

In the months leading up to his departure from West Ham to Tottenham in 2003, Jermain Defoe received three red cards in the space of 10 games. 

Just months after controversially handing in a transfer request the day after West Ham were relegated from the Premier League – a decision he has since said he regrets – Defoe was then being accused by West Ham fans of trying to force his way out of the club by deliberately getting sent off.

However, in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Defoe has explained the real reasons behind those red cards. He said: “Looking from a West Ham fans’ point of view, I understand why they might think I was doing it on purpose but if you really knew me, you’d know all I want to do is score goals and play every game, so why would I want to miss football matches?

“At the time I felt like I was a target for players I played against and the referees. That’s how I felt. People were trying to wind me up and referees weren’t really protecting me because I was in the spotlight after what had happened with the transfer request.

Defoe has only received two more red cards in 16 years since, which goes to show that it was out of character and not a reflection of his character, but it’s clear all the off-field problems he found himself involved in following the ill-advised transfer request had begun to affect his efforts on the pitch.

“The backlash was just crazy! I had so much anger and I was so frustrated with the whole transfer request situation. I didn’t really know what was going on.”

You can read the full interview with Jermain Defoe, in conjunction with On The Ball Global, here.

Tottenham star Giovani Lo Celso has been the subject of rampant speculation over the past week. 

Therefore, the club have moved to dispel any lingering fears by tweeting a photo of Lo Celso taking part in first team training at Hotspur Way.

According to football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, the Argentine could not be seen in any of the images from the team’s 11-a-side match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday, which naturally raised alarm amongst the club’s fan base.

However, this latest development should put their minds at ease.

Lo Celso has been one of the few bright sparks in a turbulent season for Spurs. Indeed, he fought for his place in the starting lineup after recovering from a hip injury, and it is fair to say the 24-year-old hasn’t looked back ever since.

After arriving in North London in August 2019, he has played 5 games in the Champions League for Jose Mourinho’s side, scoring 1 goal, taking 1.6 shots per game, averaging 1.4 key passes, and completing 2 dribbles on average (via WhoScored). He is currently valued at £36m via Transfermarkt.

Needless to say, the board have been so impressed by his performances up until now, they decided to make make his loan move from Real Betis permanent (BBC). Notably, the midfielder signed the contract on the same day that Christian Eriksen left for Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan.

Former boss Mauricio Pochettino previously described his compatriot as a “very good player” and it seems he has lived up to expectations up to this point.

It is fair to say Mourinho has been beset by injury setbacks over the course of the season so far. While Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Moussa Sissoko and Steven Bergwijn have finally recovered from long injury layoffs, Troy Parrott was recently ruled out for a number of weeks.

Evidently, it seems Lo Celso has recovered from a minor issue, which will surely be a massive boost for Mourinho, as he was one of Spurs’ star players before the premature break.

Given the fact the Lilywhites face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United next Friday, he will need to be at his very best if the first team are to mount a successful challenge for Champions League football.

Tottenham fans, are you looking forward to seeing Lo Celso on the pitch later this month? Let us know down below!

Despite the wealth of options Tottenham currently have in the middle of the park when everyone is fully fit and firing, there perhaps isn’t a natural holding midfielder – particularly with Eric Dier now seemingly converted into a centre-back on a permanent basis.

Against both Manchester United and West Ham, Jose Mourinho showed his faith in Moussa Sissoko to be the more defensive-minded player in the engine room, with Harry Winks, and then a combination of Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso lining up alongside him.

But whilst the Frenchman has got the kind of powerhouse game that can help Spurs offensively, he doesn’t offer the same protection to his back four as a more natural anchor man.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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As per Whoscored, he has averaged just 0.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League this season, and makes just 1.2 tackles per match too – in fact, not since his early days at French side Toulouse has Sissoko averaged more than one interception per match over a league campaign.

And that is exactly why a swoop for AS Roma destroyer Amadou Diawara makes such perfect sense for Mourinho’s side. The Guinea international has been on the radar of Spurs ever since the days of Mauricio Pochettino, and now, according to Italian publication Il Messaggero, the Lilywhites are keen on reigniting their interest in him this summer.

The 22-year-old is the typical modern-day holding midfielder, breaking up play and then passing the ball on with the minimum of fuss. This season, he has averaged a very impressive 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Serie A – the latter stat actually good enough to place him fourth in the rankings of all midfielders in the competition.

One of his former coaches, Fabrizio Tazzioli, remarked that the moment he saw him in training, he knew he was a “phenomenon”. And at still only 22, and having played for the likes of Napoli and Roma, Diawara has already got some incredible experience at such a young age.

Spurs are lacking a genuine defensive midfielder in their ranks, and if Daniel Levy can pull off this move, then he could well provide Mourinho with the missing piece in the squad.

Manchester United have entered ‘advanced’ talks with Jadon Sancho, according to The Daily Express.Â

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified the Borussia Dortmund star as the signing he needs to rebuild the Red Devils in the summer.

Man United have been chasing Sancho for several years now, but it seems they are now one step closer to bringing him to Old Trafford.

Ed Woodward has the difficult task of striking a deal with Dortmund so Sancho can travel to the Theatre of Dreams in time for next season.

Nicolo Schira tweeted both sides are in close negotiations as the Englishman would like to leave Germany and return to his homeland.

Recent reports revealed the executive vice-chairman will launch a bid worth £80m once Champions League football is secured.

However, Dortmund are still demanding more than £100m for the club’s top scorer, and it seems as though United will fall short of their asking price.

If United do sign Sancho before the start of next season, it is likely they will have to break the record set by Paul Pogba in 2016.

Woodward has warned the board’s spending may be limited in light of the unprecedented circumstances, so it seems a deal is far from certain.

Indeed, this contradicts a claim from The Daily Mirror’s John Cross, who suggested talks between the two clubs have stalled, as they have not been able to agree on a fixed price.

Once again, everything hinges on whether or not United will qualify for the Champions League, which is not guaranteed.

If Solskjaer fails to sign Sancho in the summer, it will be a huge personal blow for the Norwegian, as he has made it his mission to sign him for the past couple of years.

United fans, do you think Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!

The proposed takeover of Newcastle United has been put into doubt by a fresh claim made by a group of MPs looking to block the bid, according to the Daily Telegraph.

As per the outlet, a letter collectively written by John Nicolson, Damian Collins, Caroline Lucas, John McDonnell, Crispin Blunt, Virendra Sharma, Alistair Carmichael, Lord Judd, Chris Law and Baroness Young of Hornsey to the chief executive of the Premier League Richard Masters has claimed that the “Premier League cannot sign-off on the sale” of the Tyneside club to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund unless the country reforms its criminal justice system and releases all political detainees.

Indeed, the group of MPs were particularly concerned that the Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to hold an 80% stake at St. James’ Park if the £300m deal between Mike Ashley and the Saudi-led consortium is approved by the Premier League.

Also among the buying side are businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners Amanda Staveley and the billionaire Reuben brothers, who are originally from India but are now based in London.

It is still yet unclear as to what the final decision from the Premier League will be, but this letter by certain MPs may potentially throw another spanner in the works.

Nevertheless, it will ultimately be down to Masters and the league itself as to whether they approve of the takeover in the northeast, leaving members of the Toon Army anxiously twiddling their thumbs in the hope that it eventually goes through.

Geordies, are you worried about this letter potentially scuppering the takeover? Comment below with your views!

Whilst West Ham will be competing in the Premier League once more next season, it was far from an electrifying campaign and certainly not one that should be celebrated – even if David Moyes successfully completed the task at hand.

The Hammers faithful have been left watching poor football for too long and it all stems from the club’s recruitment strategy in recent years.

There’s now a plethora of highly-paid yet hugely underperforming stars in east London – Felipe Anderson, £42m, one goal and four assists this term; Sebastien Haller, club-record £45m, two goals in 2020; Manuel Lanzini, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko… the list goes on.

It’s that bad that Mark Noble, as great as he’s been, is sometimes deployed in the number ten role. When you think of creativity and excitement, the first player you think of certainly isn’t the Englishman.

Perhaps the Irons haven’t yet truly replaced Dimitri Payet. An enigmatic talent who had fans on the edge of their seats for two seasons – the Frenchman’s final year saw him average 4.1 key passes, 3.1 shots and 2.6 dribbles, via WhoScored, which are numbers unheard of in these parts for quite some time.

But one of Moyes’ reported summer targets can change all that – and more.

According to the Mirror, the 57-year-old is prepared to offload a string of expensive flops to fund a move for Brentford sensation Said Benrahma.

The Algerian winger has been in emphatic form for the promotion-chasing Bees this season, providing 17 goals and eight assists whilst averaging Payet-like numbers too.

Per WhoScored, the 24-year-old, who can also play in the number ten role, has managed 3.8 shots, 3.1 dribbles and 2.1 key passes per game.

Benrahma is silky with the ball at his feet and clearly has a wonderful eye for goal. Following a hat-trick against Hull earlier in the season, his manager Thomas Frank called him “magnificent” and “fantastic” whilst Brentford B coach Sam Saunders claims the winger “could nutmeg a mermaid.”

Back in May, reports suggested that he’d only be sold for €40m (£36.5m) this summer, so GSB should absolutely get open their wallets to land the exceptional talent.

AND in other news, West Ham fans blast “lazy” £32.4m-rated star who “has to be sold”…

We always knew that Manchester United’s chase of Jadon Sancho would likely turn into a summer saga. And a summer saga it’s really turning out to be. Borussia Dortmund are still adamant on the youngster not being let go for anything south of £100m while the Red Devils don’t want to offer more than £80m.

However, according to a new report from the Daily Mirror, both Real Madrid and Barcelona might enter the race to sign Sancho next summer if Man United don’t pull the trigger in the ongoing transfer window.

Of course, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer understands that this could very well be a ploy to force his hand and pressure them either into bidding for the young star now or simply luring them into making a forced decision.

It’s quite a risky business considering that the alternative could be much worse. If the La Liga giants truly are contemplating an approach next summer and Man United also decide to wait that long, they might enter a bidding war that could easily escalate into something they can’t afford.

The Premier League giants usually have the funds for such exploits but the outside circumstances regarding the recent outbreak have impacted everyone’s finances, Man United included.

For that reason, they can’t afford to go into bidding wars and they can also not afford to splash the cash for Sancho now. At the moment, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Verdict

Slowly but surely, Man United’s chase of Sancho is starting to become too big of a hassle for the English side. Yes, he may be a generational talent and one of the best players of the immediate future but he simply seems unattainable right now.

However, the same could be said for Barcelona and Real. Neither of them have gone through lockdown unscathed and it’s unlikely they have heaps of money just lying around. But Solskjaer has to ensure he’s not bullied into a deal he can’t afford.

Former Sheffield Wednesday striker Atdhe Nuhiu is reportedly in talks to make a surprise return to Hillsborough ahead of the 2020/21 Championship season.

That is according to an article from the Yorkshire Live, which suggests that the Kosovan said in an interview whilst away on international duty that he has opened discussions about another deal with the Owls.

Nuhiu joined Wednesday back in 2013 from Eskisehirspor on a free transfer, but his contract expired following the conclusion of the 19/20 campaign.

With no fresh terms announced between club and player, most assumed that the 31-year-old’s time in South Yorkshire had come to an end. However, if these reports are accurate then that may not be the case, and there could be legs in it given Garry Monk has refused to rule out his return.

Journalist Joe Crann tweeted out the news and it seems that many Owls fans aren’t happy about the big striker’s potential return, despite the fact that Jordan Rhodes is currently the only out and out centre-forward on the books at Hillsborough.

Some supporters are suggesting that they could do better, with one claiming it would be ’embarrassing’ to bring him back. Indeed, Nuhiu did not have the most prolific of scoring records whilst with the club, netting just 50 times despite making 277 appearances overall.

Here is what some had to say…

Owls fans, would you take Nuhiu back for another year? Let us know below…

There’s a lot to be excited about after James Rodriguez was announced as an Everton player.

The former World Cup Golden Boot winner has the pedigree to be one of the best players in the Premier League having played for both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, winning two Champions League trophies with the former.

However, away from the pitch, this may have another significant impact on the club.

It’s no secret that Rodriguez is one of the most popular footballers in the world, boasting more Instagram followers than any Premier League club, and while it’s performances on the pitch that matter, the business side of football is absolutely massive in terms of working towards winning silverware.

Unfortunately, Everton aren’t that commercially savvy, having just 1.9m Instagram followers, a tally almost 25m lower than local rivals Liverpool.

However, Rodriguez could help turn that tide, and if Everton make the most of his reach and following, particularly in South America, they could see financial and marketing benefits for years to come.

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Just look at the recent Tottenham Hotspur Amazon Prime documentary as evidence for this, segments dedicated to South Korean fans travelling across the world to watch Heung-Min Son play, and a heart-warming scene where a young Brazilian supporter gets to meet Lucas Moura shows that these markets are there to be tapped into, and if Everton play their cards right, they could have a massive worldwide following very soon.

It couldn’t come at a better time either, the Toffees are planning on moving into a new 52,000 capacity stadium in 2023, and if they have millions of fans across the world clamouring to watch Rodriguez play, they will have no trouble at all selling out on a weekly basis.

This could be a huge step in Everton’s evolution into a truly global club that garners support from all over the world.

Rodriguez’s impact on the pitch remains to be seen, but from an economic standpoint, this could be a massive move for the Merseyside club.