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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former England international Carlton Palmer has claimed that one Wolves man has “really surprised” in recent years.

The Midlands outfit have established themselves amongst the elite in the Premier League already since their promotion from the Championship in 2018, finishing in seventh place in back-to-back campaigns.

They also enjoyed a run to the Europa League quarter-finals where they lost to eventual winners, Sevilla.

And the ex-West Brom and Leeds United midfielder believes it’s all down to Old Gold manager Nuno Santo.

He told FFC:

“The one that I would say has really surprised me is the manager of Wolves.”I think he’s built a terrific team. I know that in the Championship he had an awful lot of money to spend. I come back to having the tools to do the job. They’ve given him the tools to do the job, and he’s delivered.”He’s also delivered in the Premier League.”

Once again, the Molineux side are in the hunt for a place in Europe once again as they find themselves sat in ninth place, ahead of Man City and Arsenal, after the opening eight league matches.

Nuno has steered his side to four wins, one draw and three defeats but are the lowest scorers inside the top ten.

The Athletic’s Tim Spiers echoed these thoughts on his podcast, ‘The Molineux View’ back in August, as he claimed the Portuguese boss had done “special things” with this group of players, adding that it had been an “unbelievable” miracle.

The 46-year-old was appointed in May 2017, his fourth managerial job of his career having held a similar position at Rio Ave, Valencia and Porto, the club at which he was twice a goalkeeper.

Although not everyone has been a fan of the Wolf Pack leader, former Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock described him as a “total disgrace” who showed a “lack of class” in one foul-mouthed rant back in 2018.

Either way, Nuno has been Wolves’ best manager in a very long time, recording a win percentage of 51.8%.

AND in other news, Nuno disasterclass: Wolves missed perfect creative solution in £25m “fantastic talent”…

Tottenham are reportedly leading the race to sign Atalanta defender Timothy Castagne this summer.

That’s according to Belgian newspaper HLN, as per @TheSpursExpress, who claim that Castagne will decide his future after their Champions League campaign comes to an end.

He has attracted attention from a number of European clubs, including Italian giants Napoli and Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, but it is understood that he prefers a move to the Premier League, amid interest from Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

However, Castagne wants to play in the top half of the table, which has put Spurs in pole position to sign him in the summer.

The Lilywhites have been linked with the seven-cap Belgium international for several months but the Nerazzurri will not let him leave for anything less than €20m (£18m).

Kyle Walker-Peters has already left Spurs for Southampton for a reported fee worth £12m, while Danny Rose also seems destined for the Tottenham exit door.

With Serge Aurier potentially on his way out as well, this would leave Jose Mourinho desperately short of options at right-back.

Castagne has impressed for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side this season, scoring one goal and supplying two assists in Serie A last term and winning 1.1 tackles per game (via WhoScored). Atalanta are still prepared to let him go if they receive the right offer in the transfer window.

Spurs seem determined to sign the Belgian defender as his contract will run out in 12 months time.

Not only is he excellent going forward, he has also shown that he can hold onto the ball with no significant weaknesses, whereas Aurier is prone to lapses in concentration. If Daniel Levy can sign him for something close to the quoted fee, Castagne could turn out to be an absolute bargain.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Castagne in the summer? Let us know your views in the comments below!

It is really difficult to find a weak spot in the well-oiled machine that are Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. But even the reigning Premier League champions need to refresh their squad to stay at the top.

Of course, this is easier said than done in the current climate but often, the best time to revamp and try to improve is when you are at the top. The Reds will surely need to innovate if they are to continue their dominance.

At least that’s what Manchester United icon Gary Neville thinks. The pundit discussed Liverpool’s situation for Sky Sports and touched upon their chase of Bayern Munich’s star midfielder, Thiago Alcantara.

Here’s what he had to say, as quoted by Goal: “It wouldn’t be ridiculous to suggest there will be a slight drop-off, if they don’t somehow stimulate that squad by doing something to give them that lift again.

“Thiago would be the big one. He is world-class and would give them a world-class presence in an area of the field where they don’t have one. Liverpool are not perfect. They have a world-class goalkeeper, centre-back and strikers. They have really good midfield players with good work ethic but with Thiago would be another step. He would control the game with that weight of pass, that nous.”

Klopp has been after Thiago for quite some time now but money, as usual, is the problem. Even though the midfielder is slowly but surely running out of contract, Bayern still want a formidable sum the Reds are unwilling to pay.

Neville, however, believes they really should invest in the Spaniard.

Verdict

It has to be said that Neville does have a point. If Liverpool are to continue playing at such a high level, they will have to reinforce the squad and keep pushing.

Last season was incredible, to say the least, but there’s no guarantee the next one will follow suit.

An Inside Arabia journalist has revealed what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has said about his attempt to take over Newcastle United.

As per the writer, MBS is looking for an affordable deal in a time of economic downturn following the global pandemic outbreak, as his Public Investment Fund (PIF) have already agreed a £300 million price with Mike Ashley.

He has also apparently looked at the opportunity to buy Manchester United, but has decided that the Magpies are the club that he would like to purchase, as he thinks that the takeover of the Tyneside club would be more feasible and easier to push through.

However, the bid has been delayed by various obstacles in recent weeks that has meant that the whole process has been delayed, complicated further by Project Restart.

The Premier League are yet to decide as to whether they will approve of the prospective takeover, as they have insisted that the buying side must pass their Owners’ and Directors’ Test (ODT) in order to have any chance of approving the bid.

Yet they have arguably been too busy making sure that the top flight has been resuming smoothly and so have not been able to deal with the takeover, partly causing the delay.

There have also been various oppositions to the bid, but the members of the Toon faithful will be hoping that they are brushed aside.

Nevertheless, MBS seems to believe that a deal could be pushed through, but only time will tell.

Geordies, will MBS be the new owner of NUFC? Comment below!

Chelsea are waiting to pounce with a huge offer for goalkeeper Dean Henderson should talks with Manchester United not go his way.

The Blues are currently on the hunt for a new goalkeeper after record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga has fallen short of standard this season. One man named on Frank Lampard’s wish list is Henderson and, according to The Mirror, Chelsea are ready to table a very handsome offer.

The report states that the 23-year-old is eager to play for Man United but will be looking elsewhere if David de Gea proves to be unmovable in goal.

Henderson will return to Old Trafford after enjoying a second season on loan with Sheffield United. His contributions in the net have helped the Blades finish inside the top 10 in their first spell back in the top flight since 2007. He has definitely proven he can handle the Premier League, but a decision now weighs heavily on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shoulders.

De Gea hasn’t long signed a new deal, meaning the likelihood of him being dropped is quite far off. However, Henderson’s performances cannot be ignored and, if agreements can’t be met, his time in Manchester could be up.

Chelsea are willing to offer United £55m for the Englishman in hopes to lure in their replacement for Kepa. They have also prepared a contract worth £170,000 per week, which will see Henderson become the club’s top earner (via Spotrac).

The Blues are desperate for a new number onein goal, with Kepa’s stats proving to be extremely underwhelming for a side that has just finished fourth in the table. According to Sky Sports, the Spaniard has the lowest save percentage out of every other goalkeeper to play a minimum of 20 games this season.

Henderson, despite currently being valued at only £13m, kept the third most clean sheets this campaign with 13 and made a total of 97 saves. Kepa, on the other hand, managed just eight clean sheets and made only 55 saves (via Premier League).

Man United run a very real risk of losing Henderson this summer unless they can give him what he wants. Meanwhile, Chelsea will continue to circle until their window of opportunity arises.

Should Chelsea sign Dean Henderson as Kepa’s replacement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

It seems that Chris Smalling’s loan spell at Roma has done him a world of good.

Ever since he swapped England for Italy, the 30-year-old centre-back has found his long-lost groove.

Now, he’s Roma’s best performer in the 2019/20 campaign with a rating of 7.48 according to Whoscored. Not only that, but he’s managed to bag two goals and one assist during the ongoing season.

His defensive record is sound as well since he is averaging one tackle, 1.9 interceptions and 4.5 aerials won per game for the Gladiators, which are impressive figures for the now reformed Manchester United outcast.

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And those performances have now caught the eye of some other clubs such as Juventus and Inter Milan, as per some new reports coming from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Metro).

Manchester United are hoping to acquire £18m for their loanee.

And while there are certainly cases to be made for both Inter and Roma getting a hold of the player, Juventus should stay as far away from him as possible.

The Bianconeri already have two veteran centre-backs in the form of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, both of whom are on the wrong side of their 30s, and three talented young players with Matthijs de Ligt, Daniele Rugani and Merih Demiral.

It’s sacking season in the Premier League! Quickfire questions on infamous top flight dismissals…

By all accounts, adding in another 30-year-old into the mix would do them absolutely no good, especially considering that he would potentially take away valuable minutes from the players who need it more than him.

There’s no denying that Smalling has been pretty good so far – the numbers are proof enough – but if there’s one area Maurizio Sarri shouldn’t really tamper with too much, then it’s the centre of his defence.

Be that as it may, it seems that with all of those teams fighting to land his signature, the club that will prosper from it no matter what is actually Manchester United.

How ever we turn it, they are the ones who could cash in on the player they sent away in the first place.

We’ll have to wait and see who comes out on top in this transfer saga.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund are taking the wrong stance with their star who’s being targeted by Manchester United themselves…

Manchester United are ‘already negotiating’ a deal for Thiago Almada as they look to steal a move in the summer, according to fichajes.net.

Almada has caught the eye of a number of European giants, including Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City (TEAMtalk). However, United have made the first move as the club look to beat their competitors to his signature.

Fichajes.net reported that he has a release cause of €22m, which equates to £20m, and this is set to run out in a matter of weeks. Football reporter Hector Andreu claims that the youngster is “ready to make the big leap to Europe” despite his young age.

Indeed, the 19-year-old has impressed for Velez Sarsfield in the Superliga this season, scoring four goals for Mauricio Pellegrino’s side, taking 1.2 shots per game, averaging 1.3 key passes and successfully completing 1.7 dribbles on average (via WhoScored).

Moreover, the board are adamant that Jadon Sancho remains a top priority, and this could benefit Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s attempts to bring the Englishman to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have moved to gain a head start over their closest rivals and the decision could pay off, as they may not have to pay a bigger transfer sum in the future.

It is worth highlighting the fact that Sancho is valued at a whopping £105.3m and Almada is priced at just £16m via Transfermarkt.

If his clause expires, United would then be able to use the leftover cash set aside to go towards a bid for the Borussia Dortmund star as well.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward should sign Thiago Almada in the upcoming window? Let us know down below!

Even though it has been a long while since Tottenham Hotspur last won a trophy, there have still been many quality players passing through their ranks in the past decade.

Of course, some of those players, like Harry Kane or Christian Eriksen, are still at the club, at least for the very moment, but some, like Luka Modric or Gareth Bale, are long gone.

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Still, that didn’t stop The Athletic from trying to build their own Tottenham Hotspur team of the decade, ranging from 2010 until today.

And it seems that many Spurs fans were actually delighted with that squad with some of them pointing out that this is truly a terrific team that would no doubt do well on the pitch.

The lineup included some of the current players as well as some that have already moved on.

You can see the reaction the team prompted from many Spurs fans down in the collection of tweets below.

Check them out…

Meanwhile, many Spurs fans were also extremely happy after hearing that Jose Mourinho is looking to bring one special man to the club…

Even though we are only in December, and therefore not even halfway through the season, it is somewhat surprising that we are already hearing about kits for next season.

But that is the case in regards to Liverpool. There has been a leak in the last few days in regards to their third kit for the 2020/21 campaign, which is said to be created by Nike. So far, it looks as though it will be with black squares in different shades, with a fair dose of pink as well.

It certainly seems to have got the fans talking, and they seem to be torn on the new design. Some fans absolutely love it.

Indeed, at least Nike have tried to do something different by adding in some different colours, even if it is a kit that is unlikely to be worn too often.

For every fans that likes it, though, there is one that doesn’t. Some of the club’s supporters have been scathing, and they haven’t held back in their criticism of it.

It is not too much a surprise to see the fans dislike it, as it is a new design and a new colour that they aren’t used to. Having said that, maybe they should be more open to change: nothing stays the same forever.

That seems to be what some fans would like. New Balance are currently the kit manufacturers, and portions of the fanbase have taken this as a chance to praise the US company.

Whether the fans like it or not, it makes sense for the Merseyside club to pursue a deal with Nike. The fee they will receive per season is said to be lower than what they are getting with their current partnership, but there is plenty of hope that they will receive a lot more over the course of the deal.

This, of course, is all in the future. For now, Liverpool fans should be enjoying the current season, as they lead the Premier League table by eight points.

Tottenham Hotspur fans want the club to sign Andre Onana from Ajax.The Sun claimed recently that the goalkeeper has been identified as a possible successor to Hugo Lloris, with a £35m swoop in January mooted.Lloris, of course, is currently injured and ruled out until 2020, and Paulo Gazzaniga has been deputising for the World Cup winner.Onana played against Spurs last season in the Champions League as the two played out a dramatic two-legged semi-final, which Mauricio Pochettino’s team won.The 23-year-old is a Cameroon international and impressed during his side’s 4-4 draw with Chelsea on Tuesday evening.

While Onana conceded four, he made a brilliant late save to deny Michy Batshuayi late on, one of five stops throughout the 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge, per WhoScored.

And fans were impressed by his display, with many calling on the club to bring him in during a future transfer window.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!