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England boss Lee Carsley has admitted he still doesn't feel comfortable in his interim role despite overseeing two wins from his two games in charge.

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• Carsley appointed as interim England boss
• Enjoys winning start with Three Lions
• Isn't entirely comfortable in role yet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Carsley has enjoyed a perfect start to his time as interim England boss by overseeing victories over Ireland and Finland in the Nations League. England have also managed two clean sheets in those games, while Carsley has handed international debuts to Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes and Noni Madueke.

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  The two victories have led to calls for Carsley to be handed the job on a permanent basis and begin building a team for the 2026 World Cup. The interim boss has previously enjoyed success with the England Under-21s, winning the European Championship in 2023, but says he's not quite used to life with the senior side yet despite his fine start.

• WHAT CARSLEY SAID

  He told ITV Sport after the win: "I definitely don't feel comfortable still, I have been out of my comfort zone. Enjoyable but we have to had make sure every single day we are producing high standards. [We were] fortunate to get two good results and about building on that."

  The England boss went on to talk about match-winner Harry Kane who won his 100th cap against Finland: "Harry took his goals really well, a big occasion for him. Kids being here, an emotional night, but really happy for Harry. He fully deserves all the plaudits. What I have noticed this week is he is highly motivated to play for England and score goals and to have a centre forward like that, hopefully it continues. We played Trent in a different position, along with Rico, you have seen with Trent an array of passing, an ability to control the game. Not a surprise as we have seen him do it for Liverpool."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane is the third player to score on his 100th appearance for the England men's team, after Wayne Rooney against Slovenia in 2014 and Bobby Charlton versus Northern Ireland in 1970.

Phil Parkinson has revealed that Birmingham “outbidded” Wrexham for summer transfer targets, with the Red Dragons unable to compete with the Blues.

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• Hollywood co-owners funding Welsh project
• Big-spending rivals in third tier
• Pleased with business & start to the season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney made more funds available for recruitment over the summer, with another busy window being enjoyed at SToK Racecourse. Wrexham are happy with their business and have shown that they can hold their own in League One after enjoying back-to-back promotions.

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  They have, however, been blown out of the water when it comes to spending by third tier rivals Birmingham – with their record £15 million ($20m) signing, Jay Stansfield, bagging a brace for the Blues in their 3-1 ‘Hollywood derby’ win over Wrexham at St Andrew’s.

• WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Parkinson has told reporters of trying to operate on a level playing field with clubs that boast similar ambition to Wrexham: “Every player we were going for, they were outbidding us or offering more wages; it was almost 'let them sign who they want and everyone else will look for what else is out there'. No-one can compete in this division in terms of their spending and it would have been madness for us. If I was in their position, you’d get the best possible players you can and that’s what they’ve done. But as much as we haven’t got carried away with our start, you can’t get too carried away with Birmingham. With the options they’ve got, they will take some beating. It was a good performance by them, but there is a lot of football to be played.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Parkinson added on seeing his side surrender an early lead in the West Midlands against a team that is expected to run away with the League One title: “Any defeat is tough to take, but we have to be realistic in terms of where we’ve come from. At the start of the season after six games – and the first three away games at Bolton, Peterborough and Birmingham – and to have only been beaten once we would have taken it. They have spent more money than any team outside of the Premier League, and have good quality players, but there are areas to improve. It’s about responding and if we come up against that situation again, when we’re under pressure, can we do better?”

After years in the wilderness of midtable mediocrity, Arsenal are back near the top of English football, and while they may not lift the title this season, it's starting to feel like an inevitability.

Mikel Arteta has taken a team that looked hopeless and lost in December 2019 to one that can genuinely take on any team in Europe, as demonstrated by their clashes with last season's treble-winners Manchester City this year.

The Spaniard's tactics and philosophy have been a significant reason behind the club's resurgence in the last few years, but another vital component has been his talented identification and the signings made under his watch.

However, while there have been plenty of successes, like Martin Odegaard, Gabriel, and Declan Rice, there have also been a few duds. One in particular, a player who is only worth twice as much as Jorginho, should be moved on in the summer before his value further craters.

Fabio Vieira's Arsenal career

The player in question is Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, who joined Arteta's Arsenal in June 2022 for a fairly hefty fee of around £34m off the back of an impressive season for Porto in his home country.

That year, the Santa Maria da Feira-born gem scored seven goals and provided 16 assists in 39 appearances – 21 of which were starts – meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.6 games, so there was clearly a talented player there.

However, in his first campaign with the Gunners, the 23-year-old ace managed a fairly paltry return of just two goals and six assists in 33 appearances, but given it was his first season in English football, most fans and pundits gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Unfortunately, his second year at the Emirates has been a disaster.

So far, the 5 foot 7 midfielder has made just three starts and 13 substitute appearances for the north Londoners in 23/24, in which he has scored one goal, provided three assists, received one red card, and missed 20 games through injuries.

There is always a strong chance that he could well come good in his third season with the club, but based on his lacklustre performances and plunging valuation, it might just be time for the club to cash in and move on – following reports back in January that he was attracting interest from afar.

Fabio Vieira's valuation in 2024

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Vieira is currently worth just €10m, which is about £9m, or a shocking £25m less than the Gunners paid for him just two years ago.

His new valuation also means he's now the second least valuable player among those who joined the club in the 22/23 season who are present today.

The only player from that group worth less than the Portuguese ace is former Chelsea star Jorginho, who, by all accounts, has been a brilliant signing for the Gunners.

The Italian international is currently valued at just €5m – £4m – by the CIES Football Observatory. However, this low figure is almost certainly due to his age and lack of any real resale value as a result, as the Imbituba-born veteran has been excellent when it comes to performances.

For example, this season, he won the Man of the Match awards against Liverpool and Newcastle United and has been such an integral part of Arteta's squad that he just signed a brand-new deal that is set to keep him in N5 past the July end date of his previous contract.

Ultimately, with Vieira having a valuation just two times higher than that of a 32-year-old Jorginho and looking unremarkable for the two seasons he's been at the club, it might be time for Arsenal to cut their losses and move him on before he ends up being worth less than the Italian.

Arsenal struck gold with future "legend" who's worth 6x more than Son

The exceptional ace has been sensational for the Gunners.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 9, 2024

Manchester City star Erling Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel's head because the Arsenal defender had "rattled" him during the game, says Wes Brown.

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• Haaland hit Gabriel's head after Man City goal
• Heated clash against Arsenal ended 2-2
• Ex-Man Utd defender says Brazilian 'got to' striker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Haaland launched the ball off of the back of the Brazilian's head after City scored a last-minute equaliser to seal a 2-2 draw in the Premier League clash. The incident has caused an uproar, but the City striker will face no punishment for his actions.

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  The Sunday showdown was a feisty affair that saw Arsenal reduced to 10 men when Leandro Trossard was sent off in the first half, while Gabriel went on to declare the game "a war", and ex-Manchester United defender Brown believes Haaland had been affected by the Brazilian defender earlier in the game.

• WHAT WES BROWN SAID

  He told : "I think Gabriel rattled Erling Haaland a little bit the other day. You could see there were a few little squabbles between the pair, and I think that means that Haaland knew that he was having a tough game against Gabriel, even though he scored. He’d probably lap it up if he was having a good game so you can tell that he must have got to him throughout the match.

  "It can be easy to lose your head a bit at times. It was a big game between the two best sides in the league and I reckon it’ll be those two at the top again. Manchester City scored that late goal but they’ll still be disappointed with drawing the game – it was a chance for them to pull away a little bit. You could see it was a very physical game so it’s no surprise things spilled over a little bit between the players."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND AND GABRIEL?

  Arsenal are in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday with a game against Bolton, while Manchester City take on Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.

Chelsea's 2023/24 season came to an end on Sunday as they beat Bournemouth 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to finish sixth in the Premier League table.

The Blues achieved a sixth-placed finish and are now set to host European football next term, having gone through the current campaign without any Champions League, Europa League, or Europa Conference League games.

Mauricio Pochettino will now have a number of decisions to make during the upcoming summer transfer window as he shapes the squad for the new season.

One player who must be ruthlessly ditched from the squad by the Argentine head coach is central midfielder Cesare Casadei, who should be shipped out on loan or sold permanently if a good enough offer comes in.

Cesare Casadei's time with Leicester in numbers

The Italy U21 international spent the first half of the campaign on loan with Leicester City in the Championship but failed to nail down a place as a regular starter in Enzo Maresca's side.

Despite the Foxes' dominance in the second tier, as they went on to win the division, the Chelsea youngster could not showcase much in the way of attacking quality when on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, Casadei underperformed in front of goal with the quality of chances that were created for him and failed to provide a single assist for his teammates in 22 matches, only eight of which came as a starter.

He also made just 1.2 tackles and interceptions combined per game and lost 51% of his duels, which shows that the youngster did not make up for his lack of attacking quality with strong defensive work.

Why Chelsea should move Cesare Casadei on

Pochettino opted to bring the Italian gem back to Stamford Bridge to be part of his first-team squad for the second half of the campaign but the 6 foot 1 talent did not do enough to suggest that he should be kept around next season.

Casadei, who was once hailed as "powerful" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, went on to play 11 times in the Premier League over the past five months, all of which came as a substitute.

He played 99 minutes of top-flight action for the Blues and produced zero interceptions, zero goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in that time.

This meant that the 21-year-old midfielder ended the Premier League season with even fewer minutes than Christopher Nkunku (437), despite the French forward having missed a whopping 39 matches through various injury issues.

The former RB Leipzig star battled back through his fitness problems to score three goals in 11 league appearances for the Blues, whilst Casadei did not do enough with his time on the pitch.

His lack of starts and complete lack of impact on the pitch off the bench suggests that Chelsea must now brutally ditch the youngster this summer, whether that is on loan or permanently.

Chelsea star who won 11 duels simply has to become a regular next season

The Blues star put in a fantastic display on the final day vs Bournemouth to give Chelsea a great chance of qualifying for the Europa League.

By
Dan Emery

May 20, 2024

Casadei's lacklustre performances, both in the Championship for Leicester and in the Premier League for the Blues, show that he is unlikely to be a useful player for Pochettino next term, which is why he should be brutally parted ways with ahead of next season.

Christian Eriksen could be given the chance to see out his career at his former club, Ajax when his contract at Manchester United expires next summer.

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• Eriksen eyeing 'fairytale return' to Ajax
• Danish star could be offered three-year deal
• United unlikely to offer midfielder new contract

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eriksen is likely to leave United at the end of his contract, prompting interest from sides all over the world, however, Ajax are thought to be frontrunners for his signature, according to .

  The veteran star is thought to be attracted to the idea of a 'fairytale return' to the club where he started his professional career, with a three-year deal said to be on the table.

  Ajax are hoping to tie up an agreement with Eriksen in the new year to see him join upon the expiry of his deal at Old Trafford.

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  Eriksen has featured regularly for United over the past month, starting in six of their seven matches and providing three goals and three assists in all competitions.

  The reliance on Eriksen has proven somewhat surprising given the speculation surrounding the 32-year-old's future during the summer.

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  WHAT ERIKSEN SAID

  Eriksen told Danish outlet this week that he had not yet engaged with Man Utd over a new contract, saying: "No, we are not there at the moment."

  He added: "I have one year left, and then we can have another conversation next year when you stand in a different place."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ERIKSEN AND MAN UTD?

  Eriksen could feature for Denmark in their upcoming Nations League games against Spain and Switzerland this week.

  The veteran will then return to action with Manchester United next Saturday as they host Brentford in the hopes of boosting their season after a disappointing start to the campaign.

Despite Newcastle United's injury crisis this campaign, it has come with a positive as it's allowed boss Eddie Howe to give valuable first-team minutes to multiple youngsters within the club.

Lewis Miley and Elliot Anderson have been the main beneficiaries for the Magpies, with the duo making 38 Premier League appearances between them this season.

18-year-old Miley has taken the league by storm despite his tender age, becoming a real mainstay in the Newcastle side, after the injuries and suspension to Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, respectively.

He managed to score his first top-flight goal in the 3-0 victory against Fulham at St James' Park back in December, with the youngster going from strength to strength after his goal.

After Miley's brilliant start to life in the first team under Howe, the Magpies boss and Saudi PIF should step up the chase for another teenage talent who has been linked with a move to the club.

Newcastle interested in 18-year-old talent this summer

According to a report from Sky Germany over the weekend, Newcastle are battling numerous Premier League sides for the signature of 18-year-old talent Assan Ouedraogo.

The attacking midfielder, who plays for Schalke in Bundesliga 2, has excelled for the side despite the club struggling to secure an immediate return to Germany's top flight.

He's scored three times and contributed with two assists in 17 appearances this season in what has been a breakthrough season for the youngster.

Despite the Magpies's interest, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool all remain interested in Ouedraogo, who would cost either of the sides in excess of £12m this summer.

Why Ouedraogo could be the next Bellingham

In previous months, Transfermarkt's Manuel Veth has compared the youngster to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham – a reasonable comparison given their similar rise and stats in 2023/24.

The duo both made the first impact on professional football playing at their boyhood clubs in the second tier of their respective countries, before either moving or being linked with a transfer to one of Europe’s elite. Bellingham, of course, started life at Birmingham City, for whom he made 44 appearances as a teenager, scoring twice and providing two assists.

When comparing their stats from the previous season, the duo have produced similar figures, albeit at vastly different levels of quality – with the Champions League-winning Bellingham recording 36 goals and assists in his debut season at the Bernabeu.

The German youngster has averaged slightly fewer shots per 90 than the Champions League winner, but has averaged nearly double the amount of successful take-ons – demonstrating his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

Whilst he averages more take-ons, the pair both have the same completion rate of 52%, but both average very similar averages when it comes to assists per 90.

Ouedraogo undoubtedly has a long way to go before he reaches the levels of Bellingham, but the midfielder, who’s “destined for elite football” according to data analyst Ben Mattinson, has the potential to be special.

With the club already having success with Miley, the Magpies must pursue a deal for the youngster, keeping one eye on the future but also vastly improving their current squad depth.

Newcastle could replace Guimaraes by signing £50m "Aldi Jude Bellingham"

He has 15 goals and assists in the Premier League this season…

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 1, 2024

The transfer window is almost upon us once more, and instead of fighting to keep hold of their greatest-ever goalscorer, Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to add to their squad this summer.

That said, while Harry Kane was the main talking point regarding the Lilywhites' business last year, Ange Postecoglou did welcome in several talented stars, such as Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, and James Maddison.

Interestingly, based on recent reports, the club could soon have a young wonderkid who shares similarities with the latter.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Guardian journalist Ed Aarons, Tottenham Hotspur are one of several clubs interested in Sunderland's Jobe Bellingham.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Brentford, Crystal Palace, and several clubs from the continent are also in a fierce race to secure the services of Jude Bellingham's younger brother.

However, the Black Cats do not want to lose the talented youngster and will reportedly only entertain offers in excess of £20m.

It would be an expensive gamble from the North Londoners, but it might be worth it with his similarities to Maddison.

How Bellingham could be Maddison 2.0

Now, it might seem like quite a jump to be comparing an 18-year-old to one of Tottenham's best midfielders, and in fairness, it is. However, there are two key similarities between the pair that could see the Sunderland ace develop along the same lines as the Lilywhites star.

The first is their experience in the Championship.

Before tearing it up in the Premier League with Leicester City and Spurs, Maddison made a name for himself among the wider public thanks to a stellar 2017/18 season in the second tier with Norwich City.

In just 44 games, the Coventry-born ace scored 14 goals and provided eight assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every other game, and while he had fruitful stints with Coventry City and Aberdeen, it was this campaign that put him on the map.

Similarly, while Bellingham played for Birmingham City's first team 22 times in the Championship last season, he's caught the media's eye this year thanks to his starring role for Sunderland.

In 45 league appearances, the 18-year-old "wonderkid", as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored seven goals and provided one assist, and while he's not been as productive as the Lilywhites ace was in his breakout campaign, he is four years younger than he was then.

The second similarity between the pair is their positional versatility.

While Postecoglou has primarily deployed him as an attacking midfielder this season, the former Foxes star has started games on either wing or either side of the midfield before.

Likewise, the Black Cats' "incredibly exciting" talent, as described by Mango, has played the majority of this season in a traditional midfield role but has also played as a centre-forward, winger, wide-midfielder and defensive midfielder in his career.

Ultimately, there is a long way to go for the Stourbridge-born gem to reach the level that Maddison has shown over the last few years, but with a solid season under his belt in the Championship, an ability to play multiple roles, and the interests of several top clubs, there is no reason to believe he couldn't get there.

Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co should look to bring the younger Bellingham to N17 this summer. They might be very pleased they did in a few years.

Spurs could land ideal Richarlison upgrade in £85m "machine"

The incredible striker could form a brilliant partnership with Son.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 3, 2024

After a brief break following his nine-year tenure at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has landed a new job with Red Bull

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• Klopp left Liverpool after nine years
• Returns to football with Red Bull
• Takes strategic position with RB network

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The German coach has been enjoying a well-earned sabbatical after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season. He's kept up appearances, returning to Borussia Dortmund for the testimonial for Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski in September and attending the Paralympics in Paris, and has, unsurprisingly, found himself linked to a host of jobs, notably those of the United States Men's National Team, England and Germany. But Klopp has waited until now to accept a long-term position and will return to work as the new Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull.

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  According to Sky Germany, the 57-year-old has signed a long-term contract with Red Bull and will start in his new role on January 1, 2025. So it's not a return to the touchline, but a move into a strategic position in which Klopp will support the coaches of RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls, among other clubs in the Red Bull network. Klopp's focus will be on further developing Red Bull's playing philosophy while leveraging his network in scouting to identify coaches and young talent.

• WHAT RED BULL SAID

  Mintzlaff said in a statement: "Jurgen Klopp is one of the greatest and most influential figures in world soccer, with extraordinary skills and charisma. In his role as head of soccer, he will be a game-changer for our involvement in international soccer and its continued development."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Klopp's contract with Red Bull includes an exit clause that will allow him to leave should a suitable role become available, most likely the Germany job. The deal runs until the 2026 World Cup, and Sky Germany note that Klopp's path to becoming head coach of his national team will be "more possible than ever" should current boss Julian Nagelsmann step down after the tournament in North America.

The England star heads off to international duty in flying form after scoring the equaliser on Sunday before then setting up Jill Roord for the winner

Lauren Hemp continued her incredible early-season form and inspired Manchester City to another comeback win on Sunday, scoring the equaliser before setting up Jill Roord to net the team's second in an important 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

It was a result that looked unlikely at the break, when Villa led through Gabi Nunes' first goal for the club and City had looked extremely passive. However, with Hemp on the pitch, a turnaround was always possible and her contributions helped the title hopefuls return to the top of the Women's Super League table.

The England star would have had City level at half-time, too, if it wasn't for a brilliant save from Sabrina D'Angelo. It was a rare bright spot in a rather dull first period from the hosts' perspective, with poor communication and marking from the centre-back pairing of Laia Aleixandri and Alex Greenwood the big grumble, as it had allowed Nunes to run in and convert Kirsty Hanson's cross to open the scoring.

That all started to change after the break. Villa looked more and more reserved and City pinned them in, finally getting the goal that had been coming just after the clock ticked past the hour. Leila Ouahabi's cross could only be punched by D'Angelo and Hemp was there to stop the ball getting away, controlling with her head before hooking a volley into the empty net.

Less than 10 minutes later, Hemp then turned provider for what would be the winning goal. An injection of pace allowed her to dart past a couple of defenders and cut back for Roord, who bagged her first goal since suffering an ACL injury back in January, one which secured the three points.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Joie Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ayaka Yamashita (5/10):

  Distribution just wasn't quick enough for large parts.

  Kerstin Casparij (6/10):

  Done for pace for the goal, which happens. Didn't put a foot wrong besides that, though.

  Laia Aleixandri (5/10):

  Had no idea where Nunes was for the goal. Passing was too slow and not positive enough in the first half especially.

  Alex Greenwood (5/10):

  Has to communicate with Aleixandri about Nunes' positioning for Villa's opener. Should have done more with possession too, though did improve in the second half.

  Leila Ouahabi (6/10):

  Got forward plenty and it was her cross which caused D'Angelo problems for the equaliser.

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  Midfield

  Yui Hasegawa (7/10):

  Could've injected more pace in the game in the first half and did that in the second.

  Jill Roord (7/10):

  Grew into the game and got a goal that will mean a lot to her, after only recently returning from her ACL injury.

  Jess Park (7/10):

  Burst into life a little more once Villa scored and was always trying to make something happen.

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  Attack

  Mary Fowler (5/10):

  Wasn't positive enough when she got on the ball.

  Khadija Shaw (6/10):

  Struggled for service so dropped deep a lot to contribute to build-up and drag defenders out.

  Lauren Hemp (8/10):

  Always looked like the player to inspire a comeback and so it proved, with an equalising goal and a match-winning assist.

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  Subs & Manager

  Aoba Fujino (N/A):

  On in the final few minutes to help City see the win out.

  Gareth Taylor (7/10):

  Trusted his starting XI to turn things around in the second half and they did, bringing much more energy and creativity to the table following a rather uninspiring first half.