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Everton forward Wayne Rooney is reportedly set to join DC United if he can agree personal terms with the MLS club after they secured a deal with the Merseyside outfit, but we at Football FanCast suggested that Newcastle United, who could see Chancel Mbemba revitalised and Jonjo Shelvey walk out if they seal a huge £30m summer deal, should make a surprise last-gasp swoop for the 32-year-old.

The former Manchester United man, who earns £150,000-a-week at Goodison Park according to the Daily Mail, only returned to his boyhood club last summer, but he often struggled to win a place in the starting XI under previous Toffees boss Sam Allardyce.

New manager Marco Silva and director of football Marcel Brands appear to be ready to let the 119-cap former England international go over the course of the next few weeks, and we suggested that the Magpies could bring him to St James’ Park to solve their goalscoring issues.

Despite finishing in an impressive 10th-place in their first season back in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez’s men only netted 39 goals in their 38 top flight fixtures.

Even though he often played in a deeper midfield role during the 2017/18 campaign, Rooney still scored 11 goals in 31 league matches, and with 208 Premier League goals in total during his career he could surely offer something up top for the Toon that the likes of Joselu and Dwight Gayle have shown they can’t on a consistent basis.

We asked Newcastle fans to vote on our poll to see whether they would want their club to make a late swoop for the 32-year-old, but a majority 59% said they wouldn’t.

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Those supporters obviously feel that Rooney is getting on and could no longer make an impact for them, but you get the feeling that he would likely jump at the chance to play in front of the St James’ Park crowd under Benitez.

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Manchester United may have got one over their local rivals Manchester City by swiping Alexis Sanchez from under their noses, but Pep Guardiola’s side have gone a step further on the pitch.

The blue half of Manchester, who hold a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, have made it into the final of the Carabao Cup.

It was a difficult night for City as they took on Bristol City, who knocked out United in the previous rounds, in the second leg of the semi-final at Ashton Gate.

City went into the match with a 2-1 advantage from the first meeting between the two clubs.

In the end, Guardiola’s side progressed 5-3 on aggregate, but it was a n nervy end to the match as Bristol City equalised to make it 2-2 on the night.

The Championship outfit needed one goal to take the tie into extra time, but Kevin De Bruyne stepped up to finish off the contest.

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Even though City have progressed further in the competition than their rivals United, the fans of Jose Mourinho’s team decided to mock the victory on Twitter.

Tottenham appear to be in the midst of a mini-revival under new man Tim Sherwood. Having matched their best away run since the 60’s and boosted their hopes of Champions League qualification in the process, it now seems strange that the managerial question continues to rear its head.

Given their recent Premier League run it perhaps isn’t surprising that many Spurs fans are blinded by optimism. Sherwood was hardly the number one pick after AVB’s dismissal, but many having seen the change in style and ambition are happy to see how this new era pans out. The fact he is English and up and coming is just an added bonus, something which perhaps gives what Spurs are achieving an added shine.

But Sherwood knows this early form will count for nothing if he fails to finish 4th in May. Champions League football is what Levy aims for and what he grades his managers on; already having seen the likes of Jol, Ramos and AVB fall by the wayside because of it; you shouldn’t expect Sherwood to get any leeway.

The 18-month contract seems to have blinded a lot of fans, many thinking that these extra 12 months tagged on the end somehow guarantee his survival. All it means is that Sherwood will get a slightly larger pay cheque should he be removed in the upcoming summer, a bit of financial security for the Englishman.

Sherwood’s appointment does come as a bit of a U-turn for Spurs, having previously favoured experienced and usually continental coaches. Redknapp’s sacking was as much a clash of ideologies as it was a frustration with results, and for Levy to suddenly revisit this style of management you have to think that there was no one else available.

It isn’t that I have it in for Sherwood; in fact I hope he succeeds, but the reality is that his appointment just doesn’t stack up. An illuminating interview with Sky last evening with Dutch boss Van Gaal was pretty enlightening in this regard. As for whether he was considered for the Spurs job, Van Gaal was happy to confirm the approach:

“Everybody knows it so I can admit it,” he added. “I don’t do things in a double function (holding two jobs at the same time).”

“You have to give an example to your players that they have to focus on the national team and that is my ambition also.”

“I have refused (the Tottenham job) but maybe there will come another chance. That is the difficulty with coaching. When you are free, then maybe there are no vacancies. When you are working, then there are vacancies. It is always difficult.”

“After the World Cup I shall retire or, if there is a Premier League club, I shall think about it.”

The 62 year old very much fits the billing for Spurs; extremely experienced and well known for playing an exciting brand of football and being successful with it. Many regard his Champions League winning Ajax side as one of the best ever and certainly one of the more entertaining. He has experience of our game at this highest level managing both Barcelona and Bayern Munich in what has been an illustrious career to date; a tilt at the Premier League is certainly missing from his repertoire.

The headlines may read that van Gaal rejected Spurs, but from his interview you get the impression his hands are very much tied by his international responsibilities. Ask him again come August and I am sure you will get a very different response.

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The fact Levy even asked him suggests he was a preference over Sherwood and that the Englishman is really nothing more than a stopgap. The Spurs Chairman would feel he has all bases covered here; if Sherwood’s successful great and if not he has an experienced ready made replacement waiting for him in the summer.

Maybe the cynicism when it comes to Levy has gone too far, but for me failure to achieve Champions League this term would make van Gaal an option not to be turned down easily.

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Manchester United star Darren Fletcher has insisted that he never thought his football career was over even after he missed ten months with a chronic bowel problem.

The 28-year-old was forced to take nearly a year out of the game and rumours spread that was going to be forced to retire because of the illness. However it was just speculation and instead, back fit, Fletcher captained Scotland during their 2-1 defeat to Wales last night.

He told Sky Sports that he is delighted to be back playing for both club and country: “I didn’t doubt that I would play again,” he said. “I always felt I would be back. I think I needed to have that kind of attitude.

“There were other people who doubted it but, for me, to be here I always needed to believe.

“I couldn’t let myself think I might not make it. I always told myself I’d be back one day and fortunately that’s the case. But it’s not been plain sailing along the way by any stretch of the imagination.

However, Fletcher has admitted that he faces a battle for every day of his life to prevent his chronic bowel problem returning and that he’ll never reach 100% of his previous fitness again which could be an issue in the Premier League.

“The doctors just needed to find out if not playing would make me healthier,” he said. “Then I would have been left with a decision to make. Do I want to play football or do I want to live a healthy life?

“But deep down I was always confident it wasn’t going to end that way. I always felt we would find a medication that would work. I just had to stay positive even though many people, maybe even the doctors, didn’t think I’d ever be back.

“The condition never goes away and that’s the thing I have to live with. Every day is a battle for me. I have to watch my diet and take certain medication or it could come back.

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“I’m never going to be 100% and that’s something I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life. But the position I’m in now, compared to where I was? I’d gladly accept being like this for the rest of my life. It’s not ideal, but it’s manageable.”

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho reportedly has a transfer budget of £200m in this summer’s window.

The Red Devils finished second in the Premier League last season, but they exited the Champions League in the round of 16, and finished the campaign without a trophy due to their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

It is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the 20-time English champions, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Alderweireld, Shakhtar Donetsk’s Fred and Juventus’ Alex Sandro all believed to be leading targets for United.

One player that has previously been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford is Spanish midfielder Thiago, who is valued at £54m by transfermarkt.co.uk.

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The 27-year-old’s future at Bayern Munich is currently being called into question, and it has been suggested that the Spaniard could well leave the Allianz Arena this summer.

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There are currently no suggestions that Thiago is on United’s current transfer list, but the club’s supporters, who have also been commenting on reported interest in Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, are absolutely desperate for the deal to go through this summer.

A selection of the Twitter reaction regarding Thiago’s future can be seen below:

After selling Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, Liverpool could soon lose another member of their midfield in the form of Emre Can. The German international’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and there is certainly interest in his services, with Sky Sports – via Sky in Italy – recently reporting that he’d reached an agreement in principle to join Juventus on a free transfer in the summer.

The Liverpool Echo claim the powerful midfielder is yet to make a final decision on his future, however, hinting there’s still time to convince Can to stay on at Anfield. So, how should the Reds handle the situation? Football FanCast take a look at three suggested solutions…

Solution A – Sell now and spend the money on bringing in Naby Keita

Naby Keita is due to join Liverpool in the summer but the big-money Coutinho sale has lead to rumours of him arriving on Merseyside six months early at extra cost on the Reds’ part. While Jurgen Klopp’s side could probably hold out until the summer without bringing in the Red Bull Leipzig star to help fill Coutinho’s void, selling Can now would mean Liverpool receive a transfer fee for the German but also leave an even bigger gap in the squad – one that Keita is naturally equipped to fill as a fellow box-to-box midfielder.

The Reds would still have to pay £17million, however, which is likely less than they’d receive for Can, essentially to acquire the services of a player they’ve already signed once.

Solution B – Offer Can a huge contract

Liverpool have kept it incredibly tight in terms of wages under FSG, but that’s exactly why exciting talents like Can are looking elsewhere rather than aiming to continue their development at Anfield. And let’s not forget what a promising prospect Can is.

He’s an incredibly versatile and athletic player who is always brave on the ball, and has already won a BBC Goal of the Season award and established himself as a regular Germany international at the age of just 23.

Although some may argue Can isn’t the finished article, he’s not far off either and it’s incredibly telling that Juventus, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, are desperate to sign him – while Bayern Munich and Manchester City are said to have been interested as well.

If Liverpool offer Can a contract worthy of that status, he’ll surely elect to stay on at Anfield where he’ll have the freedom to further develop his game rather than seek pastures new.

Solution C – Let Can’s contract wind down and plan for his replacement

While letting Can leave this month rather than the summer may make financial sense for Liverpool, the actual influx from selling will likely be marginal – probably a fee somewhere between £5million and £10million.

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For the sake of continuity, Liverpool might well be better off keeping Can until the end of the season, even if they know he will move on, to avoid further disruptions to the squad after parting with Coutinho and give themselves a full half-season to run the rule over potential Can replacements.

After all, money isn’t everything and if Liverpool can’t replace the German this month, there will be a big gap left in the squad for the business end of the campaign. A few injuries in midfield and that could cost them dearly.

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Frank de Boer is a popular name in European football. He was part of what could be described as a golden era for Dutch football, being a member of the Ajax team who won the European Cup in 1995 and then finding success with Barcelona and the Netherlands national team.

De Boer’s appointment as manager of Ajax back in 2010 has proven to be a turning point for the club. Not only had they not tasted title success for the seven seasons prior to his arrival, but there were questions being asked of the brand of football on display at the Amsterdam Arena. Fans no longer identified with the product on the pitch.

De Boer immediately brought success back to the capital as well as the style of football that is so regularly associated with that part of the world. The club have competed in the Champions League in back-to-back seasons, beating Barcelona this season and finding themselves desperately unlucky not to qualify out of a group that featured a distinctly poor Milan side.

But is he the right choice for Tottenham, who are in the market for a replacement for Andre Villas-Boas? De Boer is like Jurgen Klopp – immediately a favourite any time a decent-to-good job becomes available. From the off, the Dutchman looks to be the right candidate for Spurs; he adheres to the type of football fans want to see at White Hart Lane. But it’s never as simple as that.

Managers like de Boer, Klopp and even Villas-Boas are about the long term. Yes, Ajax have won the Eredivisie title three seasons in a row now, but de Boer has made it absolutely clear that his work at the club is far from over. Conversely, managers like Guus Hiddink and Louis van Gaal, the older heads in European football, are much more capable of bringing instant results, something which Daniel Levy evidently wants to see after Tottenham’s most recent summer.

There is an expectancy about managers like de Boer; they’re the hipsters’ favourite, characters who can be described as advocating forward-thinking football. Fundamentally, it’s about matching up with or at least running on the same track as some of the leading clubs on the continent.

But Tottenham’s pursuit of de Boer seems futile and unrealistic. He’s already turned down Liverpool and Inter Milan in the recent past. He has a connection with Ajax obviously, but he also has a responsibility to the club. Why would he, such an important name in European football, leave his post midway through a season, especially for a club who will offer him no guarantees for long-term stability?

Tottenham don’t need another project, otherwise they would have kept faith with Villas-Boas. Daniel Levy should be pursuing a manager who can come in a right the ship with immediate effect. Ironically, someone like Harry Redknapp.

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The other important point to make about de Boer is his connection with Barcelona. Tata Martino isn’t having the most comfortable of spells in Catalonia, despite topping the La Liga table and emerging from their Champions League group as winners. There is a good chance Martino will be moved on at the end of the season, regardless of trophies, and de Boer may just decide to hold out for that job. But even with a possible opportunity to end up at the Camp Nou, we can infer from de Boer that he intends to stay at Ajax for the long haul.

The Borussia Dortmund Chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, challenged the spending of Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City, prior to the 1-1 meeting between the two sides last night.

He went on to mention that clubs who receive lucrative sponsorship deals, just as City have done with Etihad, should be thrown out of the Champions League.

Manchester City signed a 10 year deal with the sponsor for £350 million pounds and Watzke was not afraid to suggest that this constituted ‘back door funding’ reports the Daily Mail.

The Bundesliga champions’ chief executive is all too aware that he does not have anywhere near as much income as last night’s opponents with 51% of the club owned by the supporters.

He made further calls for UEFA to crack down on what is deemed to be overspending in the wake of new financial fair play rules.

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The penalty for not complying with these rules could mean expulsion from the Champions League.

There could be an all out war to sign Watford winger Richarlison this summer, and West Ham should be at the front of the queue for the Brazilian.

What’s the story?

Everton have become the latest club to be linked with a move for Richarlison, with the youngster seemingly unhappy with life at Vicarage Road.

The 21 year-old had an incredible start to his Premier League career, grabbing five goals and four assists before Christmas, but is now in desperate need of a fresh start.

Pellegrini’s 4-4-2 formation could be the perfect fit for the hard-working winger, and West Ham should rival anyone who pursues the crafty Brazilian this summer.

Perfect for Pellegrini?

Richarlison was the name on everyone’s lips shortly before Christmas, as the young Brazilian was in red-hot form for Marco Silva’s Watford.

The departure of Silva killed the youngster’s form though, and it is perhaps no surprise that he is being linked with a revival elsewhere.

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Manuel Pellegrini will have wanted reassurances about what he can spend this summer before joining West Ham, and Richarlison could be the perfect starting point for the veteran manager.

The tricky winger could operate on the left of Pellegrini’s favoured 4-4-2, which often turns into more of a 4-2-2-2, where his tireless work rate would be just as essential as his dazzling skill.

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Richarlison averaged 1.2 dribbles and 2.5 shots per game this season, which shows the youngster is still desperate to make things happen even when his form fell off a cliff. Mentality and attitude is half the battle with young players, and Richarlison’s is spot on.

His defensive work is what sets him apart from other wingers of his ilk though, winning an incredible 3.2 aerial duels per game, and also averaging 1.7 tackles per game, making him a perfect fit for Pellegrini.

So, West Ham fans, would you back a summer swoop for Richarlison this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

As reported by France Football, Everton are interested in signing Angers striker Karl Toko Ekambi this January.

What’s the story?

Everton are scoring less Premier League goals this season than the teams around them in the table and signing a goalscoring forward to replace Romelu Lukaku should be seen as a big priority for Sam Allardyce when the transfer window opens in a few days time.

One player the Toffees are reportedly taking an interest in is Cameroon international Karl Toko Ekambi, currently at Ligue 1 side Angers.

That’s according to France Football, who say the Goodison Park club are competing with the likes of Crystal Palace and Burnley for his signature in January.

The interest comes after the striker rejected the chance to move to Brighton last summer despite a significant pay increase, say the outlet.

Who is he?

French club Angers are struggling in Ligue 1 this season, currently locked in a relegation battle in 19th position of a 20 team top-flight.

The only thing keeping them afloat right now seems to be the contribution of Karl Toko Ekambi, whose direct goal contribution makes up more than half of their 21 league goal haul.

He’s scored nine and assisted three more in 18 appearances for the club, highlighting he could have what it takes to make a Premier League splash should he make the move to England and surround himself with more talented teammates.

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With the ability to play through the middle and on both wings, he could be a versatile option for Everton and certainly knows his way to goal, making him an attractive proposition mid-season to give their attack a significant boost.

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