Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has claimed that Erling Haaland would struggle to score more than 10 goals under Graham Potter, in the current state of affairs. The Blues have struggled to find the net since the return of the Premier League, scoring just three goals – two of which came in the same tie against newly-promoted Bournemouth. The west Londoners are the lowest-scoring top-ten side in the Premier League so far this season. Haaland, on the other hand, has netted 21 this campaign with three of which coming after the World Cup, single-handedly matching Chelsea’s output. But, despite the Manchester…
Author: bigbanng
Neutrals were unanimous in their opinion of Saturday’s match between Real Madrid and Villarreal: a fun back and forth battle with the underdogs coming out on top. It is fair to say the same viewpoint was not shared by those supporting Real Madrid. After Gerard Moreno scored the second go-ahead goal from the spot, Madrid had 30 minutes to react. Now chasing the game, Ancelotti had his team press Villarreal as high up the pitch as possible. The problem? Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have been notoriously poor at flipping a switch and pressing higher up the pitch. Both on a collective and individual…
Manchester United and Liverpool rejected the chance to sign Premier League star Leandro Trossard due to the Brighton winger’s agent, according to reports. Trossard joined the Seagulls in the summer of 2019 and has become one of the most successful signings of their current spell in the top flight of English football. He has scored 25 goals in 116 Premier League appearances at the Amex Stadium. This term, he has found the net on seven occasions in 16 games, making him Brighton’s top scorer. That form has attracted the interest of Tottenham, who are have genuine interest in his services, as…
Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Ors in his sparkling career but elected to sell one of his replica trophies back in 2017. Typically, those who have had the honour of winning the Ballon d’Or hand over the replica version to the club they won it playing for. Or alternatively, it ends up in their own personal trophy collection or museum. But when it comes to his 2013 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo asked for it to donated it to charity, as per MARCA. It went to auction, with all the proceeds going to Make-A-Wish, the charity which helps children suffering from serious…
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland hailed Youssoufa Moukoko as “the biggest talent in the world” during their time together at Borussia Dortmund amid Newcastle United’s interest in the forward. ChronicleLive have reported that Eddie Howe’s side are looking into signing the talented 18-year-old on a free transfer in the summer. Dortmund are believed to be desperate to try and convince their star to sign a new contract before its expiry at the end of the current season, with Newcastle hopeful of finding a way to tempt him to Tyneside. Moukoko played alongside Haaland on 20 occasions during their time together in Germany. Since his move,…
One of the big problems that Real Madrid face right now is the contract status of several of their players. While someone like Mariano Diaz, who does not have a role in the team, is expected to leave at the end of the season, there are several others whose potential exits would come as a blow to Los Blancos. Thus, expect, and hope, to see a number of players agree extensions over the coming months. One of the players whose future at Real Madrid is up in the air right now is Marco Asensio. The Spaniard looked almost certain to leave…
Manchester United target Wout Weghorst is willing to force through a move to Old Trafford this month, according to reports. The Red Devils are keen to bolster their attacking ranks in January after Cristiano Ronaldo departed the club by mutual consent in November. United (opens in new tab) are short of options at the top of the pitch, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford their only two recognised centre-forwards – and the latter is currently thriving in a wider role. Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his squad in the January transfer window (Image credit: Getty) Weghorst has emerged as a left-field target…
Al-Nassr want Busquets after Ronaldo Inter Miami also keen to secure his services Barcelona might offer him a new deal WHAT’S HAPPENING? After luring Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia in a deal worth a reported $75m-per-year, Al-Nassr have switched their focus to bringing in the Spanish midfielder, according to ESPN. MLS side Inter Miami have reportedly been in talks with Busquets over the past few months but there is no agreement in place, despite the 34-year-old admitting he would like to play in the United States. Al-Nassr are ready to swoop in, and will table a €13m-per-year package for Busquets to sign him as…
Haaland Returns To Strike, Alvarez Continues | 4-3-3 Manchester City Predicted XI Vs SouthamptonEtihad StadiumMust Read Manchester City will take on Southampton as they travel to the St.Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday night for the EFL Cup fixture. The Sky Blues come into the match on the back of an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Blues in the third round of the FA Cup, so they will be looking to produce a similar result going ahead into this fixture. Pep Guardiola could make use of the 4-3-3 formation allowing Julian Alvarez to continue in the final third while Erling Haaland returns to the starting XI…
Real Madrid are in Saudi Arabia as they prepare for their Spanish Supercup semi-final on Wednesday night, where they will face Valencia. Without David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni through injury, Carlo Ancelotti decided to bring in 18-year-old midfielder Mario Martin in the Frenchman’s stead. Brought up to the Castilla side by Raul Gonzalez, he skipped the Juvenil A side to move straight up and play 20 games last season. This campaign he has been an ever-present in midfield for Raul. Diario AS say that he has similarities with Tchouameni in that he is theoretically a defensive midfielder, but has far more to…
Speaking exclusively to The United Stand, Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has confirmed that talks are underway over a new long-term contract. The Portuguese has been one of the club’s best performers in the current season and has been almost ever-present for them in all competitions. Before the World Cup, he was clearly ‘undroppable‘ with Aaron Wan-Bissaka playing just four minutes from the right-back role ahead of him. United recently extended his stay until June 2024 with a clause in his contract and talks are now underway with the player and agent over a new deal. In a short interview with The United…
The introduction of a so-called ‘Ronaldo rule’ at Manchester United stands in stark contrast to Liverpool’s own approach to wage structures. The Red Devils has reportedly brought in a discliplined salary cap for future contracts, in a bid to avoid the mistakes they made in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back for a second spell. The superstar earned around £500,000 per week before his departure last month. And United are keen to avoid overpaying in a similar fashion going forwards, as boss Erik ten Hag seeks to overhaul his squad. Chiefs at United have reportedly devised the new strategy in a bid to avoid jealousy becoming rampant in their…
Jude Bellingham is set to be at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war later this year and Borussia Dortmund can demand a huge fee for the midfielder, according to a new report. The England international is incredibly touted to be worth more than World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe. Bellingham was a standout player for England at the World Cup and his performances confirmed his status as one of the best young players in the world. The 19-year-old is the primary transfer target of Liverpool, who are in need of midfield reinforcements, with James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita set to be…
Bale, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid who is Wales’ most-capped male player and their record men’s goal-scorer, announced his decision on Monday afternoon. The 33-year-old made his final competitive appearance during Wales’ World Cup group stage fixture with England on November 29 and bows out with 111 appearances for his country and 41 goals. The forward wrote on social media: “After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love. “It has truly given me some of…
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United should have explored a deal for Porto striker Mehdi Taremi ahead of Wout Weghorst. United are in the market for a new striker this month and have held extensive talks to sign Weghorst, who is currently on loan at Besiktas from Burnley. Erik ten Hag’s side have already seen their first offer rejected as they attempt to persuade Besiktas to cancel Weghorst’s season-long loan. But Ferdinand feels United should make a move for Taremi, who has scored 14 goals in 20 appearances for Porto this season, while the 30-year-old impressed for Iran at the World Cup as he scored twice…
Roberto Martinez says Cristiano Ronaldo is very much in his plans as he takes over as Portugal manager. The quite remarkable career of the Spaniard continues after leaving Belgium last month following their shocking group stage exit from the World Cup. The really poor ending to his spell with the Red Devils has not held him back and he has become Portugal boss after their exit from Qatar at the quarter-final stage to Morocco. Ronaldo, as ever, is at the centre of the conversation, with questions over whether the 37-year-old will remain in the international fold now he has moved to Saudi Arabian…
It is the third time this season that Erling has been up for the award. His goals in December saw him become the first Premier League player in history to score 20 league goals before January – and incredible achievement. Erling started the resumption after the World Cup with a goal against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, before scoring twice in the Premier League in the 3-1 win over Leeds United and he bagged another in the 1-1 draw with Everton. Our Norwegian No.9 is up against Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and compatriot Martin Ødegaard, while Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford…
Real Madrid have paid tribute to Gareth Bale after he announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33 years yesterday. The Welshman is widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest ever footballers, and his career will be fondly remembered for some incredible moments with Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid, LAFC and his country. Always a player for the big occasion, Bale scored in two Champions League finals for Real Madrid, including a spectacular match-winning overhead kick against Liverpool in 2018, and won the competition on five separate occasions. He also led the charge as Wales sensationally reached for the…
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag met with Burnley ace Wout Weghorst in the Netherlands in a bid to convince him to join the club. Manchester United news, exclusives and analysis The Red Devils are closing in on a move for the 30-year-old, who is on a season-long loan at Besiktas from Burnley. Though Weghorst struggled in Lancashire, he’s rediscovered his best form in Turkey by scoring nine goals in 19 appearances. However, Weghorst’s family have struggled to settle in Istanbul and he’s said to be unhappy with the level of the club’s training sessions. Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit in November,…
In the few days since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his shock move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr, numerous rumors have followed about who will join him in his new team. Early reports have suggested that the club is pursuing deals for an old friend of Ronaldo’s, former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, and an old foe in current Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets. Recent headlines have linked the Riyadh side to possibly making a move for Luka Modrić. Fans have also been quick to point out that other stars such as Marcelo and Isco are free agents at the moment as well and are worthy candidates to…
Jamie O’Hara reckons Man City would be a “better team” if they had Tottenham striker Harry Kane in their team over Erling Haaland. The Citizens brought Haaland to the Etihad Stadium in the summer transfer window from Borussia Dortmund for £51.2m. And the Norway international has hit the ground running at Man City with Haaland contributing 27 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions. Tottenham striker Kane, who attempted to leave for Man City in the summer of 2021, is in good goalscoring form too with the England captain bagging 17 goals in 26 matches this term. But former Tottenham…
After dropping points against Villarreal in the league and conceding the top spot, Real Madrid will want to win their first trophy of the season as they travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup. They have been pitted against Valencia for the semi-finals of the competition, and will face the winner of Barcelona vs Real Betis if they qualify for the finals. Carlo Ancelotti has called up 23 players for the tournament, with David Alaba being the big exception. The Austrian defender has been diagnosed with an injury to the soleus on his right calf. Rest of the…
Manchester United’s proposed deal to sign Wout Weghorst will reportedly be a permanent one, rather than a loan. That’s according to Turkish media outlet Fotospor, who claim that Burnley have agreed to pay Besiktas 35% of the transfer fee, around €5 million (£4.4 million), in order prematurely end his loan move with them. That means that total value of the deal to bring the 30-year-old centre-forward to Old Trafford will be £12.5 million. Erik ten Hag is clearly desperate to bolster his central attacking ranks at Manchester United. And it seems as though he may well soon have a striker who…
Jan 9 (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo will serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but he could play against Paris St Germain in a friendly this month, coach Rudi Garcia has said. Ronaldo missed the first of two domestic games for Al Nassr on Friday after being suspended by England’s Football Association (FA) for knocking a phone out of a fan’s hand following Manchester United’s defeat at Everton in April. Garcia confirmed the 37-year-old forward would also miss the league game against Al Shabab and make his debut against Ettifaq on Jan. 22…