Manchester United fans react to Real Madrid’s failed package deal for Paul Pogba

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So with just a few days to go before the transfer deadline, the Paul Pogba saga looks set to reignite and cause a frustrating if not entertaining final stage of the window.

After looking like the France World Cup winner would be on his way out of Old Trafford for much of the summer, things appeared to quieten down slightly on the Pogba transfer front.

Now, The Telegraph claim that Manchester United have “flatly rejected” a proposal from Real Madrid of £27.6m plus James Rodriguez for the French midfielder.

The report adds that the seemingly low-ball offer appeared to confirm the Red Devils’ suspicions that Madrid don’t have the finances to make a big-money move for Pogba.

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After hearing about Zinedine Zidane’s side’s bid for the 26-year-old, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the matter.

Many supporters of the Manchester side revealed their amusement at Real’s offer and wondered why the Spanish club even thought their reported offer was going to accepted.

Indeed, some rather comically offered their own counter-proposals and insisted that there was simply no way Real’s valuation was anywhere close to what Pogba was truly worth.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

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Barcelona: Lionel Messi set to miss season opener

Lionel Messi will miss Barcelona’s La Liga curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao this evening, with manager Ernesto Valverde unprepared to risk his star man after he picked a knock in training, via The Mirror.

The Catalans No.10 injured his calf before Barca’s brief pre-season tour of the United States, ruling out of the La Liga champions’ opening league fixture at the San Mamés Stadium.

Videos of Messi being put through his paces on sand emerged on social media earlier this week, but his manager revealed that he would not be including him in his matchday squad for the trip to Bilbao.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Valverde said: “We never like to risk any players and much less someone like Leo.”

“He still hasn’t returned to training with the team and while we are happy with his progress, individual training is very different to playing a match. We are going to wait and see.”

The 55-year-old also remained tight-lipped about rumours surrounding former winger Neymar, who has been heavily linked with a return to the Camp Nou after becoming unsettled at Paris Saint-Germain.

Valverde refused to answer questions about the Brazilian wide man, instead explaining his confusion over the Spanish transfer window not ending before the season begins, like it now does in England.

“It’s inconvenient and it’s not logical. The normal thing would be that the team you start with is the same one that will compete for the whole season,” he said.

“Now we have two weeks until the transfer window shuts and you can’t breathe easily until then. I’m very happy with the squad I have at the moment but I don’t know what will happen next.

“I am far removed from transfers and I’m focusing on the players I have for our first game,” he added.

“Neymar belongs to PSG and we’ll see what happens but I can’t say anything more about him.”

Resting Messi is a wise choice considering his importance to the team over the course of the season. Indeed, last time out he was the club’s top scorer, top assister, had the most shots per game and made the most passes per game, so risking him seems rather pointless for a single game.

Barcelona still have a great deal of attacking quality at their disposal in the form of Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele and summer signing Antoine Griezmann, so should still have enough about them to cope without the Argentinian superstar against Bilbao.

Who will step up with Messi out? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Everton’s Ademola Lookman posts emotional farewell on Instagram

Lookman spent large chunks of last season absent from first-team duties, following reports of poor attitude and engagement during training sessions, so fans would be forgiven for not crying themselves to sleep in the wake of his departure.

The 21-year-old will link back up with the likes of Timo Werner, Yussuf Poulsen and Marcel Sabitzer, having already played alongside them for half a term in 2018, when he impressed under Ralph Hasenhuttl, grabbing five goals and three assists in just seven starts.

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How Arsenal’s starting XI could look once the new season arrives

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After falling short of their aim to qualify for the Champions League next season, Arsenal simply have to improve their defence and wing departments ahead of the new campaign.

Reports in recent months have suggested the club’s transfer budget will be incredibly limited and so Unai Emery’s side will have to do some shrewd business if they are to return to the promised land next season.

Their opening Premier League game of the season sees them take on Newcastle at St James’ Park, and with just over a month to go before it kicks-off, the Gunners team could undergo some dramatic changes. We’ve had a go at predicting how they might look.

After initially finding himself as second-choice to Petr Cech last season, Bernd Leno never really looked back following the former Chelsea star’s injury early in the campaign. The German made the number one position his own and should be the Gunners’ goalkeeper for years to come.

In front of him, Hector Bellerin is unlikely to make his comeback from injury in time for the opening weeks of the season so Ainsley Maitland-Niles will more than likely step up in his absence again. On the other flank, Kieran Tierney appears to be Arsenal’s first-choice target for the left-back slot and would represent a major upgrade on the likes of Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

At centre-back, Sokratis enjoyed an impressive debut campaign at the Emirates but the man to partner him is still up for debate. Reports in recent weeks have suggested the likes of Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers will be moved on, whilst club captain Laurent Koscielny has been linked with a return to his native France. That could mean Rob Holding comes straight into the line-up having made his return to training from his own knee injury.

In midfield, the Gunners looked a solid outfit with Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira in the engine room, though there are question marks over whether Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi’s international commitments this summer might see them eased back into action.

Despite settling on a back-five last season, Unai Emery’s preferred formations throughout his managerial career have been the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3. If the Gunners do return to the former next season, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might line up from the left-hand side once again, as he did eight times last year.

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The right flank is where things truly get interesting. The club are well-known to be on the look-out for another winger and reports have claimed Emery’s side are intent on signing Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha. If they can somehow afford the big-money deal, the Ivorian will no doubt be a fixture amongst the starting eleven.

Finally, with no real interest coming in, Mesut Ozil may still find himself at the Emirates for the opening game at St James’ Park, and could play behind the side’s Player of the Season last year in Alexandre Lacazette.

Southampton fans react to board reshuffle

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Some Southampton fans on Twitter have reacted to the news that there has been a board reshuffle at the club.

Jisheng Gao, who is the majority shareholder of the club, has taken the position of chairman of the club and of the St Mary’s Football Group.

This comes following Ralph Krueger stepping down from the position after six years in the role.

The 59-year-old was originally employed by former owner Katharina Liebherr, who has re-joined the St Mary’s Football Group, but it is thought his influence on key decisions was limited when Gao took over.

Krueger guided the club through to the Premier League despite troubles back in 2014 when the former executive chairman Nicola Cortese and ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino both left.

Southampton’s new man Moussa Djenepo divides opinion amongst fans in the video below…

Vice chairman Martin Semmens is expected to conduct the day-to-day running of the club following the Canadian’s departure.

It was Semmens and Ross Wilson, who is the director of football at St Mary’s, who made the decision to replace Mark Hughes with Ralph Hasenhuttl last season.

Here is just a selection of the reaction from Saints supporters…

Amazing news: Tottenham fans react as young midfielder Marsh signs new deal

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On Tuesday afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur announced that midfielder George Marsh had signed a new contract with the London club.

Marsh has penned a fresh deal until the summer of 2021 and will now be looking to kick on during the 2019-20 campaign.

The 20-year-old featured on Tottenham’s pre-season tour of the United States last summer and also made his first-team debut during the recent campaign – appearing as a substitute against Tranmere Rovers in January.

The bulk of Marsh’s football last term came for Spurs’ Under-23 side, though, as he turned out on 20 occasions in Premier League 2.

Tottenham are not exactly full of midfield options at the moment.

And there might well be a spot for Marsh in the first team next season depending on what happens in this summer’s transfer window.

Should Spurs sell Kieran Trippier? Check out the for and against in the video below…

The Premier League club’s fans have been on social media offering their thoughts on the news and a selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Predicted XI: What Leeds could look like if they land their targets

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It’s set to be a busy summer for Leeds United. After their failure to be promoted to the Premier League, many of their key players have been linked with moves away from the club.

Rumours have also circulated that Qatari Sports Investments are interested in buying a stake in the Yorkshire side. Speculation has been rampant as to who Leeds will bring in to try and achieve what they came so close to last season.

Firstly there are a few players who will be keeping their place in the squad.

Pontus Jansson lines up alongside club captain Liam Cooper and two-time Player of the Year winner Pablo Hernandez also retains his spot, while there is no change in the full-backs as Luke Ayling and Ezgjan Alioski both performed sufficiently during Marcelo Bielsa’s first season in charge.

Mateusz Klich also keeps his spot after starting every single game for the Whites last season.

As for ins and outs at Elland Road. Kiko Casilla is expected to be out the door, and with rumours of Bailey Peacock-Farrell getting a new deal he returns between the sticks.

It has also been reported that Victor Orta will dip heavily into the Premier League loan market, so we expect Brandon Barker to arrive after he was linked with a move.

This predicted XI also has a few notable absences with Jack Clarke and Kalvin Phillips nowhere to be seen; their moves to the Premier League look likely to happen this summer.

The hefty windfall that Leeds would get from selling those two players is likely to be reinvested, and the Whites have been linked with two big names in Luke Freeman and Dwight Gayle.

Finally, Saeid Ezatolahi completes the team as a replacement for Kalvin Phillips.

"That is how you compete" – Gunners fans react to Dortmund’s impressive swoops

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Arsenal fans on Twitter have reacted to news of Borussia Dortmund quickly concluding deals for Julian Brandt and Thorgan Hazard this week.

The Bundesliga runners-up splashed out a combined £45m to sign the two attackers after selling Christian Pulisic to Chelsea for £58m in a sustainable move that netted the club a profit while adding two players with clear talent.

The Gunners’ plan for the summer window is still up in the air with the Europa League final on May 29 likely to go a long way in determining the club’s finances. Arsenal are projected to have a slender budget of just £40m should they lose to Chelsea and miss out on Champions League football.

Dortmund’s speed and efficiency this summer has already caught the eye, including amongst Arsenal fans on Twitter. Some believe their own club will never operate in the market with such smoothness, while others have called for the north London outfit to follow Dortmund’s lead.

Check out the best of the reaction below!

Newcastle fans desperate for Perez to return for Liverpool game

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Ayoze Perez scored his 12th goal of the season (11 in the Premier League) in the 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday.

The Spaniard collected a knock-down from Salomon Rondon and hammered the ball into the roof of the net, but his celebration was muted as he was carrying a knock and soon after Rafael Benitez had to take him off.

The injury to the 25-year-old occurred after he had danced past a few Brghton players and then skipped over Shane Duffy but the Irishman caught him on the hip and Perez couldn’t continue.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

The change spoiled Newcastle’s momentum and without their star man Brighton clawed their way back into the game and equalised through Pascal Gross.

Newcastle fans were quick to respond to Perez’s post-match tweet in hope that he will be fit, one fan said “get that hip sorted for Saturday bonny lad” and another added “get well soon Ayo.”

With a potentially title deciding match at St James’s Park on Saturday Newcastle will hope that Perez is fit so they can have a say.

Could he be the man to end Liverpool’s title challenge? Take a look at some Twitter reactions down below…

Leeds United: Bielsa reveals that there are no injury concerns ahead of weekend clash

Leeds United have suffered massively with injuries this season, haven’t they Whites fans?

The likes of Kemar Roofe, Pablo Hernandez and Liam Cooper have all been sidelined during the 2018/19 campaign whilst Barry Douglas has been particularly unlucky since moving to Elland Road last summer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Despite battling back from two previous setbacks, the Scottish defender ruptured his medial knee ligament during a 3-2 victory over Millwall for the Whites earlier this month (via Sky Sports) and is expected to miss the remainder of his side’s fixtures. Although Douglas’ absence is far from ideal for Marcelo Bielsa, the Argentine’s revelation that every other member of his squad is fit to face Sheffield Wednesday (according to the Yorkshire Evening Post) could be a massive boost for the club’s automatic promotion hopes.

Currently second in the Championship standings, Leeds are just five games away from a return to the Premier League and will undoubtedly benefit from having a variety of options to choose from for their clash against the Owls. In what is expected to be a vital clash in the race for the top-two, a win could see the Whites move as much as four points clear of their Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United if they slip-up against Millwall.

Having secured a confidence-boosting victory at Preston North End in midweek, there are no excuses for Leeds not to replicate their performance at Deepdale against Wednesday. If they can produce yet another sparkling display at Elland Road, they could build up the momentum needed to get them over the line in May.

What do you think Whites fans? How big of a boost is it to have no injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s clash? Are you confident that your club can finish above Chris Wilder’s Blades? Get in touch below.

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