Aston Villa have been in the market for a forward for some time due to an injury blow suffered by Jonathan Kodjia.
The 28-year-old has been out of action since October after aggravating an ankle injury that he picked up towards the end of last season.
Since the forward’s absence, Villa have scored 24 goals in 15 Championship matches, and now they aim to boost that tally further with the signing of Lewis Grabban from Bournemouth.
The 30-year-old joined the Midlands outfit on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Villa made the announcement via Twitter less than one hour before the transfer deadline.
The 30-year-old is on his second loan spell of the season having spent the first half of the campaign at Sunderland, where he scored 12 goals in 19 Championship outings.
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The majority of Villa fans expressed joy in the signing, with many tipping the club for promotion with Grabban on board.
Italian side Roma are set to beat Liverpool to the signature of Brazilian winger Michel Bastos, as reported by Sky Sports.
Roma manager Rudi Garcia has confirmed that Bastos is set to join them on loan until the end of the season from Al Ain after turning down a number of other European clubs.
Liverpool and Napoli were thought to be favourites to sign the 30 year old Brazilian international at the start of the January transfer window but Garcia’s working relationship with the winger seems to have turned his head.
The pair worked together at French club Lille and Garcia’s knowledge of the player made this a deal that could not be missed out on.
“It’s not done yet, but negotiations are at an advanced stage,” said Garcia.
“He is a versatile player, which is what interests me. He can play on the right or left, has a strong shot, good technique and can also play left-back, so we are covered in many different areas.
“I have been tracking this player since he left Lille, going through Lyon, Schalke and Al Ain.
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“I always spoke to him and knew this was a possibility for us. Above all, he was very eager to come back to Europe, so I am happy.”
QPR striker Bobby Zamora has claimed that the majority of Fulham’s players do not get on with manager Martin Jol.
The forward left Craven Cottage for Loftus Road after the appointment of the Dutch coach, and has since revealed that the majority of the squad are not content with the outspoken coach.
“I left because I didn’t see eye to eye with Martin Jol. I think that is the case with the vast majority of players there now. A lot of the lads aren’t happy. But that’s that. There were a few bits and pieces but we just didn’t see eye to eye,” The Telegraph quote Zamora as saying.
Andrew Johnson, Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu, Mousse Dembele and Clint Dempsey have all left the Cottagers since Jol took over, but new signing Giorgos Karagounis has praised the under-fire trainer.
“He is a very experienced coach, who wants to play football the right way,” the experienced Greek midfielder stated.
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As reported by Mundo Deportivo, West Ham United are interested in signing Barcelona defender Marlon this summer.
What’s the story?
After Manuel Pellegrini’s arrival as the new manager at the London Stadium, fans are excited and curious about what steps the club will take in the transfer market over the next few months.
Almost every department of the first team needs addressed with goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and attackers needed if they are to push on and finish higher in the English Premier League next term.
One player that could arrive at the London Stadium is Barcelona defender Marlon, who has most recently spent a season out on loan at Ligue 1 side Nice.
That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, who say that West Ham are interested in signing the player, with the Catalan giants waiting on a bid, eager to sell.
Rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, is he a player the Irons should be moving for this summer?
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Would he be a good signing?
At just 22 years of age, Marlon doesn’t have the most experience in the world, but has over 75 appearances for Fluminense, Barcelona and Nice.
As demonstrated by WhoScored, he is very much a ball-playing defender with a shockingly high 94% pass success rate, making an average of 60 passes a match. That passing accuracy is higher than every player in the West Ham squad, playing almost as many long balls as any of the Irons’ defenders.
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Defensively his average tackles and blocks per game stand up to the West Ham defence and the fact he has less clearances is probably due to the fact he finds a teammate more often than not.
That kind of composure and ability to turn defence into attack quickly and accurately could make him a hit at the London Stadium, but he would need to work on his aerial duels, the number of which won are on average far below most of the West Ham squad.
Improvements needed then, but still young, he can improve in the areas he has a deficit and also has the ability to fill in at right-back, making him a worthy choice for West Ham this summer.
The rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of the fiercest in football, and it is the latter who has been on top in recent years.
However, former United player Phil Neville thinks that the Red Devils are worried about the threat of the Merseyside outfit this season.
The 40-year-old has suggested that the Red Devils are so concerned about Liverpool that they switched up their January transfer plans.
It has been widely reported that Jose Mourinho will sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in the coming days.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger all but confirmed the news by telling reporters in a press conference on Thursday that a deal is “likely” to happen.
The arrival of the Chile international is sure to boost United, whose initial eight-point advantage over Liverpool in the Premier League table has since dropped to just three.
While speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Neville explained what he thinks has motivated United to get the deal done.
“I would have thought maybe a month ago Alexis Sanchez wouldn’t have come on the radar. All of a sudden, every now and again there comes a signing that you have to make, or if he’s available you have to try and make.
“Sanchez, because of the form of Liverpool in particular, I think it’s maybe hurried up the need for someone to come in and, not secure United’s second place, but actually give them a massive, massive boost. I think United will finish in the top four and in second place but the form of Liverpool must be a worry because they’re playing unbelievable at this moment in time.”
Mourinho’s side currently sit second in the table, 12 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
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New Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has fond memories of his time as a Chelsea player, but he’ll be concentrating on ensuring he makes it three cup wins in a row against them as a coach/manager when he welcomes them to the Stadium of Light for this Capital One Cup Round 5 clash.
The Uruguayan spent four years as a player at Stamford Bridge, scoring 36 league goals in 105 appearances, helping them to an FA Cup, Charity Shield, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
But since leaving the club in 2001, Poyet has enjoyed two important victories over the Blues in the League Cup. Firstly, he was part of the Tottenham Hotspur side that beat Chelsea 5-1 in the League Cup semi-final second leg in January 2002. And then he went on to help mastermind a 2-1 victory over the Blues in the final as Juande Ramos’ assistant.
Now, following wins as a player and a coach, he has the chance to make it a hat-trick of wins in three different roles with a Capital One Cup victory.
Since taking the Sunderland job at the beginning of October, Poyet has not quite instilled consistency into his players. Wins over arch-rivals Newcastle United and title contenders Manchester City have both been followed by losses to Hull and Stoke City respectively.
But his side’s victory over high-flying Southampton in Round 4 of the Capital One Cup proved that he is making progress early in his Stadium of Light tenure, particularly as he inherited a squad at an all-time low.
However, Jose Mourinho’s record in the Capital One Cup stands in the way of Poyet’s chances of a hat-trick victory over Chelsea.
The Portuguese manager won the League Cup twice during his first spell as Chelsea boss and, having not started off particularly well in his second coming, will have his sights set on lifting the trophy for a third time.
But Sunderland’s stuttering revival under Poyet has to hit full flow soon and a cup run could be exactly what they need to instill the confidence needed to pull away from the bottom of the Premier League and ensure top-flight survival.
Despite Mourinho’s success in the competition in the past, he may be tempted to field a weakened side at the Stadium of Light due to a busy fixture schedule over Christmas, which could give Poyet’s side the upper hand and the added belief that a win is a realistic possibility. After all, they did beat a full-strength Manchester City side last month.
Poyet was a loved by Chelsea fans when he was there as a player but, since leaving, he has only been a thorn in the side of the Chelsea faithful in their pursuit of League Cup glory.
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Now he has the chance to do it all again as a manager in the Capital One Cup and, whether he has that in mind or not, it would be some record to hold if he does manage to pull it off.
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Hugo Lloris made his Premier League debut for Tottenham at the weekend, ending Brad Friedel’s 310 consecutive games in the starting XI.
The French keeper managed to secure Spurs’ first clean sheet of the season, but was still told by coach Andre Villas-Boas that he will not be the permanent first choice.
The Les Blue’s captain impressed White Hart Lane fans with his anticipation and impressive saves during the 2-0 win against Aston Villa. However he gave Villa a great chance, giving the ball away recklessly, but Christian Benteke couldn’t capitalise.
After the game Villas-Boas indicated that he still had a decision to make on who will be between the sticks for their next clash.
“We decided it would be logical to play Hugo to get him acquainted with the Premier League,” he told the Telegraph.
“Nothing tipped the balance. We are fortunate that we can do this rotation. Brad was disappointed but accepted it as a good professional. We respect his performances. He will be back as soon as possible,” the coach added.
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Lloris joined Spurs on the last day of the transfer window for a fee of £12 million, and his first Premier League inclusion meant that 41-year-old Friedel sat on the bench for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has a huge game this weekend as he prepares to lead his team out against Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
After that, though, the midfielder will switch focus to England’s World Cup campaign in Russia, but he may have suffered a dent to his confidence heading into the competition.
England manager Gareth Southgate has opted to appoint Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane as captain for the duration of their time in Russia.
Since Southgate became permanent coach in November 2016, Kane and Henderson have alternated as skippers, but it is the former who has been given the honour for the World Cup.
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The Tottenham striker has the advantage of being able to join up with the England squad earlier than Henderson due to the Liverpool midfielder’s Champions League commitment.
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However, some Reds fans are disappointed that their player was not given the armband.
Others made the ‘Kane claimed it’ joke, relating to the Spurs striker’s successful appeal to take Christian Eriksen’s goal against Stoke City during the Premier League campaign.
According to The Sun, Dundee have placed a £1.5m transfer value on Jack Hendry amid suggestions of interest from Premier League side Newcastle United.
What’s the story?
Newcastle are one of a number of clubs that have been credited with an interest in a player that has been compared to Manchester City’s John Stones due to his style on the field.
Hendry is believed to be on Celtic’s wishlist this month, but Newcastle are said to be very much in the hunt, and according to The Sun, Dundee want £1.5m for the centre-back.
Hendry only has 18 months left to run on his contract at Dundee, and the Scottish outfit are said to be prepared to sell this month rather than risk losing him for free at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
Crystal Palace have also been credited with an interest, but it is thought that Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez is growing increasingly confident of securing the defender’s signature.
What are Hendry’s credentials?
Hendry started his professional career with Partick Thistle – making four appearances for the Scottish club before joining Wigan Athletic in September 2015.
The defender failed to make a single first-team appearance during his time at Wigan, however, spending time out on loan with Shrewsbury Town and MK Dons.
Hendry signed a two-year contract with Dundee in last summer’s transfer window, and the 22-year-old has scored twice in 27 appearances in all competitions during the 2017-18 season.
The Scot has been a late developer in the game, but his form this season has led to a number of clubs closely monitoring his performances.
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Celtic would prove difficult for Hendry to turn down, but it does appear that Newcastle will fight to sign the centre-back during this month’s transfer window.
Ryan Giggs returned to his hometown on Sunday to the place where he first kicked a ball, coming off the bench in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff City.
United failed to capitalise on a number of chances before a stoppage-time equaliser from Kim Bo-Kyung sealed a deserved point for the Bluebirds.
The sides hadn’t met in the top flight since 1961, and for United stalwart Giggs, it was that little bit special.
Giggs entered the field in the 73rd minute, some 22 years after making his debut for the Reds and helped the visitors get back into the ascendancy after a dominant spell from Cardiff, laying on Danny Welbeck, only for him to lash over the bar. And the miss proved costly with the late equaliser sealing United’s fate, in the week building up to the number 11’s 40th birthday.
It’s a remarkable feat for the Welshman who left his home country at the age of seven to Manchester and even at such an early age, his breath-taking talent was recognised and at one point almost ended up playing in the blue half of the city. Eric Mullender, a Manchester City scout, first saw Giggs at the age of nine, and almost lured him to, at that time, Maine Road.
“He really took my eye. He would just go past players,” the 80-year-old scout remembered, “He had pace, a lovely left peg. He had the skill, good control and he developed from there. I thought he had potential to play for city. He would come in on school holidays.”
Sunday marked his 952nd game for the Red Devils and as he reaches the big 4-0 on Friday, people will no doubt be replaying his finest goals and of course asking, when will it end?
Now acting as player-coach under Moyes’ new regime, many are believing that after 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions Leagues, the most decorated player in football will call time on his illustrious career.
Many except Giggs and Moyes that is. Following Sunday’s game, the United boss thinks there is no reason why the midfielder can’t continue beyond his current deal.
“He doesn’t look like someone who is going to drop considerably,” he told the Telegraph.
“He has made the first step into coaching and management and sometimes when you do that you say: ‘Actually I have had enough of playing now’.
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“He doesn’t look as if he’s at that point yet, so who knows? And it’s only these sort of decisions you would make right at the end. At his age you don’t consider it six months before.”
What is certain however is that when he does finally sign off, he’ll want to do it as a Premier League Champion.
United have picked up their performances considerably in the last few weeks and top the form table, but a disappointing result in the Welsh capital and the Reds still sit outside the top four. It could be difficult for the team who are currently fifth favourite according to Freebets.com.