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There is now a growing belief at Tottenham Hotspur that Jose Mourinho will no longer be in charge next season.

That’s according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold of football.london, who dropped this bombshell over the weekend.

With only six games left to play in the Premier League, Spurs are five points adrift of West Ham and the top four, making Champions League qualification seem out of reach.

Whilst they’ve been knocked out of both the FA Cup and Europa League in what has been a dismal second half of their 2020/21 season.

One recurring issue has been defensive mistakes, with Mourinho unable to settle on a regular partnership at the back. Indeed, he’s utilised as many as 16 different defensive combinations, so it’s no wonder errors creep in and linger.

Spurs’ calamitous campaign has largely been summed up by their abysmal record when going in front – they have lost a whopping 20 points from winning positions, a feat that would see them occupy second place.

If Mourinho does leave, the new manager would need to alleviate this problem as their top priority, that’s for certain. But who?

Julian Nagelsmann is thought to be Daniel Levy’s top target should he hand the Portuguese his P45, though his inexperience in the Premier League has to be one concerning factor.

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His RB Leipzig team have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga but he’s got quality weapons at his disposal, with the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate all better options than Spurs’ current trio of Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez.

Perhaps a manager who’s proven a little more with less resource in England is a better fix for this big issue.

Gold believes Fulham boss Scott Parker, who used to play for the Lilywhites, is one to keep an eye on as he still has “a lot of friends” at the club, and they’re monitoring his progress down the river.

Even though the Cottagers are in the relegation zone, he’s done a fantastic job to turn things around, especially defensively, where Lyon loanee Joachim Andersen has looked every bit like a future Premier League star – he’s someone Spurs could also look to sign in the summer, so maybe Levy should try and bring both to north London.

The Daily Mail have previously lauded the 40-year-old for his ‘defensive rebuild’ at Craven Cottage – when they went down in 2019, they leaked a whopping 81 goals. Now, they have the second-best record of any side 13th or below, having conceded only 43 times.

Parker has received glowing praise from two of the best in the English top-flight, too.

Pep Guardiola called him “incredibly good” and Jurgen Klopp echoed has such sentiments.

Perhaps Spurs ought to look to their former midfielder over Nagelsmann at this stage; he hasn’t spent bucketloads and the club’s hierarchy know what he can do all too well.

He could well be the lesser risk in comparison to Nagelsmann this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs can land Aurier upgrade in 22 y/o beast who’s made 74 tackles this term…

According to journalist Christian Falk, speaking to Bild (via Sport Witness), RB Leipzig ‘might be willing to talk’ to Tottenham Hotspur over a swap for manager Julian Nagelsmann – with the Bundesliga side apparently determined to keep him away from Bayern Munich. 

Nagelsmann has been heavily linked with the possible Lilywhites vacancy for a while, depending on current boss Jose Mourinho’s situation in north London.

The Portuguese has been under mounting pressure recently following a string of matches without victory, the latest being a 2-2 draw away to Everton. 

Falk drops enticing Nagelsmann claim

Now, bringing an update on Nagelsmann’s situation, Falk has dropped an enticing claim that an agreement for him to potentially become Spurs’ next boss after Mourinho is very much ‘possible’ – especially considering how Leipzig seem desperate to keep him away from Bayern.

“It’s clear his (Mourinho’s) hours are counting down,” he told BILD (via Sport Witness).

“It is no secret that Brendan Rodgers was actually the dream solution, but he has a contract with Leicester until 2025, so he is not available.

“Therefore, they (Tottenham) sound out the market and Julian Nagelsmann is a name that comes up again and again.

“I heard in Leipzig that if Bayern call, they won’t give him away because they don’t want to let him leave for their direct rivals in Germany, but if they call from England, I heard they might be willing to talk.

“If they pay a transfer fee – and Tottenham have the money – it’s possible.”

Transfer Tavern take

The 33-year-old has garnered a reputation as one of the most exciting coaching talents in Europe, and for this reason among many others, we believe he should be the prime managerial candidate if Mourinho does leave.

He has also been described as ‘fearless’ by those who have worked under his management, and that mentality is arguably very much needed in north London right now, where Spurs too often look scared to attack under Mourinho.

Among the likes of Maurizio Sarri and Brendan Rodgers, who have also been linked, Nagelsmann certainly sticks out from the crowd as a fresh and exciting option.

In other news: Levy still in race to sign 6 foot 2 ‘phenomenon’, find out more here.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo encerrou a preparação para o clássico contra o Santos, nesta quinta-feira, com um treino no Pacaembu na manhã desta quarta. O técnico Ricardo Gomes trabalhou a parte tática no palco da partida e manteve dúvidas para armar o time, principalmente no ataque. A atividade foi fechada para a imprensa.

Assim como na terça-feira, o lateral-direito Bruno, com dores musculares, não treinou. Ele dificilmente deve jogar o clássico. Assim, Buffarini deve ser confirmado na lateral direita. O argentino está com moral com Ricardo Gomes. Na esquerda, o provável é que jogue Mena. O chileno volta nesta quarta ao Brasil, depois de ficar no banco na vitória do Chile por 2 a 1 sobre o Peru na terça. Assim como o peruano Cueva, ele seguirá direto para a concentração tricolor no CT.

Ainda é possível que Ricardo Gomes utilize Carlinhos na lateral esquerda, a depender da situação de Mena, mas o camisa 6, hoje, agrada mais jogando do meio para a frente. Ele pode ser mantido na ponta esquerda, também a depender de como Cueva retornará, já que ele jogou toda a partida pelo Peru. O atacante Robson também foi testado durante a semana e corre por fora por uma vaga no ataque. Neste caso, seria uma opção para o lugar de Kelvin, que joga aberto pela direita.

No meio, Ricardo Gomes deve promover o retorno de Wesley, que cumpriu suspensão contra o Sport na última rodada. Assim, a provável formação do São Paulo para o clássico é: Denis, Buffarini, Maicon, Rodrigo Caio e Mena; Hudson, Thiago Mendes, Wesley, Kelvin (Robson) e Carlinhos (Cueva); Chavez.

O treino no Pacaembu também serviu para os jogadores aperfeiçoarem chutes de perto e longe, cobranças de faltas e pênaltis. O Tricolor tenta se reabilitar após quatro jogos sem vitória. Começou a rodada na 14ª colocação com 36 pontos, três acima do Internacional, o primeiro da zona do rebaixamento.

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Many Everton fans have been lauding the news from football.london that Alisher Usmanov could invest in the Goodison Park club.

The Merseysiders have recently been told that they can proceed with plans for a proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, which could provide an opportunity for the Russian billionaire.

Usmanov revealed to the Financial Times last year that he was ready to increase his involvement with Carlo Ancelotti’s team, and further hinted at potentially striking a deal for the naming rights at the new stadium.

With the plans been given the green light, the 67-year-old tycoon may well get his wish, and that may not be the last of the money that he could pump into the Toffees.

The news has got several Blues excited over his potential involvement with the club, as they could stand to benefit from an embarrassment of riches.

Everton fans on Usmanov news

These Everton supporters lauded the news of Usmanov’s potential investment on Twitter:

“Welcome to the people’s club big dog.”

Credit: @Gazefc1979

“Oh go on then @chriscally1977 @wazzaevo @birdy9680 @Tr1ckyTrev88”
Credit: @BH_Design
“Ohhhhh hello”Credit: @jfenwickeverton“Up the Billionaire Blues”Credit: @JonathanDunn12“And with the changes coming in the FFP things are looking good for us”Credit: @mattiemahon

“Inject it £18.5 billion mate Mbappe is ours”
Credit: @Spinkseey9

In other news, many Everton fans were delighted with this transfer update.

Having previously signed Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, Liverpool could potentially be looking to sign another of the German club’s midfielders in the form of Marcel Sabitzer.

The Austrian has long been linked with a move to Anfield among other clubs in the Premier League, and has now conceded that he could “imagine” a switch to the English top flight at some point in the future.

He could be the perfect addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad on Merseyside.

Since arriving at the Red Bull Arena from Rapid Vienna, Sabitzer has established himself as one of the most consistent midfield operators in the German top flight and indeed Europe.

He has made 137 Bundesliga appearances, scoring 30 goals and providing 26 assists, with seven of those strikes coming during the 2020/21 season alone. As a matter of fact, Sabitzer has not scored fewer than five goals in a single campaign since his breakthrough season with Admira Wacker in 2010/11 – remarkable consistency for a midfielder.

The Austrian has also made a further 21 appearances in the Champions League, again proving to be an extremely accomplished player on the European stage. Rated at £37.8m by Transfermarkt, whichever club elects to move for Sabitzer would certainly be getting a midfielder of supreme quality.

That is where Liverpool could come in. Heading into 2021/22, the Reds could potentially need a midfield player.

Georginio Wijnaldum looks set to depart upon the expiry of his contract in June, whilst the ever-reliable James Milner may not be able to contribute as much at the age of 35.

Sabitzer has also had a huge impact against English clubs in the past, having won three out of six meetings against Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, racking up two goals and an assist in the process.

Having previously signed fellow midfielder Keita from RB Leipzig, the Reds should certainly try to profit from that relationship once again and make a move for Sabitzer as soon as this summer, especially with the Austrian soon to be in the final year of his contract.

AND in more news, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the huge mistake that FSG and Michael Edwards could be making this summer…

It may have ended in yet another Premier League defeat for West Brom, but there’s no questioning that there were plenty of positives to take from the game against Everton on Thursday night.

The Baggies were left to walk away with nothing after a strike from Richarlison, but Sam Allardyce’s men put in one of their more impressive displays of the campaign and were desperately unlucky not to at least grab a point.

They managed the same number of shots and shots on target as the visitors, with Jordan Pickford forced into making a couple of fines saves on the night.

But, one man who let his manager down with a truly woeful display was Matheus Pereira.

The winger looked completely out of sorts going forward, being extremely sloppy in possession and causing any potential counter-attacks and dangerous moves to break down – as per Sofascore, he lost possession 24 times, which was the joint-most of any Baggies player on the pitch.

He also failed to provide a single key pass – something that three of the Baggies’ back-line managed – and missed the target with all six of the crosses that he attempted.

In his post-match player ratings for the Birmingham Mail, Joseph Chapman gave him a 5 (the lowest of any West Brom player), and wrote: “A bit like on Saturday against Brighton, he wasn’t at the races in the first period. Passes went astray, moves fell down when they reached him.

“That’s unlike Pereira, who knows already that Allardyce won’t hesitate to change things up. Marginally better in the second but must rediscover that spark.”

That point about Allardyce not being hesitate to “change things up” should result in Pereira being dropped from the Baggies’ next game.

The 24-year-old has failed to score or assist in his last six Premier League games, and his latest howler should see the West Brom boss take the initiative and leave him out against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Carlton Palmer has exclusively delivered his verdict on West Brom…

Sheffield Wednesday returned to winning ways in the Championship on Tuesday evening, and the Owls’ versatile star Adam Reach stole the show on their way to a valuable three points.

The South Yorkshiremen moved out of the dropzone with a crucial victory over rock-bottom Wycombe Wanderers at Hillsborough Stadium, thanks to goals from Jordan Rhodes and the already mentioned Reach.

Sitting 25 yards out from goal, the ball fell to the 28-year-old’s feet before he fired home via a deflection to seal a 2-0 win, and aside from finding the net, the utility man put in an industrious display on all fronts.

YorkshireLive reporter Dom Howson handed out his Man of the Match award to fellow wide man Kadeem Harris, who provided the assist for their opener. He graded him a 9/10 and claimed that Reach was a “real livewire on the right.”

However, Reach arguably outshone him to steal the show on the night.

The former England U20 international was at the heart of it all, recording more touches (75) than any other player on the pitch, either home or away. Usually, you’ll find Owls skipper Barry Bannan (59) taking this acclaim, but for once it was Reach on that left flank, which only shows how influential he was.

That’s even backed up by the fact that the £2.88m-rated wing-back lost possession 24 times, more than anyone in a home shirt.

Indeed, he also top-scored as per SofaScore ratings with an 8.4, nearly one point higher than Howson’s pick for the match.

Reach was a constant threat on the left side of the pitch as he left Chairboys duo Scott Kashket (6.8) and Jason McCarthy (6.1) in his wake, neither failed to win over 62.5% of their duels up against the Owls man.

Similarly, the 6 foot 1 dynamo put in an absolute defensive shift, displaying those versatile qualities to a tee – he made a match-high four tackles and was close behind for interceptions (three) and clearances (three), all via SofaScore.

In the absence of a clear left-sided option in defence, the £20k-per-week Reach stepped up to the plate again to run the show for his interim boss, Thompson.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Palmer drops Sheffield Wednesday manager claim…

حقق فريق توتنهام اليوم الأحد فوزًا على خصمه كريستال بالاس، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف توتنهام نظيره كريستال بالاس في الجولة التاسعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، البوكسينج داي، حيث فاز بثلاثة أهداف.  أهداف مباراة توتنهام وكريستال بالاس

افتتح النجم الإنجليزي هاري كين ثلاثية توتنهام بتسجيله الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول.

ولم يحتاج توتنهام لأكثر من دقيقتين قبل أن يضاعف لوكاس مورا تقدم الديوك بتسجيله الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 34.

واضطر كريستال بالاس إلى اللعب بـ10 لاعبين فقط منذ الدقيقة 37 بعد طرد الإيفواري ويلفريد زاها إثر تدخله العنيف على أحد لاعبي الخصم.

وفي الدقيقة 74 تمكن الكوري الجنوبي سون هيونج من تسجيل الهدف الثالث لكتيبة أنطونيو كونتي.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد توتنهام إلى 29 نقطة في المركز الخامس، مع العلم أن لديه ثلاث مباريات مؤجلة، بينما تجمد رصيد كريستال بالاس عند 20 نقطة في المركز الثاني عشر.

After beating Newcastle in their opening game of this season’s FA Cup, Arsenal take on Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon hoping to take another major step in their bid to retain their trophy.

Mikel Arteta’s side are the record winners of the competition, and beat Chelsea in last year’s showpiece finale. But Southampton away from home poses a real challenge, and with the Gunners facing the Saints in the Premier League just days later in another crucial fixture, there could well be some big changes to the starting line up.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how the Gunners may shape up to face Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men in the FA Cup fourth round.

In goal, Bernd Leno will likely keep his place in between the sticks, with Alex Runarsson’s calamitous performances in the Carabao Cup seemingly ending any chance of him featuring.

In front of him, Hector Bellerin should return in place of Cedric, whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles may get another opportunity to prove his worth on the opposite flank.

Saturday could also see the return of Gabriel, with the Brazilian having missed the past few games and seeing the likes of Pablo Mari and David Luiz partner Rob Holding in what has been a very strong run of form defensively for the Gunners – they’ve conceded just one goal in their past six games, including five successive clean sheets.

The midfield area should see a revamp with Arteta surely unlikely to risk Thomas Partey after his recently struggles with injury, and that could see Mohamed Elneny partner Granit Xhaka in the engine room.

Further ahead, the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Willian and the £36m-rated Nicolas Pepe could all get their opportunities to start, with Eddie Nketiah given the nod up front as Arteta rests some key names amidst this busy schedule.

Predicted XI: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Maitland-Niles; Elneny, Xhaka; Pepe, Willian, Martinelli; Nketiah.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must sign this “phenomenon”…

Glasgow Rangers and Steven Gerrard have a lovely little distraction to focus on this Wednesday.

They are currently soaring high, 13 points ahead of Celtic in the race for the SPFL and now they have the opportunity to stamp down their intentions for more silverware.

They take on St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final and thus, we could see a number of changes made to the XI. This isn’t an important game but if Rangers really want to dominate then Gerrard still needs to field some of his most experienced and important individuals.

With that in mind, we’re tipping the Light Blues to make as many as five changes to the side that beat Dundee last weekend.

The one enforced change comes up front where Alfredo Morelos will definitely miss the tie.

He was given a yellow card for elbowing Mark Connolly in the win over Dundee but that has since been upgraded to a red. Consequently, he’ll now miss the next two games through suspension.

Therefore, we think that Cedric Itten deserves to lead the line. He has started only four matches since his summer move but netted in the Europa League last week.

There are further changes beside him in attack, one that replicates the forward line we saw against Lech Poznan. Ryan Kent and Kemar Roofe both drop out with Joe Aribo and Ianis Hagi favoured on the flanks.

There is just the one change in midfield where we’re tipping Bongani Zungu to get the nod ahead of Steven Davis. Zungu has just two starts to his name but deserves an opportunity. He started in their last League Cup outing so it wouldn’t be a great surprise to see him come in.

Defensively, we think Gerrard will go with a familiar backline, deciding to only switch up his goalkeeper.

Allan McGregor played against Dundee but with Jon McLaughlin favoured in the previous two games before that, he could start instead.

In other news, Wilson has been given a transfer boost in Rangers’ pursuit of 3-goal gem…