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As Slaven Bilic was unveiled in front of the media for the first time as manager of West Brom last week, technical director Luke Dowling gave an insight into what to expect from Albion in the summer transfer window.

His first revelation was that Albion would have a kitty to spend whilst uttering that the club also wanted to unearth gems again.

But things probably won’t be that simple for the Baggies this summer.

After all, they’ve already suffered a setback with Dwight Gayle and are left staring at the possibility of losing as many as five players because of financial restrictions.

To hear that the Baggies are keen on spending, therefore, was perhaps a surprise.

Selling Salomon Rondon appears to be high on their list of priorities and after rejecting a £10m bid from West Ham for his services, they’ll surely be hoping for something closer to his £16.5m release clause.

But in terms of incomings, where does Bilic need to strengthen in order to give his side the best possible chance of achieving promotion?

Addressing the defence

Mission number one will be fixing the defence. On paper, a combination of Ahmed Hegazi and Craig Dawson looks to be solid but with the latter potentially on his way out of the Hawthorns, huge improvement will be needed.

This is an Albion team that conceded 62 goals last season, the most of any side in the play-offs.

To further put things into perspective, Millwall, who finished in 21st, conceded just two more goals. As a result, they simply have to add bodies to their defence.

The Baggies scored plenty of goals in 2018/19 but they also leaked them and had they had better organisation and discipline, they may well have gone up.

Bilic’s experience compared to Darren Moore should certainly help in this regard, but it can’t be guaranteed that they’ll get better.

In terms of defensive recruitment, they’ve already been linked with switches for Reece Oxford and Carl Jenkinson, but you sense greater experience of the Championship may be required if they’re to seriously improve.

This will be a big test for Bilic, who at West Ham predominantly kept the same defence that he inherited. On that evidence he may well favour an attacking side.

Finding wingers

Well, where do we start with Albion’s lacklustre wingers in 2018/19?

The club’s work to bring in Jacob Murphy and Jefferson Montero in January was quite frankly terrible and they were anything but a success, finding the net just three times as a collective.

Matt Phillips occasionally provided a spark but ended up injured and then played in central midfield. Therefore, is it any surprise that they ended up playing with wing-backs? Arguably not.

Albion netted the second highest number of goals in the division last season, scoring 87 – a tally only topped by champions Norwich.

But it was a lack of creativity in the back end of the season after Harvey Barnes left that cost them considerably.

He was their star man throughout the first half of the term, scoring nine goals and assisting six but failing to replace him was their downfall.

With that in mind, finding players in the transfer market who can beat a man and inject some life into proceedings could be the answer.

Anyone for Oliver Burke?

Replacing Gayle

Next season Albion will be missing Gayle and they could also possibly be without Jay Rodriguez.

Seeing both of them in opposition colours next season would likely have supporters crying in their sleep.

Had it not been for their 46 strikes in the Championship, West Brom would have struggled to reach the play-offs.

Rodriguez hasn’t left yet, though, so there is still hope. Yet, finding someone who can make up for Gayle’s goals is just as important as addressing the defence.

The Newcastle loanee established himself as one of the star strikers in the Championship last term and it’s unlikely to be easy to find someone of a similar ilk.

Watch fans explain why the Football League is better than the Premier League in the video below…

At the end of the day, goals win you football matches, and without Gayle they’ll find life far tougher. That’s especially if they don’t strengthen their creative outlets as well.

Just how much West Brom have to spend this summer is unknown, but if they are to launch another attack on the play-offs and beyond next term, the three areas above will need to be improved.

Bilic certainly has a job on his hands, but with the backing of Luke Dowling and company, there is reason to be optimistic.

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According to The Mirror, Aston Villa have launched a bid to sign Tom Heaton from Burnley after the stopper previously rejected a contract offer from the Clarets.

The Villans have made signing a goalkeeper a top priority this summer having targeted a number throughout he window.

Neil Etheridge, Jack Butland and Alex McCarthy have all been linked but it appears as though Heaton is the one they’re now focusing on.

And sharing their views on Twitter, Villa fans appeared delighted that he could be joining the club.

One supporter labelled him the perfect number one goalkeeper for a side returning to the top-flight, as another said he’d give the Villans competition and quality.

A further supporter remarked how he saw the 33-year-old keep Burnley in a game against Brighton, suggesting that if he signs for Villa then the club were in for a treat. One individual even said it would be a step-up from Jed Steer.

Heaton has become somewhat of a stalwart for Burnley, remaining a reliable presence between the sticks, keeping 25 clean sheets in 96 Premier League games.

The goalkeeper has won three England caps too.

Here’s the best of the debate.

[ad_pod ]According to Alfredo Pedulla, Tottenham could part with €27m (£24.2m) plus Toby Alderweireld in order to land Italian wonderkid Nicolo Zaniolo.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the north London outfit are seemingly keen to land the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, who scored six goals last season including two strikes in the Champions League.

Zaniolo is a 6 foot 3 powerhouse of a player who also possesses real guile and composure, shown by one goal that he scored last term which highlighted his immense talent.

The report states that Spurs are willing to include Alderweireld in the deal, which seems crazy at first given the fact that the Belgium international is a key player.

Before Tanguy Ndombele, Spurs fans haven’t been able to vlog about a transfer since January 2018! Judging by the video below, it’s been worth the wait…

However, the Champions League finalists may be wary of Alderweireld’s £25m release clause being triggered this summer, so by offering him in a player-plus-cash deal, they would at least be getting something extra in return in Zaniolo.

Player-plus-cash deal is a genius move

If Spurs pull this deal off, it would arguably be the smartest transfer move this summer. It would be a real shrewd move, and would display an extremely sustainable method of business.

Alderweireld, as good as he is, will be 31 next March and his market value and potentially his form too will drop with age.

To swap a player nearing his sell-by date for a gem of a footballer who could become one of the stars of the next generation seems like a no-brainer for Tottenham, and it really should be just that.

Spurs have ample cover at centre-back in the shape of Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth, whilst Eric Dier can also play there, so losing Alderweireld wouldn’t hurt too much – the arrival of Zaniolo in exchange would also soften the blow significantly.

They would be getting a player a whole decade younger for a relative snip in the modern market, whilst only losing a player who they will have to replace in a few years anyway.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Ligue 1 side Brest have shown interest in Rangers flop Eros Grezda, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

Brest join fellow French side Dijon in showing an interest in the Albanian winger, say The Scottish Sun. The 24-year-old is a man in demand then, though it’s kind of hard to understand why after last season.

The winger was signed for £2m last summer, but featured just 17 times for the first-team, scoring twice and adding an assist in an underwhelming campaign for the Gers.

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Steven Gerrard is looking to dump five players this summer, with Grezda being joined by Kyle Lafferty, Joe Dodoo, Graham Dorrans and Jason Holt on that unfortunate list.

The gaffer has of course added several wingers to the squad already this summer in the shape of Jake Hastie, Greg Stewart, Jordan Jones and Sheyi Ojo. This improved depth is yet another reason why Grezda’s time is surely up.

Time to move on

Having only started seven times in a side that’s arguably gotten stronger since last term, thanks to those aforementioned signings, it simply must be time for Gerrard to move the winger on.

In Ojo and Jones, they have two wingers ready to go straight into the starting XI, while Hastie and Stewart are both proven in the Scottish Premiership, something Grezda most certainly isn’t.

Thanks to the interest from Dijon and Brest, Rangers have a golden chance to chalk up the transfer as a failure and cash in before his contract runs down and his value declines.

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It might be a small hit to the pride of Gerrard after spending £2m on a man who has turned out to be nothing more than an overpriced flop, but it will also allow more pathways for youngsters like Hastie and Ojo to play and improve.

Selling Grezda makes sense for the player too, as at 24 he should be approaching the prime of his career, not warming the bench for all but seven starts. If an offer does arrive from either of the Ligue 1 sides, the Gers shouldn’t even think twice about it.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking to talkSPORT, former England international Danny Mills has questioned why Gareth Bale would want to join Manchester United this summer amid reports that the forward could be leaving Real Madrid.

What did he say?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Bale could be on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu, and Zinedine Zidane admitted that the club were now looking to move him on.

As speculation intensifies as to where Bale – valued at £54m by Transfermarkt – could be playing next, Mills dismissed claims that United could finally move for their long-term target.

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He said: “People keep saying he’s got to come back to the Premier League and win something here, and then they’re saying he should sign for Manchester United.

“How long is this contract he’s going to sign? Eight years? When are Manchester United going to win the Champions League or Premier League? It’s not going to be within the next three years is it.

“He’s not going to Liverpool or Manchester City, Chelsea can’t sign anybody, he’s certainly not going to go to Tottenham or Arsenal for that sort of money. So he’s left with Manchester United, and they are not going to win something in the next three seasons that is significant enough for Gareth Bale.”

Road to redemption

Whilst it is undeniable that Bale’s recent successes at Madrid will surely have given him the appetite to continue to win trophies over the rest of his career, the fall-out with the La Liga giants could make him completely re-evaluate his situation.

Are trophies the be all and end all for Bale and his legacy? A move to Manchester United would give him the opportunity to return to the league that he took by storm with Spurs, and would allow him the chance to be the ‘leader’ of the side.

For too long, Bale had to live in the shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo, and when the Portuguese star left for Juventus, injuries and other factors contributed to the winger being side-lined from the action.

Zidane’s latest comments that Bale refused to play in a pre-season friendly against Bayern simply adds fuel to the fire that the Wales international is a mercenary.

Joining United would be the first step on his road to redemption and to potentially silencing the doubters, and really stick one to the Madrid hierarchy for seemingly forcing him out of the club.

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This is the seventh instalment in Football FanCast’s Legacies series, which pays tribute to those players and managers who leave a compelling story behind as they move on to pastures new.

Julian Speroni waved an emotional goodbye to Crystal Palace on the final day of the 2018/19 season following a 5-3 win over Bournemouth, ending a 15 year association with the club after signing from Dundee in 2004.

In our latest legacies article, we look at a player who’s about as close as they come to being a one-club man without officially being one. 

An Overview

Speroni arrived at Palace when the side were still in the Premier League, only to play six matches and suffer relegation, so it’s fair to say his first season wasn’t a particularly memorable one.

In fact, he didn’t begin to truly have an impact at Selhurst Park until the 2007/08 season, when he firmly established himself as the club’s number one and started all 46 Championship games.

He was the mainstay between the sticks as the club entered a period of financial doubt, enduring administration in 2010 and having to sell key players like Victor Moses and Jose Fonte.

After a series of off-field dramas, Palace found their feet again under Dougie Freedman before the arrival of Ian Holloway, who managed to guide the side back to the Premier League with a 1-0 win against Watford in the play-off final.

Speroni would then go on to become a Premier League regular for the next two seasons, making 37 appearances in the top flight in his first campaign and 36 in the second.

However, the arrivals of Alex McCarthy, Steve Mandanda, Vicente Guaita have limited Speroni’s opportunities as he’s grown older and he was firmly on the periphery from the summer of 2015 until he eventually left the club.

Stat Breakdown

Speroni made a whopping 402 appearances for Palace, surviving through all the heartache and off-field problems at the club.

He was a vital part of Palace’s rebuild and his 110 clean sheets contributed enormously to that.

Clinching promotion to the top flight represented his greatest achievement in south London, and the closest he came to silverware was in 2016 when Palace lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the FA Cup final – though it’s important to note he was an unused substitute that day.

Memorable Moments

There’ll be a handful of dark memories of his time at Palace that the Argentine keeper will want to forget, but they play a part in what was ultimately a character-building journey full of highs and lows.

A personal highlight will undoubtedly be Palace’s victory against Watford that secured promotion in 2013.

Watford had just overcome Leicester City in the most dramatic of play-off semi-finals, but Palace proved a bridge too far as they climbed into the promised land, an enigmatic footballing sphere they are yet to leave.

Despite some wonderful victories in the Premier League, most notably at home to Chelsea and a dramatic three goal turnaround against title-chasing Liverpool, which later came to be known as “Crystanbul” – clever, right? – the Wembley win will certainly go down as the sweetest moment of Speroni’s career.

What’s his legacy?

Speroni left with Crystal Palace in his heart, something he made very clear to fans in his final speech at Selhurst Park.

His loyalty has been unquestionable, and his dedication and passion unmatched. He’ll be sorely missed.

His legacy will not only be defined by his vital part in taking Palace back to the top flight of English football, but also in the unwavering loyalty that he has demonstrated.

Speroni goes down as a club legend.

Legacy: Legend

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Wolves head into the new Premier League season with added acclaim after qualifying for the Europa League with their seventh-place finish last term.

Nuno Santo’s side have already overcome Northern Ireland outfit Crusaders in the second qualifying round and now face Armenian-based Pyunik over two legs to continue their historic European journey.

However, they mustn’t take their minds off improving on their Premier League exploits last season and that will be so much harder to achieve if they continue to progress in the Europa League.

By the close of the transfer window on Thursday evening, they will have already played their third competitive game of the season and that’s before a ball has even been kicked in the English top-flight.

A result of their progression would be the increased number of matches they will face this upcoming season therefore the 45-year-old could do with strength in depth and Diego Llorente would offer exactly that – and so much more.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to the club according to Mundo Deportivo, via Sport Witness.

On the chalkboard

Llorente is primarily a centre-back for La Liga side Real Sociedad, but he can also play in defensive midfield or at full-back.

He’s described as a player who possesses excellent positioning and strong aerial ability, and it’s his versatile nature which would make him a valuable asset in the West Midlands.

Santo currently has a number of decent options at centre-back, especially with the addition of Jesus Vallejo who has joined the club on loan from Real Madrid. He is surely going to play games otherwise Zinedine Zidane wouldn’t have sent him out to develop.

Wolves’ other ball-playing defender is captain Conor Coady, one of the key focal points of the Portuguese manager’s system. He averaged a passing success rate of 84.3% last season.

Llorente could prove to be a worthwhile alternative to both the aforementioned defenders, especially as more and more games creep into their schedule.

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The club have also been linked to a number of central midfielders who can play slightly deeper if required – Southampton’s Mario Lemina and AC Milan ace Franck Kessie are just two of the names.

Llorente has the ability to play in the very same role, further strengthening his claims.

In terms of defending last season in La Liga, Llorente was rather solid winning an average of 2.8 aerial duels per game which rated a lot higher than Coady’s 0.8 average per game.

He was also better with the ball at his feet, marginally, scoring a passing success rate of 84.8% – 0.5% higher than Coady, which only goes to show he could be a viable alternative.

In addition to that, his average passes per game ranked above Coady (44.4) as well as the two linked midfielders, Lemina (38.6) and Kessie (49.7) at 52.3 per game.

Llorente could be the final home run in a good summer of business for Wolves, helping provide extra quality and depth ahead of what could be a taxing campaign.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Season Debate, Manchester United legend Gary Neville has tipped his former side to win the Premier League before Liverpool.

What did he say?

The Red Devils endured a difficult campaign last year, and finished in sixth place after a miserable run of games towards the end.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side kicked off the new season with an emphatic 4-0 win over rivals Chelsea, and Neville has now insisted the club are “closer than you think” to winning the league.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He said: “What I’m saying is, Liverpool, City, Tottenham, all these clubs have had poor recruitment policies over the last 25 or 30 years at times. So United are going through one at the moment. Eventually they will stumble upon the right recruitment system, the right recruitment people, they’ll get a great manager – hopefully that’s Ole – and they’ll start to win again. That’s going to happen.

“I can guarantee you as clear as day, Manchester United will win again. They’ll probably win the league before Liverpool, in my opinion. And that’s not being disrespectful, they’ll probably win the league before Liverpool. I think they’ll win a league before Liverpool. They’re more ripe, they’re closer than you think and it’s not as bad as you think. That’s always the way it is.”

Getting carried away

It was only after United’s drab draw with already-relegated Huddersfield last season that Neville insisted he liked “nothing” about the team. To go from such a stinging assessment to suggesting the Red Devils will win the title before reigning Champions League holders Liverpool is quite simply absurd.

The former United ace’s comments are the very definition of jumping to conclusions. Yes, the result against Chelsea was impressive, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that it was still the opening game of the league season. A long and difficult campaign awaits Solskjaer’s side, and they could do without lofty predictions from ex-stars.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Celtic have had an attempt to offload Olivier Ntcham to Bordeaux turned down, with the Celts hoping to get rid of their midfielder in this transfer window, according to 20 Minutes.

What’s the story?

The Frenchman has made no secret of his desire to leave Parkhead this summer, but things had been beginning to look up for Ntcham in Glasgow. The central midfielder started the league win over Motherwell and the crushing defeat to Cluj, and it now looks as if the club are actively trying to end his time at Celtic Park.

A Japanese “wizard” better at free-kicks than Ronaldo and Beckham? Find out who in the video below…

Per the report, the Ligue 1 side turned down Celtic’s approach as they’re looking for a more experienced player than the 23-year-old.

Ntcham’s time in Scotland has been tumultuous, starting well after signing from Manchester City, but playing poorly last season after a move to Porto failed to materialise.

The 23-year-old has a Hoops contract until 2022, so it’s somewhat surprising to see the reported figure involved in a potential deal with Bordeaux is a measly €4m (£3.7m).

Celtic simply must hold on

While you can understand why Neil Lennon and the Celtic board may want rid of the wantaway ace, holding off selling him until next summer may be a better plan of action. Ntcham could yet have a big part to play in the club’s fortunes this campaign, so keeping him for the next 12 months would make sense.

We’ve seen Scott Brown look a shell of his former self a few times already this season, so the 23-year-old could take his place in the side more often than he did in the last campaign. Similarly, he could be in for some more game time as a number ten, with Tom Rogic perpetually injured and Ryan Christie only just getting used to his role as a key player in the side.

Watch Celtic Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

If Ntcham were to get a run in the side then there’s no reason why he can’t rediscover his form from his debut season in the Premiership. If this were to happen then you can bet the club will get more than the paltry €4m they want for him next summer.

Keeping the Frenchman is a win-win. Ntcham will have better clubs shopping for his services after another good season, Neil Lennon will get a versatile player who can help cover both the central midfield and number ten positions, and the club will surely be able to scoop up more than the meagre sum currently being reported.

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[ad_pod ]On Tuesday afternoon, Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa revealed that Liam Cooper, Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski were all injury doubts for Wednesday’s Championship clash with Brentford.

Indeed, speaking to the media at his press conference, Bielsa suggested that the trio could miss out, although their absence has not been confirmed.

Cooper and Douglas have started all three of Leeds’ league matches this term whilst Alioski has been used twice off the bench in the second tier.

Bielsa is fully prepared for two of the three to be unavailable, though, revealing that Stuart Dallas will switch to left-back with Jamie Shackleton on the right if Douglas and Alioski are both unable to face the Bees.

The Leeds fans have been on social media offering their views on the update and whilst some are concerned/angry/upset by the injury situation, others are calm due to Bielsa having other options at full-back.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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