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

There’s no place like home.

Although it’s not quite home, but it’s certainly somewhere he’s comfortable with. That’s the situation facing Leicester City defender Filip Benkovic as he goes on the search for more first-team football.

What’s the story?

According to a report from Football Insider, Benkovic would be open to leaving the King Power Stadium in the January transfer window and returning to Celtic.

Benkovic signed for the Foxes back in the summer of 2018 before being sent out on loan to the Scottish Champions on deadline day last season whilst Brendan Rodgers was still in charge at Celtic Park.

In Scotland, the Croatian made 27 appearances for them in all competitions (via Transfermarkt) as the Bhoys went on to win the domestic treble.

Check out the best fan reaction from Southampton 0-9 Leicester in the video below…

Leaving them short-handed

If Benkovic wants to leave they should let him, it’s never nice to have someone disgruntled in the squad who isn’t 100% committed to the cause.

But before they do they need to get some things in order first.

If they were to allow him to depart in January they would be taking a severe risk.

If you look at the makeup of the Leicester City squad at the moment, they only have four senior centre-backs on their books at the moment in the form of Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu, captain Wes Morgan and the aforementioned Benkovic. Going through the rest of the season with just three, therefore, would be seriously unwise.

The report does later state that Rodgers would be happy to let him leave on loan, so he must surely be making arrangements.

One option for Rodgers would be dipping his toes into the academy, one that has started to produce some fine talent at Leicester already.

In recent years, Harvey Barnes, Ben Chilwell and Hamza Choudhury have all come through but the Northern Irishman might also choose to find a replacement from outside the club – either way, that would come at a cost and you might be unlikely to find someone that’s willing to play second fiddle.

Rodgers clearly likes him, as he was the one who took him to Celtic Park in the first place, but he just can’t seem to get ahead of Evans and Soyuncu at the moment.

With their contracts not running out until 2021 and 2023 respectively (via Transfermarkt) he’ll either have to wait for them to run out or either to suffer a serious injury before he can get some minutes.

Liverpool fans are drooling over a clip of the goal they scored in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last season.

11 millimetres. That’s all that stood between Liverpool and a flawless Premier League winning season.

Despite the defeat at the Etihad that effectively lost them the title though, fans are still in awe of the goal they scored that evening.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Indeed, it was a game full of quality and intensity, and the Reds’ equalising strike from Roberto Firmino was certainly one of the finer moments of their 2018/19 season.

Trailing 1-0, Jurgen Klopp’s side sprayed the ball about with the freedom of Manchester, with Pep Guardiola’s side barely even getting close to the ball.

The swift passing move eventually found its way out to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who drilled a perfect left-footed ball to Andy Robertson at the back post, who then lobbed it over the remaining City defenders for Firmino to stoop and head home.

Considering Guardiola’s sides are known for scoring this exact kind of goal against their opponents, Reds fans are gushing over the stunning team move, as you can see in the Twitter reactions down below…

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…

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie Redknapp has written in his latest Daily Mail column that current Spurs man Dele Alli should have “a swagger about him” in training on Monday following his goalscoring exploits at the weekend.

What did he say?

Well, the 23-year-old rescued a point for Spurs at home to bottom-of-the-table Watford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, as the north London outfit avoided another embarrassing defeat.

Alli had only played 30 minutes of Premier League football this term prior to the clash against the Hornets when he was named in the starting XI by Mauricio Pochettino, and he repaid the Argentine’s faith by getting on the score-sheet late on.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Redknapp was clearly impressed with what he saw from Alli, writing in The Daily Mail: ‘Dele Alli does not turn 24 years old for another six months, yet this kid is already ahead of the rest when you think of those who graced England’s midfield before him.

‘Frank Lampard, for example, played 185 Premier League games before turning 24. In those, he managed 43 goals or assists. Steven Gerrard played 170 and got to 47. David Beckham played in 140 and got to 65. All great players, all big names.

‘Too many have been quick to judge Alli and I hope Saturday can be the start of him showing us what he is all about.

‘He should be walking into Tottenham’s training ground on Monday morning with a swagger about him, feeling ready to get to work.’

An important moment for Alli

Injuries and not being able to rediscover the form he has shown in the final third for Tottenham previously have really affected the England international over the course of the last 18 months or so, with his goals and assists record last season particularly disappointing considering what came before – 14 goals and 17 assists in 2017/18, for example.

The fact the 23-year-old started and scored an important goal could easily be a turning point for the former MK Dons man though, as Redknapp says, and it also comes on the back of him taking action off the pitch in terms of changing his diet and doing less commercial work.

Alli will hope to build upon that goal on Saturday against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday if he is given the nod for the Champions League tie, and boy could Spurs and Pochettino do with having the confident player that has been so influential for them in the past back now with confidence still clearly low in north London.

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One of England’s heroes of the World Cup campaign back in Russia in 2018, Jordan Pickford hasn’t exactly enjoyed the greatest of times since.

In the Premier League last season, the 25-year-old made four errors directly leading to a goal – almost half the total he has made in his entire time in the top-flight (9).

One of those mistakes, of course, was the last-minute howler at Anfield, which gifted Merseyside rivals Liverpool all three points in a dramatic derby clash.

Whilst not as harrowing as the Liverpool gaffe, Pickford was at it again in the game against Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.

After seeing his side trail to a Yerry Mina own goal, the England international got nutmegged by Lys Mousset with ten minutes to go, before seeing the Blades forward finish home from a tight angle.

Having seen Pickford’s latest mistake, Everton fans took to Twitter to slam their side’s number one goalkeeper.

Many supporters of the Merseyside club questioned the 25-year-old’s decision-making, with one fan, in particular, labelling him as “petrified” for the game’s second goal.

Check out some of the reaction of Everton fans below:

Adama Traore scored twice as Wolverhampton Wanderers recorded an incredible 2-0 victory at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The 23-year-old netted his first of the match in the 80th minute before registering another deep into stoppage time to secure an incredible three points.

The result could be seriously damaging for City when it comes to the Premier League title race, but Wolves were in need of the points for their own after a tough start to the campaign – winning just twice in the league thus far.

Traore had managed just one goal in 49 appearances for Wolves ahead of Sunday’s clash at the Etihad Stadium.

And it would be fair to say that the former Barcelona youngster has found it difficult to make his mark since arriving at the club.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The powerful attacker will always remember what happened away to the champions at the weekend, though, and the Wolves fans have been out in their numbers to hail the 5 ft 10 ace.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Aston Villa made it back-to-back losses after they were beaten 2-0 by rivals West Brom at Villa Park over the weekend.

Defeat to Darren Moore’s side comes straight after a 1-0 loss to Brentford, leaving Aston Villa’s promotion dream in tatters.

Amid this current bad period, though, the club could be about to be given a huge boost.

The Breakdown

Attacking midfielder Jack Grealish looks to be closing in on a return from an injury that has kept him out of action since December with his manager Dean Smith optimistic he could be available for the upcoming Stoke City clash.

“I’m hoping Jack may be available for the bench at Stoke. He is working on his fitness side at the moment,” Smith was quoted as saying by Express and Star. “He is in no pain but I will be guided by the medical staff.”

Following Smith’s appointment as Steve Bruce’s successor in the Villa Park dugout, Grealish was one of the players who had really gone up another level under his new manager, putting in some very creative performances.

The 23-year-old’s absence has undoubtedly weakened this Villa side and, ultimately, hampered their chances of promotion.

His return, nevertheless, could still be massive as the Villans look to get a run together, while that last play-off spot is not completely out of sight just yet.

[ad_pod ]Gary Neville, Manchester United legend, diabolical manager.It’s been a while since the Sky Sports pundit made his first dive into management, and we think it’s safe to say it’ll be even longer before he ever considers making the same mistake again.Indeed, Peter Lim’s decision to appoint his close friend, Neville, as Valencia boss in 2015 was many things, but successful certainly wasn’t one of them.Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It was a prime example of nepotism gone wrong. It was a miscalculation of mammoth proportions. It was fast-tracking a hugely inexperienced, non-Spanish speaking managerial newbie into the boiling cauldron that is the Mestalla Stadium.

It was a complete and utter disaster from start to finish (just three wins in 16 games bad), barring an initially promising, but ultimately fruitless, run in the Copa Del Rey that eventually saw them hammered 7-0 by Barcelona.

It was every fan’s worst nightmare and a gamble that went horribly wrong.

If Neville’s latest Twitter Q & A is anything to go by, he’s clearly under no illusions about how odd it was the day he was asked to sign a contract for Los Ches…

When being asked if he would ever take up the opportunity to manage his beloved United, his answer was pretty clear-cut as well, and also hilarious…

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Frank Lampard has made the best first impression he possibly could at Goodison Park on Saturday leading his Everton side out in a convincing 4-1 win, in the team’s highest-scoring victory of the season so far.

If we take one thing away from Lampard’s approach to setting up his first Everton side, it’s the higher pressing 3-4-3 formation and overwhelmingly offensive play that made the difference in the players, and with that being said, it would be no surprise if the ex-Chelsea boss will want to further strengthen that strategy by adding players in the summer who understand his philosophy.

One player who has been linked to a move to the Toffees in the coming months is Armando Broja, with the Chelsea loanee becoming a hot prospect thanks to his performances for Southampton this season, scoring five top-flight goals.

However, Lampard could have the upper hand on any other club looking to sign the £8.1m-rated star who was hailed “dangerous” by current manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, thanks to their relationship at Chelsea.

Ironically, the 43-year-old Toffees manager gave Broja his senior debut in the Premier League in 2020 against Everton, and with the advantage of working together before, the former midfielder’s appointment has now potentially strengthened the Toffees’ chances of securing his signature in the summer.

Transfer insider, Dean Jones, has also weighed in on the potential move for Broja to work with the midfielder turned manager again, telling GIVEMESPORT:

“Broja, there’s no way Lampard doesn’t come into that conversation straight away. He knows him, think he gave him his debut. If he was genuinely available, Lampard would look in his direction.”

Imagine him & Alli

Despite Everton already having a strong attacking force with the likes of Richarlison, Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a huge presence in the team, the potential signing of Broja could be something explored if the club did decide to cash in on Calvert-Lewin this summer, as the 29-year-old forward has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for months.

Lampard wasted no time strengthening the creative attributes of the team by signing Dele Alli on Deadline Day, and will surely be hoping to find the perfect match to work with the attacking midfielder in the long term, and Broja could be the answer.

The Saints loanee also offers much more than just goal involvement, with the 6 foot 2 beast using every inch of his stature to impose himself on defenders, winning 47 aerial duels in the opponents half which is the seventh highest in the Premier League this season according to One Versus One.

His height and hunger for goals make him not only the perfect partner for Alli to serve up chances for, but also the perfect young replacement for 6 foot 1 forward, Calvert-Lewin, should he move on in the summer.

In other news: Yerry Mina proves Lampard wrong with outstanding performance

Phil Hay has dropped a promising claim concerning Raphinha’s links with a move away from Leeds United in the summer transfer window.

What’s been said?

In a recent Q&A on The Athletic, Hay revealed that, despite reports suggesting that the Brazilian has a release clause in his current contract at Elland Road, this is in fact not the case – with the only clause in the winger’s deal relating to relegation – before the journalist also went on to claim that, at present, Barcelona are yet to submit any offers for the 25-year-old.

In his article, the journalist said: “What we can say at this stage is that [Barcelona] have not submitted any offers to Leeds.

“You’ll have read in various places about a release clause in Raphinha’s current deal. I’ve asked about this several times and been told consistently the only release clause in the contract relates to relegation (and in that scenario, it goes without saying that he would be leaving the club anyway).”

Great news for Leeds

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds United side Raphinha has become since his £17m move to Elland Road back in October of 2020, the news that there is no release clause – aside from the one relating to relegation – in the forward’s deal is undoubtedly great news for everyone involved with the Whites.

Indeed, over his 27 Premier League appearances this season, the £36m-rated dynamo has been one of Leeds’ standout performers, scoring nine goals, registering three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots and making 2.1 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £63k-per-week winger average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as the Whites’ second-best performing outfielder this term.

As such, the fact that there is no set price at which Victor Orta will be forced to accept a bid for the 25-year-old is undoubtedly good news for the Premier League side, as this provides the sporting director with a fantastic opportunity to command what will more than likely be a record-breaking fee for a talent who is one the most gifted players to have graced the Elland Road pitch in recent memory.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Phil Hay drops 7-word behind the scenes Leeds update, Marsch will be gutted

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist and ‘transfer insider’ Dean Jones of Eurosport has backed some big transfer news out of West Ham involving Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa.

The Lowdown: Barbosa set to force move…

As explained by Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, West Ham could still sign the 25-year-old in this transfer window as he explains their proposal is still on the table.

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In another development, potentially boosting manager David Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman in their bid to sign Barbosa, the Brazil international has his heart set on a move to England and the Premier League.

Sheth even lifted the lid on a sit down between Barbosa, his representatives and Flamengo over the matter as he eyes a transfer (Sky).

The Latest: Jones backs development…

Speaking to GMS, insider Jones has backed this development, claiming it is ‘true’, whilst also saying that West Ham were ‘offered’ Barbosa recently.

“West Ham were offered him weeks ago as they know the player has his mind set in the Premier League,” he explained.

“At the moment there has been no breakthrough but it’s true that Gabigol intends to force a move.

“He’s not happy with how things at Flamengo are changing.”

The Verdict: Right move?

Barbosa has racked up a head-turning 93 goals and 29 assists for the Brazilian Serie A giants, putting him back into contention for the national team ahead of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup this year.

Taking into account the South American’s goalscoring efficiency and the fact he has resurrected his career since a torrid spell at Inter Milan, we believe there are few forwards out there with his quality who could cost as little as £30 million (90min).

Still in his mid-20s and flying, Moyes could bring in a striker with plenty of sell-on value and a seeming determination to succeed in Europe.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman makes move to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.