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Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told Football FanCast that Brendan Rodgers would consider leaving Leicester City to join Spurs following Jose Mourinho’s sacking, despite reports suggesting the Northern Irishman would prefer to stay in the east Midlands.

The ex-Liverpool manager has been linked with the post in north London in recent weeks, with chairman Daniel Levy said to admire the Foxes boss.

He has had an impressive few years, taking Liverpool to within a hair’s breadth of becoming Premier League champions, and then guiding Celtic to two Scottish Premiership titles in a row.

Since his move to Leicester, he has established them as one of the best clubs outside the traditional top six, and they are currently third in the league.

There have been questions over whether Rodgers would consider such a move to a club like Spurs, such is the work he has done at the King Power Stadium, but Roberts believes that the job would appeal to him.

Mourinho was sacked earlier this month, with Ryan Mason installed as the interim head coach until the end of the season.

Speaking to FFC, Roberts said: “Brendan Rodgers is another one. Will Brendan Rodgers want to come to Tottenham? I would think yes, I think we’re a bigger club than Leicester.”

Former Premier League striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he expects Tottenham to sack Jose Mourinho this summer.

Mourinho’s position has come under serious threat in recent months, with Spurs currently five points off the top four, meaning they’re likely to be without Champions League football for the second season in succession.

Tottenham have also crashed out of both the FA Cup and Europa League, meaning next week’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City is their last chance to salvage something from the season.

Should Spurs lose to City, Mourinho will be on the brink of being unable to bring either Champions League football or silverware in his first two campaigns in north London.

And Bent told Football FanCast that those failures could cost the Portuguese his job:

“When he was at Chelsea, he had a side full of names, big names. It was kind of defensive-attacking, and I don’t think that works for Tottenham.

“He tried to go to Man United and do that, and it didn’t quite work. He’s tried to do that at Tottenham, but they’re a free spirit. He’s tried to bring more defensive formations and I don’t think it’s working.

“Will he stay on? I’m not too sure. My hunch is, I think they’ll let him go.”

Having seen him impress for Sunderland’s U23 side so far this season, Lee Johnson should unleash Josh Hawkes over the coming weeks in a bid to help his side secure promotion from League One.

Having joined Sunderland from Hartlepool United last summer – a club where the attacking midfielder scored 13 goals and registered one assist over 63 appearances – Hawkes has so far made just one appearance for Johnson’s first team, with the 22-year-old playing the full 90 of the club’s 2-1 defeat to Fleetwood Town in the EFL Trophy back in November.

However, over his 17 Premier League 2 appearances for Elliott Dickman’s Sunderland U23 team, Hawkes has been in sensational form, bagging 11 goals and providing five assists for the development side.

And, in a recent interview with Football Insider, Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips discussed his admiration for the youngster, stating his excitement at the potential Hawkes appears to possess, as well as calling for Johnson to involve the midfielder in the first team setup going forwards.

He said: “He is at the perfect age to come into the first team. Only Lee Johnson can make that decision but I would expect him to be involved next season. They need to start blooding these young talented players.

“His numbers for the U23s speak for themselves and I am sure he has the potential to make an impact next year. I am sure he is being talked about in meetings at the training ground.”

Indeed, with Sunderland’s form having tailed off dramatically in recent weeks, there would appear to be no better time to inject a shot of youth into the team, as Hawkes clearly has the ability to influence games in terms of both scoring and creating chances, something which could prove the difference for Sunderland in the dying moments of matches where they have been struggling to break an opponent down.

This has been the case for the Black Cats in all of their last six fixtures, as, despite dominating against Peterborough United, Charlton Athletic, Wigan Athletic, Blackpool, Hull City and Accrington Stanley, Sunderland have managed to pick up just three points.

And, with Johnson’s side sitting comfortably in the play-off positions with three fixtures of the regular season to go, the 39-year-old has a very clear opportunity to afford Hawkes some minutes ahead of their play-off fixtures, as he could be a game-changer in those crucial matches.

In other news: Move over Sanderson: SAFC could save millions by unleashing “lovely” rarely-seen beast – opinion

After their last swap deal involving Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan ended in disaster, the Red Devils may have been cautious to complete such transfers once again.

However, TuttoSport have suggested that the Red Devils could send the lesser-seen Donny van de Beek to Juventus in order to facilitate a move for current Bianconeri midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

It’s a move which would make perfect sense, albeit in the process admitting that bringing the Dutchman to Old Trafford was a mistake.

When comparing the two players, Rabiot comes out on top in most, if not all, facets of the game.

According to WhoScored, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace has attempted more shots per game this season – 0.8 to 0.1 – than van de Beek. Those numbers are justified in their respective outputs with Rabiot having scored twice to the Dutchman’s once.

Whilst that lack of goal threat could be a direct consequence of van de Beek’s lack of action and the fact that his position is occupied by Bruno Fernandes, there is not a single attacking statistic in which the former Ajax man is victorious.

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He completes fewer key passes and fewer passes in general, whilst the only positive he has on his Juventus counterpart is that he only has 0.7 unsuccessful touches per game to Rabiot’s 1.3.

Meanwhile, the Frenchman has a far better pass success rate and contributes 3.3 greater defensive contributions per appearance than van de Beek.

They are certainly statistics which could suggest that Rabiot is a fantastic all-around midfielder, a sentiment echoed by Old Lady boss Andrea Pirlo, who has labelled him as a “complete player”.

It appears that Manchester United would be getting a far better player in return, so Ed Woodward should certainly consider jettisoning van de Beek in exchange for Rabiot in a deal which could potentially be far more profitable than the disastrous Sanchez and Mkhitaryan swap.

AND in more news, take a look at which Red Devils legend has saved the club “millions”…

When it’s come to luring new strikers to Wolves, the club haven’t really got things spot on.

Willian Jose is yet to score for the Old Gold this term while Fabio Silva has netted only three times since his club-record move from Porto.

Those players are all in danger of falling into the category of Leo Bonatini, Leonardo Campana and Rafa Mir.

Though, while both Bonatini and Campana are failing to catch the eye during their loan spells, Mir has lit up La Liga in scintillating fashion.

The 23-year-old was signed from Valencia in 2018 and after a woeful set of temporary spells at various clubs in Europe, he was loaned to Huesca this term without little thought.

Mir has never scored in English football and is dubbed one of the worst signings in Nottingham Forest’s history.

He signed for Forest on loan in 2019/20 but didn’t find the net in 11 appearances. A move back to Spain has been influential, however.

The striker is now one of the best strikers in the Spanish top-flight and has even scored against Barcelona. That may have been from the penalty spot but it was tucked away with the confidence of a player in the form of his life.

Mir has scored two hat-tricks this term, against Real Valladolid and Marchamalo while he also bagged against Copa del Rey winners Real Sociedad.

The marksman now has 15 goals in all competitions and has beaten the goalkeeper on six occasions in his last five outings. Evidently, he is very much a different player from the one who has struggled so regularly in England.

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The Wolves loanee has scored more goals in La Liga this term than Joao Felix, Antoine Griezmann and impressive Spanish internationals Mikel Oyarzabal and Iago Aspas.

But what’s changed for Mir? Well, he’s now got a manager that trusts him and the entire Huesca team is built around him.

Speaking to The Athletic earlier this season, Spanish football writer Robbie Dunne only had praise for the forward.

Dunne began: “He’s a little bit like Diego Costa in that he’s aggressive, he likes running the channels, he holds off defenders, he’s athletic and strong. He’s not exactly technically gifted but he has an unorthodox running style that works for him, he can keep the ball, he’s got a powerful strike, he’s quick and he’s good in the air.”

Considering Wolves were reportedly interested in a move for Diego Costa last January, perhaps they were wise to swerve a move. After all, Dunne claims Wolves already have a player like him on their books.

The writer added: “The only weakness is that he’s not very technically capable, so perhaps he doesn’t add a whole lot in the build-up, meaning a game can pass him by. You see him getting frustrated when he’s not on the ball. He’s maybe got an assassin’s mentality. When there are enough crosses coming into the box and down those channels, he can thrive.”

That final line sounds an awful lot like Raul Jimenez. Wolves have lacked an out and out goal scorer this term with the Mexican missing since November while he recovers from a fractured skull.

He is a player who thrives on creative players getting into the channels and then either delivering a cross or pulling the ball back for him. It’s clear that Mir appreciates the same sort of service in Spain.

With both players standing at 6 foot 3, they’d offer a similar presence in attacking areas. Wolves have lacked plenty in forward areas this season so they should consider handing Mir a proper opportunity in 2021/22.

With the right help and service, he could be Nuno Santo’s next Jimenez.

AND in other news, Move over Silva: Wolves must seal swoop for £34.5m gem who makes “spectacular plays”…

Liverpool slipped to their fifth-straight home defeat in the Premier League as they lost 1-0 to Chelsea on Thursday night.

Pearce reacts

The Reds lost out to a well-taken Mason Mount strike just before half-time, in a game where Jurgen Klopp’s side only managed to register just one shot on target during the 90 minutes.

The German tactician’s substitutions raised some eyebrows on the night – taking off the Premier League’s top goalscorer Mohamed Salah after the hour mark. Despite having Naby Keita at his disposal, he brought James Milner on as his final change as opposed to the more creative midfielder.

This move from Klopp confused Pearce. Replying to a fan on The Athletic’s Q&A session after the full-time whistle, the journalist seemed baffled by the decision not to feature Keita when Liverpool were chasing a goal.

He said: “Naby Keita would have been [a better choice to bring on]. Very odd decision. The subs didn’t improve LFC tonight. Liverpool just don’t attack with the same kind of fluidity and intensity. The structure of the team looks wrong.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Pearce is spot on here. It looks as if Klopp made changes just to go with some fresh legs – as opposed to a shift of tactics.

Keita’s attacking prowess could have provided Liverpool with a different dimension. While they were much better in the second half, the Reds’ number eight may have provided some cutting edge in the final third.

While injuries at the back have been an issue, going forward, Liverpool look incredibly lacklustre and some tough decisions need to be made.

In other news, Emile Heskey believes Liverpool mainstay needs to ‘take a backseat.’

كشف مدرب فريق مانشستر يونايتد رالف رانجنيك السبب وراء غياب النجم البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو عن مباراة الليلة أمام أستون فيلا.

ويستضيف ملعب الأولد ترافورد مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات دور الـ64 من بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.

وأعلن رانجنيك منذ قليل التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة أستون فيلا، حيث لم يتواجد به رونالدو، وكذلك غاب عن قائمة البدلاء.

وقال رانجنيك في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “تحدثت مع رونالدو أمس قبل التدريب، أخبرني أنه واجه بعض المشاكل في اليومين الماضيين”.

وأضاف: “مشاكل عضلية طفيفة، في النهاية قررنا عدم المخاطرة به في مباراة كأس يمكن أن تستغرق 120 دقيقة”.

انتقد أحمد حسام ميدو، نجم الزمالك السابق والإعلامي الحالي، إعلان الأندية المصرية التعاقد مع لاعبين أو التجديد لهم عن طريق التقاط الصور مع مدير التعاقدات، لافتا إلى أن هذا الأمر لا يحدث في العالم وفيه عدم احترام للاعبين.

وكتب ميدو عبر حسابه الرسمي بموقع “تويتر”: “في كل أندية العالم هناك منصب اسمه club secretary مثل John Alexander في مانشستر يونايتد سابقا، وهو الرجل الذي يعمل مع المدير التقني أو الرياضي لصياغة التعاقدات مع المستشار القانوني للنادي أو الـ legal department، أما ما يسموه في مصر بمدير تعاقدات فهو منصب لا وجود له في العالم!!”.

طالع أيضا.. اشتباك بين ميدو وكوكا على “تويتر”

وأضاف في تغريدة أخرى: “عندما يتعاقد ناد مع أي لاعب أو يجدد له، فيجب أن يكون بحضور المدير الفني أو المدير الرياضي، وأراهنكم لو أتيتم بصورة لأي لاعب يوقع لأي ناد في العالم ويلتقط صورة مع مدير التعاقدات.. كفاية جهل”.

وواصل ميدو في تغريدة ثالثة: “الناس اللي بتقول هو ده الاحتراف، بقولكم دي قلة قيمة وقلة احترام للاعب أو المدرب، أنا وقعت مع 10 أندية، في حياتي عمري ما اتصورت مع مدير تعاقدات!! يا إما المدرب أو المدير التقني أو المدير الرياضي”.

في كل اندية العالم هناك منصب اسمه club secretary مثل John Alexander في مانشستر يونايتد سابقا وهو الرجل الذي يعمل مع المدير التقني او الرياضي لصياغة التعاقدات مع المستشار القانوني للنادي او ال legal department انا ما يسموه في مصر بمدير تعاقدات فهو منصب لا وجود له في العالم!!

— Mido (@midoahm) December 31, 2021

عندما يتعاقد نادي مع اي لاعب او يجدد للاعب فيجب ان يكون بحضور المدير الفني او المدير الرياضي واراهنكوا لو جيبتولي صوره لاي لاعيب بيوقع لاي نادي في العالم متصور مع مدير التعاقدات..كفايه جهل

— Mido (@midoahm) December 31, 2021

الناس اللي بتقول هو ده الاحتراف بقولكم دي قلة قيمة وقلة احترام للاعيب او المدرب انا وقعت مع ١٠ اندية في حياتي عمري ما اتصورت مع مدير تعاقدات!! يا اما المدرب او المدير التقني او المدير الرياضي..

— Mido (@midoahm) December 31, 2021

Manchester United and Manchester City have a transfer battle on their hands to land Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic this summer.

What’s the word?

The Red Devils previously sent scouts a couple of years ago to watch Milenkovic in action for Fiorentina in a Serie A match against Bologna prior to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge at Old Trafford.

United have long been on the lookout for defenders despite boasting several centre-backs among their ranks.

Reports resurfacing in Italy have now credited Manchester City with an interest and they are set to join the race to sign him in the summer.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (Thursday print edition), as relayed by Sport Witness, the 23-year-old has been tipped to make the switch to a Premier League side when the transfer window re-opens in a few months’ time.

Milenkovic has been in impressive form for Fiorentina this season, having made 23 appearances across all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

He is contracted with La Viola until 2022.

The next Nemanja Vidic?

United let Chris Smalling leave for Roma in the summer and Victor Lindelof’s poor form has raised concerns about the team’s defensive options.

Solskjaer currently has five centre-back options at his disposal, in the form of Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe, but have just one natural left-sided central defender in the club captain after Smalling left the club last year.

In Milenkovic, United could find an enforcer who has often been described as “the new Nemanja Vidic,” and the comparisons don’t stop there, either.

Like his fellow Serbian before him, Milenkovic has developed quite the reputation over the past few years for being a fearsome tackler who takes no prisoners with his no-nonsense approach to defending. He’s been dubbed as “fearless” for his style of play, and even hailed as being better on the ball than Vidic too.

Standing at 6 ft 5 in tall, the towering colossus – who is currently valued at £25m via Transfermarkt – would afford the likes of David de Gea and Dean Henderson with a level of protection that has not be seen at Old Trafford for quite some time, while WhoScored lists him as an indirect set-piece threat, as his natural height also makes him something of a powerhouse inside the box.

It’s no surprise to see he has shown a willingness to get stuck in, either, as evidenced in his 1.7 tackles per 90 in Serie A during his time under Cesare Prandelli this season. For context, Lindelof has only been able to muster 0.8 per game in the Premier League.

A lack of experience in the Champions League or Europa League shouldn’t deter potential suitors. Yes, it means he hasn’t played at the highest level, but if he can offer a fraction of the form from his past few seasons with Fiorentina, then the youngster can prove to be a very shrewd addition to Solskjaer’s side.

Milenkovic would fit the bill at Old Trafford, as an accomplished defender and a powerful threat in the air. Ed Woodward, therefore, should sanction a swoop for one of Europe’s hottest prospects in the summer, although he may have to break out the cheque book in order to do so.

AND in other news, Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly was colossal against Real Sociedad…

Has there been a more disappointing signing in the Premier League than Willian?

The Brazil international crossed the London divide to join Arsenal from Chelsea, and after picking up two assists on his debut against Fulham, has been nothing short of disastrous since.

He hasn’t scored a single goal in 18 total appearances, and on Saturday night against Newcastle in the FA Cup third round, produced yet another shocking display for Mikel Arteta’s side.

As per Sofascore, his 6.5 match rating was the joint-worst of any Arsenal player on the pitch, and when you look at the stats, it’s easy to see why.

He won just two of the eight duels that he was involved in, didn’t hit the target with either of his shots (including one that he blazed over with his left foot from well inside the penalty box), completed no dribbles, and sent just one accurate cross in.

Eventually, Arteta decided to end his misery and took him off mid-way through the second-half, with his replacement, Bukayo Saka, playing a part in the Gunners’ opening goal.

And speaking after the game, Goal journalist Charles Watts slammed the Brazilian as “dreadful” and someone who is “becoming a real, real problem”.

With the north London side’s youngsters doing the job for Arteta, the Arsenal boss must surely axe the £13.5m-rated Willian from his team for the foreseeable future.

Whilst he’s on a three-year contract and on big wages, the Gunners will struggle to get rid of him on a permanent basis anytime soon, but one thing Arteta can do is just keep him away from the starting eleven.