Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben Davies has undergone groin surgery but will return for pre-season training, according to Sky Sports.
What’s the word?
The left-back has been a back-up to Danny Rose throughout the 2018/19 season, making a total of 27 Premier League appearances, along with nine in the Champions League.
He was named as a substitute for the final, as Spurs lost 2-0 to Liverpool, and was then included in the Wales squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Croatia and Hungary.
He has now gone under the knife, however, after initially putting off the surgery in order to play a part in the international fixtures.
Spurs will be involved in the International Champions Cup from August 8th and the report claims that Davies is likely to be fit enough to be involved.
Looking over his shoulder
Davies may well be feeling a tad paranoid.
Spurs are continuing to track Fulham left-back-cum-winger Ryan Sessegnon this summer ahead of a potential move.
Indeed, The Guardian claim that he has told the Cottagers he will not be signing a new contract and that he has set his heart on a move to north London.
And if the Welshman cannot recover properly, he could well be relegated to third-choice under Pochettino.
Thus far, of course, he has been a more than able deputy to Rose but he will need to prove his fitness to be assured of that position again in 2019/20.
أكد محمد أبو العلا لاعب الزمالك السابق ومدرب مساعد فريق زد الحالي، أن هناك من يوجه الرأي العام الزملكاوي ضد نجومه القدامى خلال الفترة الحالية.
وكانت وزارة الشباب والرياضة قد أقرت بعزل مجلس إدارة الزمالك برئاسة مرتضى منصور بسبب شبهة الفساد المالي، وتعيين لجنة مؤتة لتسيير أمور النادي مكونة من الثلاثي المستشار أحمد بكري، والمحامي محمد عطية (والذي تقدم باستقالته) وهشام إبراهيم.
وقال أبو العلا في مداخلة ببرنامج “وان تو” عبر أثير “أون سبورت إف إم”: “أرى نغمة حاليًا تسود من أجل تفرقة جماهير الزمالك، الأبيض يحتاج لإدارة حكيمة ولأبنائه المخلصين”.
وأضاف: “أشعر وكأن هناك أشخاص يحاولون توجيه الرأي العام ضد لاعبي الزمالك القدامى، لا أحتاج التبرير لكي أقول إنني كابتن من كباتن الفارس الأبيض من قبل”.
وتابع: “انا تحت أمر الزمالك ولو هناك فرصة لكي أخدم الزمالك وأكون إضافة لن أتأخر، ولكن لا أحب أن أتواجد لمجرد التواجد ولا أضيف شئ بالإضافة إلى إنني لا أحب أن أكون كبش فداء”.
وأتم: “لا يصح أن يمر 16 عاما ولا يحصل الزمالك إلا على دوري واحد، أو يصل إلى نهائي إفريقيا مرتين فقط، هذا درب من الخيال، أتمنى وضع القلعة البيضاء على الطريق الصحيح”.
Last season will go down in Tottenham’s history for so many reasons but perhaps for none more so than Lucas Moura’s sensational Champions League semi-final hat-trick. Indeed, it epitomised everything about their campaign, with that last minute goal ensuring one of the greatest comebacks in history.
Truly incredible.
So, amid recent rather strange suggestions from John Aldridge in the Irish Independent claiming his former club, Liverpool, should make a move for the Brazilian, we’ll be taking a look into what the future holds for him.
Though Moura (who Mauricio Pochettino described as a superhero after that night in Amsterdam) undoubtedly inserted his name into Tottenham folklore for years to come, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the South American.
He seemed to have established himself in the squad at the start of last season, particularly impressing with a phenomenal brace in Tottenham’s 3-0 early season dismantling of Manchester United, emerging as a genuine option in the final third after a fairly slow start to life after leaving PSG.
In fact, Moura’s brace actually perfectly summed up his season. The forward continuously showed glimpses of genuine top-class ability throughout the campaign but failed to ever put a string of impressive performances together. Just look at some of the moments throughout the season; his United brace, his equaliser away at Barcelona, his hat-trick against Huddersfield and, of course, his hat-trick against Ajax.
The attacker finished the season with 10 goals in 32 league games, with five goals in 12 Champions League games. A solid return to say the least. Yet, if you (hypothetically) take away the hat-tricks, the stats are seven goals in 31 league games, with two goals in 11 Champions League games.
Now, this is indeed a fairly redundant exercise. However, it’s merely highlighting the point that Moura had largely baron spells last season. He could look lively at times, but could ultimately fade out of games without a whimper, which has seemingly been a problem in his game since his early days in the French capital, with the Guardian taking a closer look at it in 2014.
A perhaps harsh assessment of Tottenham’s latest hero. Yet, it provides some reasoning as to why Pochettino opted to play a half-fit Harry Kane in his place against Liverpool.
Pochettino could have dropped Heung-min Son or the less impressive Dele Alli. He opted to drop Moura to the chagrin of sections of support online (via the Express), however. In hindsight, that may have been the wrong decision considering Alli’s performance, one that was ranked as only 5/10 by ESPN.
Clearly, Moura is still just 26-years-old and if he can turn his patches of unplayable form into a more regular occurrence, Tottenham have a genuinely top-level player on their books.
Tottenham fans, do you think Moura can progress further this season? Let us know!
وشهد تشكيل الأهلي عودة والتر بواليا لقيادة الهجوم بعد جلوسه على دكة البدلاء في المباراة الماضية، بجانب مشاركة علي لطفي بعد إيقاف محمد الشناوي. تشكيل الأهلي أمام المقاولون العرب اليوم
حراسة المرمى: علي لطفي.
خط الدفاع: محمد هاني – ياسر إبراهيم – أيمن أشرف – علي معلول.
خط الوسط: أليو ديانج – حمدي فتحي – محمد مجدي أفشة.
الهجوم: حسين الشحات – محمود عبد المنعم “كهربا” – والتر بواليا.
ويحتل الأهلي المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 17 نقطة حصيلة 7 مباريات فاز في 5 مواجهات وتعادل مرتين.
According to The Sun, Juan Mata has taken a £45,000-a-week pay cut to sign a new two-year contract with Manchester United.
What’s the word, then?
Mata’s previous deal with United was due to expire at the end of this month.
The 31-year-old was used on 32 occasions during the 2018-19 campaign but it would be fair to say that he struggled to have a serious impact.
The attacker did provide six goals and four assists, though, and has now signed a new two-year contract with the 20-time English champions.
According to The Sun, Mata agreed to a 25% reduction in his weekly pay packet in order to continue his stay with United, who finished sixth in the Premier League last season.
It would not have been a surprise to see the attacker pack up and return to Spain this summer. However, he clearly wanted to stay in Manchester and the former Chelsea playmaker is exactly the type of character that the club needs at this moment in time.
Why is Mata so important to United?
On the field, his contribution has been debatable – 45 goals and 37 assists in 218 appearances for United since a 2014 switch from Chelsea.
Mata only scored three Premier League goals last season but was again largely deployed as a right winger, where he looks incredibly uncomfortable.
There are few players with a top-level winning mentality in the United dressing room, though, and it is worth remembering that the 41-time Spain international has landed trophies with Valencia, Chelsea and indeed the Red Devils.
Whilst the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford are being heavily criticised for their social media activity, there will be no videos of Mata getting up to nonsense during his summer holidays.
Watch a Man Utd fan’s epic Ed Woodward rant in the video below…
Of course, Mata is older and wiser than a number of his teammates but he also carries himself in the correct manner and his charity, Common Goal, does some incredible work.
Critics will say that Mata is still collecting £135,000-a-week – an incredible sum – but there are few footballers in the modern game who would take a pay cut to stay at their current club.
It is certainly a tough period for Manchester United but retaining the services of Mata must be seen as a huge positive.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United have turned to Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti as an alternative to Matthijs de Ligt this summer.
What’s the word?
The report claims the Red Devils had been in the race to sign De Ligt but with the Ajax defender on the verge of a move to Juventus, the club have decided to pursue a move for Umtiti instead.
Who would win out of Man Utd’s treble winners and Man City today? Fans discuss in the video below…
It adds that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have held initial discussions with their Catalan counterparts and that if De Ligt performs a dramatic U-turn to move to the Camp Nou, then Umtiti would become available for a transfer.
A risk worth taking
After shipping a seismic 54 goals in the Premier League last year- their worst defensive campaign in the top-flight since the 1978-79 season – United have been on the hunt for a commanding centre-half.
Reports in recent weeks had touted Harry Maguire as a possible option but as is often the case with British players, the premium price tag placed on the Englishman might just see them turn elsewhere. And that could well be a blessing in disguise.
At 25, Umtiti is a year younger than the Foxes centre-back and throughout his time at both Lyon and Barcelona has picked up far greater experience at the highest level. The France World Cup winner is a two-time La Liga champion, a two-time Copa Del Rey winner and was voted into FIFA’s FIFPro World XI second team in 2018. It’s fair to say the defender has the resume to back his talents up.
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The biggest concern over the 6 ft defender has always been his injury troubles. It was one of the main factors behind him slipping out of favour at the Camp Nou and is a worrying sign indeed. But United are in dire need of not just a quality defender, but a presence with a winning mentality too.
Umtiti was a cornerstone of France’s success in Russia 2018 and showed his big-game credentials with the winning goal against Belgium in the semi-finals. If United are to return to the big-time, they need to think big. Going after a man who missed 28 games last season through injury may look questionable on paper, but taking a chance on him could be the roll of the dice that nets United the jackpot of Champions League football.
أعلن المدرب النرويجي، أولي جونار سولشاير، المدير الفني لنادي مانشستر يونايتد، تشكيل فريقه الرسمي لمباراة ليفربول في مسابقة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.
مانشستر يونايتد يستقبل ليفربول، في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، على ملعب “أولد ترافورد”، ضمن لقاءات دور الـ”32” من كأس إنجلترا.
اقرأ أيضًا.. تشكيل ليفربول ضد مانشستر يونايتد في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.. محمد صلاح وفيرمينو يقودان الهجوم
وشهد التشكيل الأساسي لليونايتد، عدة تغييرات، إذ دفع سولشاير بـ فان دي بيك كأساسي بدلًا من برونو فرنانديز، وكافاني كأساسي، كما يستعين بـ دين هندرسون بدلًا من دي حيا. تشكيل مانشستر يونايتد اليوم
Last summer was all about Jack Grealish. Would he stay or would he go?
Ultimately, the creative midfielder would stay at Aston Villa, but it didn’t come without its fair share of speculation as the 23-year-old found himself at the centre of a saga involving Tottenham.
Spurs bid £25m for him last summer, an offer that was swiftly rejected by the Villans as they stood firm over their prized asset.
Eventually, Grealish would go onto sign a new contract and then as the 2018/19 campaign played out he became the club’s captain.
It’s been quite the rise for the midfielder in recent years. After bursting onto the scene during Villa’s relegation season, he has now never looked more ready to take on the Premier League.
But what if there was a player who was more important to the club than Grealish? It would take quite something for anyone to outmuscle the individual who has supported Villa since he was a boy.
Yet, in John McGinn, they may well already have that. Grealish is the one who’s grown up around the club but his midfield partner from last season became every bit as important.
He may even have become more vital.
But where does all this spawn from? It’s not just based off of a season where he scored nine and assisted seven, however good he was.
The back story here, is Manchester United’s interest in the player.
Whether you believe a report claiming they’re lining up a move is another matter, but that reports of this nature have even surfaced tells you plenty about the quality of the player and why he could be even more important than the beloved Grealish.
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It’s essential to state this is not an attack on one of Villa’s best players. The academy graduate is a fabulous footballer and, after scoring six and assisting seven in the Championship last term, could be set to take the Premier League by storm.
However, as McGinn’s future quite possibly lies in slim doubt, there is a debate to be had over who is more indispensable to the club.
Grealish is someone with leadership qualities in this Villa team, something we witnessed last season, but on the field he is the flashy player. There’s nothing wrong with that because he puts in a terrific shift going forward.
But his Scottish midfield partner has more to his game. You only need to look at the fact he can provide good numbers in the final third, whilst still boasting a tackle rate of 2.1 per game.
In many ways, he is the perfect midfield player. Perhaps only his discipline – as 14 yellow cards last season suggests – is his downfall, but this is a man who is every bit as good in front of the back four as he is going forward.
A wonderful dipping volley that crashed in against Sheffield Wednesday in the early stages of last season demonstrated exactly how game-changing he can be.
Yet, rather remarkably, he went unnoticed in the PFA Championship Team of the Year. Grealish was instead the man picked despite missing a part of the season through injury.
Going forward though, McGinn could yet prove to be more crucial.
In the Premier League, we’ve seen what an all-action midfielder can bring you at a variety of clubs. From those who came up last year, you only need to look at Ruben Neves’ impact at Wolves.
He contributed to seven goals whilst boasting a tackle success of 2.1 per outing, the same as Villa’s Scottish midfielder.
In short, the 24-year-old knows how to get the job done. In many senses he is an understated midfielder.
McGinn’s work rate is nothing short of phenomenal and if Villa want to sustain themselves now they’re back in the big time, his attitude, tenacity and ability at both ends of the pitch will be colossal.
A move to Man United seems incredibly unlikely but it does beg the question of who in the Villa side is more paramount to future success.
Grealish may have scored the winner in the Second City derby earlier this year, but it was McGinn who helped turn the tide.
Coming off the bench with just under half an hour to play, he had one shot, made two dribbles and won an aerial duel.
Considering he didn’t have long on the pitch it was a phenomenal effort.
But that sums the Scotland international up. In the long run, he could be worth more to the club than any potential sum of money they take for him.
Villa are reportedly demanding a monumental £50m if United’s interest is legitimate, but keeping themselves in the top-flight is worth even more.
Grealish has been the centre of attention for a while, but Villa now need to make McGinn the figurehead of their plans.
أكد شوقي السعيد لاعب الزمالك الأسبق تعمده إيذاء وليد سليمان صانع ألعاب الأهلي خلال إحدى مباريات القمة بين الفريقين، موضحًا أسباب رحيله عن الأبيض.
وقال شوقي السعيد في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس 2”: “قبل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك خلال عام 2016 في نهائي كأس مصر والتي حققنا فيها الفوز، كنت في غاية تركيزي، لدرجة أن أحمد دويدار كان يمزح معي قبل المباراة قلت له لا تمزح أنا سأخوض حربا اليوم، وبالفعل المباراة تحولت لمعركة بين اللاعبين، كل ثنائي في معركة”.
وأكمل: “وليد سليمان يلعب بعنف حتى بعد الكرة، وهناك لاعبون يتدخلون بقوة لكن لا يتسببون في إصابة للمنافس، لكن وليد سليمان يستخدم كوعه لإصابة الخصم”.
وتابع: “طالما الأمر تكرر أكثر من مرة مع لاعبين مختلفين إذا هو متعمد الأذى، وليد سليمان لاعب جيد وأحترمه ولكن هذا ما حدث”.
واستطرد: “تجاوز وليد سليمان في حقي في مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، وتجاوز في حق أمي، وأخبرت كابتن حسام غالي بذلك”.
وأشار: “ولكن لم يصمت وليد سليمان وأصر على سب والدتي، فتعمدت أن أصيبه في المباراة وتدخلت عليه بعنف متعمدًا”.
وأوضح: “أنا من طلبت الرحيل عن الزمالك، حيث فقدت الأمل، لأن هذه الفترة تم تغيير مدربين كثيرين، شخصيات المدربين لم تكن قوية وكان هناك لاعبين يسيطرون على الفريق، مثل النادي الأهلي هناك لاعبين يسيطرون على الفريق”.
وأضاف: “اللاعبون كانوا يتحدثون مع المدرب بطريقة غير جيدة، سمعت موقف إن وقت فيريرا دخل له أحمد الشناوي وقال له لماذا لا ألعب؟، فقام المدرب بطرده من مكتبه وأجلسه على دكة الاحتياط، هذا كان مدرب قوي الشخصية”.
واستكمل: “لكن كان هناك لاعبين يتجاوزون في حق مدربين، مثل علي جبر الذي تجاوز في حق مؤمن سليمان ولم يأخذ الأخير منه موقف خاصة وأنه كان يقوم بعملية تدوير في الفريق ولم يعجب هذا علي جبر فتجاوز في حقه لفظيًا”.
واستدرك: “أيضا أحمد توفيق لاعب الزمالك الأسبق وبيراميدز الحالي تجاوز في حق إيناسيو، وتم الترجمة له ولم يتم اتخاذ موقف ضده”.
واختتم: “من طبيعتي وشخصيتي ألا أتجاوز في حق مدرب، لكن عندما أرى أنه يتقبل التجاوز في حقه من اللاعبين يجعله يسقط من نظري، وهذا كان السبب في رحيلي عن الزمالك وسافرت إلى الكويت”.
أشاد مدرب مانشستر سيتي بيب جوارديولا بما قدموه في مباراة الأمس أمام وست بروميتش ألبيون في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وفاز السكاي بلو بخمسة أهداف دون رد، في إطار منافسات الجولة العشرين من البطولة. أهداف مباراة مانشستر سيتي ووست بروميتش
وقال جوارديولا في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “كانت نتيجة جيدة، وحاولنا أن نجعل اللاعبين في أفضل حالة، وأن نتواضع بدرجة كافية”.
وأضاف: “كان علينا التركيز بشكل كافِ للقيام بما يتعين علينا واحترام خصومنا”.
وواصل: “نحن في نهاية المطاف نقاتل لأن كرة القدم صعبة”.
وتابع: “بالنظر إلى الطريقة التي نلعب بها، الجميع يشارك في الهجوم واللعب وصناعة الفرص ويحاول الكل التسجيل، لا يهم من، ولكن المهم هو الوصول إلى منطقة الجزاء وصناعة الفرص”.
واستكمل: “سنحصل على يوم أو اثنين إجازة ثم نستعد لمواجهة شيفيلد يونايتد، إنها الطريقة الوحيدة التي أعرفها لكي أصبح مدربًا، فقط نفكر في المباراة القادمة”.