Matthijs de Ligt’s potential is enough to make him worth Arsenal interest

As reported by The Daily Mirror, Arsenal are interested in signing Ajax’s impressive teenage defender Matthijs de Ligt this summer.

What’s the story?

The Gunners are all set to have a big squad overhaul this summer with supporters left desperately disappointed with yet another lacklustre season.

One player that could make the switch to the Emirates Stadium is Ajax starlet Matthijs de Ligt, who has emerged as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in Europe.

That’s according to The Mirror, who report that Gunners scouts were there to see him action for the Netherlands against England last week.

Rated at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, can Arsenal land a young defender that can help improve their defensive options in the short and long-term?

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Who is he?

Although he made his debut for Ajax last season and featured prominently in their run to the UEFA Europa League final, this term is the teenager’s first full season as a regular in the Dutch side’s starting eleven.

Helping his side in their challenge for the Eredivisie title, he’s contributed to ten clean sheets this season and show impressive consistent form for a player so young.

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He’s developing well for the Netherlands too, with five caps to his name including two starts in the recent international break against England and Portugal, contributing two assists vs the latter.

All signs point to him being a player with enormous potential and if Arsenal can invest in his future early it could pay off massively for years to come.

Rangers won’t recover from horror season unless discipline is brought to Ibrox

Writing in his column for The Daily Record, BT Sport pundit and former Celtic favourite Chris Sutton has slammed the Rangers squad after an ill-disciplined day at Hampden that resulted in a demoralising defeat for the Ibrox outfit.

What’s the story?

Smashed 4-0 in their biggest game of the season to date, divisions between the players and coaching staff surfaced throughout the day with Andy Halliday and Daniel Candeias both fuming at being substituted and two players reported to be involved in a tunnel bust-up after full-time.

Now Chris Sutton has blasted the behaviour of players like Halliday, claiming the Light Blues squad is out of control.

Writing for The Daily Record, the former Hoops striker said:

Halliday didn’t get close to anyone while he was on the park and his conduct was totally unacceptable. He was screaming at the bench – blaming everyone else but himself and that sums up the Rangers players’ mentality.

What kind of ship are Rangers running? Halliday was discarded by the previous manager and brought back in by Murty but was absolutely hopeless against Celtic yesterday.

So what right does he have to act like that? The Rangers players are out of control. Kris Commons did something similar with Ronny Deila in Molde but the difference is he could actually play and back it up.

With it looking increasingly unlikely that Graeme Murty will stay on as manager, what kind of manager do they need to come in and bring order back to the dressing room?

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Can the Light Blues recover next season?

In some ways, this season has been even worse than last term for Rangers, even though they may eventually finishing in second place in the Scottish Premiership.

Another manager change mid-season and two transfers windows of massive squad upheaval have fatigued supporters and left them absolutely perplexed about how they can begin to challenge for silverware next term.

What’s certain though is they need a strong character to come into the dressing room and immediately gain the respect of the playing squad. Arguably they’ve lacked that with both Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty in charge, with the former becoming something of a joke figure and the latter simply not having the experienced required.

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They need a manager who’s been around the block a bit, knows British football inside out and has experience of dealing with big egos.

The question is whether decision makers at Ibrox can make the right appointment after failing multiple times in a row.

Liverpool fans think Milner should be in England World Cup squad despite retirement

James Milner is a very popular man on Merseyside at the moment; partly due to his impressive performances for Liverpool and partly because his relatively new social media presence.

The midfielder, who has won four major trophies in his career, moved to Anfield from Manchester City in 2015.

The 32-year-old has always been known as a reliable member of the team, who will do the job required with no questions asked.

For the majority of last season, Milner was deployed at left-back but in the current campaign, manager Jurgen Klopp has moved the former Aston Villa player back into his traditional position.

In recent matches, particularly in the Champions League, Milner has been in fine form, which has not gone unnoticed by Liverpool fans.

In fact, following Tuesday night’s 5-2 victory over Roma in the first leg of the Reds’ Champions League semi-final, the midfielder has eight assists in the tournament – the most made in a single season.

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With the World Cup in Russia just around the corner, Liverpool fans think that England manager Gareth Southgate should try to convince Milner to come out of retirement.

The former City star hanged up his international boots in the summer of 2016.

Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.Comment from discussion When you only have 1 good midfielder to take to the World Cup.

Everton fans are absolutely loving Cenk Tosun after latest goal

Everton won for the second successive week in the English Premier League on Saturday with a 2-0 victory away to Huddersfield Town.Although fan concerns about the future of the club under Sam Allardyce continue, the Toffees are now unbeaten in four matches in the top flight and found their way to a win against Huddersfield thanks to goals from Cenk Tosun and Idrissa Gueye.Tosun had gone four matches without finding the back of the net but his latest is his fifth in Everton colours since joining from Besiktas in January, where he netted 14 in all competitions.Fans were delighted with his Saturday performance and are hopeful he can be the team’s main man next season, especially if the club choose to go for a manager who can get the side playing more attacking and creative football than Allardyce.Will Tosun be a striking sensation in his first full season at Goodison Park?Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

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Revealed: Majority of Man United fans don’t want club to sign Sami Khedira

According to an interview with German media outlet Bild, Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira hinted that he would like to play in the Premier League having won league titles in Spain, Germany and Italy.

The 2014 World Cup winner told Bild: “Out of the best leagues in Europe, I am missing England after having won in Spain, Germany and Italy.

“The Premier League has always fascinated me. Winning the title there would complete my collection.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is likely to be in the market for a new central midfielder this summer with Michael Carrick retiring, and the futures of Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera looking to be firmly up in the air.

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A partner for Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic in a midfield three looks to be what is needed, and while he is 31 years of age there is no doubting the quality and experience that Khedira has in his locker and would bring to the team.

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We asked Red Devils fans to vote on our poll to see whether they would want the club to sign the Germany international this summer, but a majority 65% said they wouldn’t be keen on a deal.

Those supporters would likely want someone younger and with more potential for the future, and it will certainly be interesting to see what Mourinho chooses to do when the transfer window opens next week.

Revealed: 85% of West Ham fans want summer swoop for Alfie Mawson

West Ham fans have been debating a potential move for Alfie Mawson, and fans are adamant they should swoop for the Swansea defender.

Alfie Mawson will definitely not be going to the World Cup this summer after the young defender had knee surgery this week, but that might not stop him finding a new club.

The in-form defender will surely be one of the relegated stars to move this summer, with Tottenham reportedly leading the pack at the moment.

24 year-old Mawson completed 187 long balls this season, more than any other Swansea player. He also completed the most passes, and was the only Swansea player to break 200 clearances with 222.

Perhaps most impressive of all, Mawson led his side with 122 aerial battles won, while the next best had just 72.

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Plenty of teams will be queuing up for his signature, and it seems West Ham fans are hoping their club will be at the front of that queue.

The Hammers escaped relegation with reassuring wins over Leicester and Everton, but fans are desperate for some investment in the spine of the team.

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Mawson is what many fans would call a classic defender, but he also possesses excellent ball skills, making him a perfect fit for the Hammers.

85 per cent of fans clearly agree with this statement, and you can check out the full poll results for yourself below…

HYS: Should Aston Villa start Kodjia at Wembley?

Aston Villa go into the richest game of football as underdogs on Saturday, so should Steve Bruce throw caution to the wind and start Jonathan Kodjia?

When Kodjia joined Aston Villa from Bristol City, fans had an instant new favourite as the towering striker grabbed goals for fun, and what a story it would be if he returned to seal his side’s promotion this weekend.

The 28 year-old Ivory Coast international bagged 19 Championship goals in his first season at Villa Park, but some torrid luck with injuries has derailed his promising start.

There’s no question about his goalscoring talents, but the big man certainly hasn’t looked himself in recent weeks as he works towards full fitness.

He has grabbed a goal and a few assists in his limited time on the pitch this season though, so should Steve Bruce unleash him at Wembley?

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The first instinct for most fans would of course be to say no, as Lewis Grabban has been an excellent addition on loan from Bournemouth.

Bruce’s side are the underdogs on Saturday though, and Fulham will no doubt be expecting the usual defensive 4-1-4-1 setup, so why not surprise them?

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Whether it be by shifting Grabban further wide or really going for it with two up front, the Cottagers will absolutely not be expecting any major changes from Bruce’s usual sturdy setup, and Kodjia would certainly give them something to worry about.

So, Aston Villa fans, would you take a risk and give Kodjia his chance on Saturday? Or play it safe? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Revealed: 42% of Aston Villa fans would cash in on talisman Grealish this summer

Jack Grealish was perhaps the best player on the pitch at Wembley last Saturday as Aston Villa were seen off 1-0 by Fulham in the Championship play-off final.

He was targeted by the Whites and ultimately found himself outnumbered in terms of the number of artists on both sides; he was Villa’s talisman while Fulham could boast the class of Tom Cairney, Ryan Sessegnon and Alexandr Mitrovic among others on their side.

Grealish is the darling of the Holte End and surely his boyhood club’s biggest hope of promotion next season but has reportedly attracted Premier League interest from Leicester City among others.

So we asked Villa fans whether they should cash in on the playmaker or keep him at the club ahead of a renewed effort at getting promoted next season and the two schools of thought were surprisingly close.

42 per cent of the Midlands club’s fans were pragmatic and want their club to cash in on Grealish as you can see from the full poll results below…

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West Ham fans devastated by Lanzini injury

West Ham fans are absolutely gutted about the latest injury news, as Manuel Lanzini has damaged his knee on international duty with Argentina.

West Ham’s Lanzini will miss the World Cup this summer, after the little playmaker ruptured his anterior knee ligament in Argentina training.

The crafty playmaker had been brilliant in Argentina’s World Cup warm-ups, and the injury is an absolutely devastating blow.

ACL injuries can take anywhere from six to nine months to full recover, so the news will have a huge effect on West Ham’s transfer business.

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Lanzini missing time last season was a huge factor in the Hammers’ struggles, and they now desperately need to add some playmaking ability this summer.

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The 25 year-old, who still managed five goals and six assists despite only starting 23 league games last season, is a fan favourite in East London, as he is one of the few players that can make something out of nothing.

Fans have been showing their disappointment on Twitter, and you can find some of the best reactions down below…

HYS: Should Declan Rice start for West Ham?

West Ham are nearing deals for two central defenders, but could their decisiveness in the transfer market be bad news for Declan Rice?

Last season was a long and miserable year for West Ham fans, but one of the silver linings of the cloudy season was the emergence of Declan Rice.

Fans have had high hopes for the youngster for quite some time, and when he finally broke through into the first team he did not disappoint.

The 19 year-old, who can play as a central defender of defensive midfielder, made 26 Premier League appearances, averaging 1.4 tackles and one interception per game while boasting a 79 per cent pass success rate.

According to recent reports though, the Hammers are going to add not one but two centre backs this summer.

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Sky Sports claim Issa Diop is all set for a medical, and the young French defender will likely cost around £22m, so he will almost certainly get a starting spot.

Swansea City’s towering defender Alfie Mawson has also been heavily linked, and the big Englishman would be a vast improvement on the current defensive crop in East London.

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Rice could of course move in to midfield, but Manuel Pellegrini is expected to make additions in that department as well, so the Hammers’ summer plans could potentially hamper Rice’s progress.

So, if Diop and Mawson both join, does Rice have an immediate future with the Hammers? Should he start? West Ham fans, let us know by voting in the poll below…

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