Arsenal fans everywhere are extremely disappointed that they couldn’t secure Champions League football via the top four, instead resting all their hope on winning the Europa League. Risky, risky stuff for the Gunners.
Clearly, that is a dangerous game and probably not one Unai Emery intended to happen but that is the current situation the Gunners find themselves in nonetheless. With a distinct lack of confidence in the team during the closing stages of the season, all potential for the next campaign is resting on who they can bring in this summer.
Unai Emery must do everything he can to demand a sizeable budget so he can really make a difference, because as he probably well knows, there are a number of positions that need improving.
Starting with left-back, Arsenal (touted as a potential landing spot by A Bola via the Sun earlier this week) should consider Benfica’s Alejandro Grimaldo to be a fine acquisition. Grimaldo, (who is valued at £25.2 million on Transfermarkt) is usually one of the first names on the team sheet for Benfica, given his commitment to the club since 2016.
He cost the Portuguese giants just short of £2 million and what a deal that has transpired to be.
This season alone, Grimaldo has played a staggering 52 games in all competitions, going on to provide seven goals and 11 assists.
He not only provides defensive stability but as shown by his statistics, going forward is where he really thrives. Playable further up the pitch as a wide midfielder, Grimaldo is used to darting up and down the wing, providing balls into the box for his team-mates, or going alone himself.
At the age of 23, his stock is very high considering the performances he has put in this season. It would surely be an expensive deal but one that could solve Arsenal’s left-back problem for the next five years at the very least. As a potential heir to Nacho Monreal’s throne, he could make the side so much more exciting.
Heaven knows they need to be…
Gunners, how much would you like to see Grimaldo arrive? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below…
According to ESPN, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic on a permanent deal this summer.
Grujic is currently on loan at Hertha Berlin, and has scored four times in 20 Bundesliga appearances during the 2018-19 campaign.
According to ESPN, Atletico are keen to sign the 23-year-old, but the Reds value Grujic in the region of £35m, which could prove to be an issue.
The Liverpool fans have been on social media offering their views on the transfer report, which has come as a bit of a surprise.
A number are keen for Grujic to be given his chance to secure a spot in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield next season, but others feel that it would be some story if the club’s sporting director Michael Edwards managed to secure £35m for the midfielder.
Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…
The eight-time Serbia international has only actually made 14 first-team appearances for Liverpool despite joining the club from Red Star Belgrade in 2016.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Reds faithful can be viewed below:
Aston Villa fans must be loving life at this moment in time as their side continue to dominate proceedings in the Championship, with a play-off spot now secured.
The Villans’ rise in form can be put down to a number of players, including the likes of Tammy Abraham, John McGinn, Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings. All of the players listed above should arguably be playing in the Premier League and still could next season, so securing promotion will be vital.
Steve Bruce may not be adored by fans at Aston Villa but one thing they can’t ignore is the fact he secured the services of John McGinn for just £2.59 million (as per Transfermarkt).
It’s safe to say that signing the Scotsman has proved to be a genius decision as he’s already left his mark on proceedings in the Championship in what is his first season at the club. He’s produced six goals and 10 assists in the current campaign, which is quite astonishing when you consider the fact he operates in the middle of midfield.
McGinn has already repaid the Villans’ for the fee they paid back in the summer transfer window and he could still go on to attract a big fee if the Midlands club were to ever sell him in the future.
But, right now, he’s absolutely priceless at Villa Park. His passing ability in the middle of midfield has worked wonders up until this point, as well as his forward runs to help support Tammy Abraham. Also, he’s a great player to have in the defensive third as he adopts a dogged approach and always gives his all when tracking back.
He’s the kind of player who could fit into any side and do a quality job, so Aston Villa will forever be thankful for Bruce’s decision to bring him to Villa Park back in the summer.
Aston Villa fans, surely McGinn has to be one of the signings of the summer? Join in with the discussion by commenting down below!
According to The Mirror’s live transfer blog (May 16, 3:25pm), Celtic are plotting a move to sign young Chelsea centre-back Fikayo Tomori this summer, and if they get him they would quickly forget all about Dedryck Boyata and Filip Benkovic.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the talented 21-year-old has enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell with Derby County in the Championship this term, helping them reach the play-off final and scooping up both the fans’ and the club’s player of the year awards.
The Mirror report that the Rams would be keen to extend the deal for the defender should they beat Aston Villa at Wembley, but it won’t stop Celtic testing the water over a permanent move themselves.
The Bhoys may be short of options at centre-back this summer with Boyata looking set for an exit following the expiry of his contract next month, and with Benkovic due to return to Leicester City when his own loan move ends.
Would Tomori be a good signing?
He certainly would be.
“Lionel Messi is Barcelona’s James McFadden!” – Watch Scottish football fans name their clubs’ Lionel Messi in the video below…
The centre-back has come on leaps and bounds under Frank Lampard this season, and the fact that a loan player has made such a big impression tells you all you need to know about the quality he has.
The fact that he has only made one Premier League appearance suggests that he may not have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge, but it would be a different story were he to join the Glasgow giants.
If any Celtic supporters are concerned about losing both Boyata and Benkovic this summer – it remains to be seen whether the latter could yet return seeing as he is open to the idea – they will forget about the duo in a flash if Tomori signs on for the Scottish Premiership holders.
Decent in possession and a great tackler, the 6 ft 1 talent has all of the attributes to make it to the very top.
A number of West Ham United fans want forgotten man Edimilson Fernandes to be given the chance to impress for the Hammers during the 2019-20 season.
Fernandes moved to England from Sion in 2016 and has made 48 appearances for his Premier League club in all competitions.
The midfielder was deemed surplus to requirements ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, however, ultimately being sent on loan to Fiorentina.
The Switzerland international has been in good form this term – scoring twice and contributing two assists in 28 Serie A appearances.
As it stands, the 23-year-old will return to the London Stadium this summer with the view to battling for a spot in the XI next season.
And it would be fair to say that the majority of West Ham fans are keen for Fernandes to be given the chance to prove his worth under Manuel Pellegrini.
Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…
A selection of the Twitter reaction in relation to the 6 ft 3 midfielder’s future can be seen below:
John Obi Mikel is not known for his goal-scoring but in Middlesbrough’s 2-1 win over Rotherham on Sunday he scored his first goal in English football for five years.
The goal itself was a fine left-footed strike from the penalty spot that flew into the roof of the net and the Nigerian captain looked to be sending his new team to the playoffs.
Sadly, however, Derby beat West Brom 3-1 which meant that they finished sixth and Boro seventh. In truth Boro made very hard work for themselves when they lost six in a row between March and April.
Form though picked up in recent weeks, winning five out of their last six, and Derby drawing with Swansea City in midweek gave the Teesiders hope that they would make the playoffs.
For a period of time they were finishing sixth, after Stefan Johansen had equalised for the Baggies at Pride Park, but Derby scored a quickfire double. They will now play Leeds in the playoffs.
Boro were disappointing for most of the season but Mikel proved to be an inspired signing as his vast experience and calmness on the ball steadied the midfield.
Middlesbrough fans may not want Tony Pulis to stay but they certainly want the 6 foot 2 midfielder to, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
One fan said “Don’t go John” whilst another added “Sign him up.”
See the best of the Boro fans’ reactions down below.
Tottenham Hotspur take on West Ham United this weekend aware that a victory will place them in the driving seat to finish in the top four this season.
The club are currently four points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal and, with three games of the season remaining, could take a massive step towards qualification with a victory over the Irons.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side, meanwhile, are mathematically safe from relegation but are unlikely to overhaul Wolves and finish seventh.
The carrot of becoming the first team to beat Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however, should be motivation enough for the Irons.
Football FanCast takes a look at where the game will be won and lost this weekend.
The Key Battle – Son Heung-Min vs West Ham’s full-backs
Son is almost certain to start against the Hammers.
A Champions League semi-final against Ajax looms for Spurs but Son is suspended for the first leg next week.
The South Korea international, then, will surely play this weekend and his form this season should worry the Irons; he has scored 20 goals and laid on 10 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions.
With Aaron Cresswell struggling with an injury – he has only just returned to training – Arthur Masuaku a decent attacker but a poor defender at left-back, and Pablo Zabaleta ageing at right-back, Son will have his pick of players to target throughout the encounter.
He is truly two-footed and could drift from the left flank to the right, terrorising each full-back in turn.
Pellegrini, then, would do well to instruct his wingers to track back routinely and offer protection to their defenders; stopping Son is integral to the Irons’ chances of victory.
The Key Dynamic – Rotation vs Consistency
Mauricio Pochettino is likey to rotate his squad with the Champions League semi-final clash with Ajax looming.
The two sides will play their first leg in north London on Tuesday, perhaps the biggest game in Spurs’ history.
Pochettino made a number of changes to his XI for the encounter with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League, having seen his side knock Pep Guardiola’s men out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
The likes of Juan Foyth, Kyle Walker-Peters, Oliver Skipp and Vincent Janssen could all potentially play, with key first-team stars kept fresh for the encounter with the Dutch giants.
The opposite is true of the Hammers, with this perhaps the biggest game of their season.
Pellegrini, then, is likely to go for broke and pick his strongest XI. West Ham may well be confident, then, that they can potentially hand Spurs their first defeat in their new stadium.
The Deciding Factor – Goals, goals, goals
Harry Kane is injured, of course, and Fernando Llorente is becoming something of a burden to the team. His performance against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week was roundly terrible.
The pressure, then, is on Son to again find the net without Kane in the side, or else they will be hoping for a repeat of Christian Eriksen’s late heroics against the Seagulls.
West Ham, meanwhile, can select from the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Lucas Perez and Javier Hernandez. It is essentially out-and-out strikers versus versatile forwards.
Son is good enough to win that battle but so too is Arnautovic; it remains to be seen who will come out on top this weekend.
The Impact Subs – Vincent Janssen vs Manuel Lanzini
Soccer Football – Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain – April 23, 2019 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen REUTERS/Dylan Martinez EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please cont
Vincent Janssen made his astonishing return to action on Tuesday night, coming on as a substitute for his first appearance for the club since 2017 as Spurs attempted to break Brighton down.
He has endured a difficult time in north London, scoring just six goals in total, but has been needed as back up to Llorente with Kane injured.
He could again be called upon this weekend if Spurs are on the back foot and he will be chomping at the bit to prove his worth.
For the Hammers, meanwhile, Manuel Lanzini has a small chance of playing in the game, per ClaretandHugh.
He has been sidelined with a groin injury and, while he is more likely to play against Southampton, the club have not ruled out the possibility of him featuring versus Spurs.
A brilliant attacking midfielder with the ability to carve defences apart, Lanzini could have a major impact if introduced as a substitute, particularly if the scores are level in the second half.
Indeed, he is far more likely to positively influence the game than his Dutch counterpart, injured or not.
It’s not crazy to suggest that Arsenal could be on the brink of a golden generation of youth coming through at the club.
From Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock impressing on the final day of the season to Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson making waves in Germany out on loan, Arsenal have a good crop of youngsters coming through that could genuinely be first-team players in the future, but one player who has really caught the eyes of fans is Bukayo Saka.
The 17-year-old winger dazzled fans in his first start for the club against Qarabag in the Europa League and has been immense in the youth leagues this season, scoring 14 goals and assisting 12 for various Arsenal teams, and with the Europa League final coming up, Saka could be a genuine secret weapon for Unai Emery to turn to.
With Henrikh Mkhitaryan unlikely to make the trip to Baku due to political tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Emery could turn to the teenage winger to take the playmaker’s spot in the team, and Saka will make the most of the experience, especially if he plays.
The England U-19 international has impressed whenever he has been given a chance in the Arsenal first-team this season no matter the opposition, and in the club’s biggest game this year, Saka can make the final the game he introduces himself into world football and solidify himself as a player Emery can consider for senior squad status next campaign.
Arsenal fans, would you put Saka in the squad for the Europa League final? Let us know!
Spurs have once again had a fine season this year with Maurcio Pochettino’s men looking likely to clinch a Champions League spot once again.
The Londoners are now firmly settled in their new home and could well have a big summer ahead of them with regards to potential new signings.
However, keeping hold of some of their own star players could well be a big issue too for Pochettino to address, and with news emerging this weekend that Juventus could move for Toby Alderwiereld, it’s already clear Spurs have some big decisions on their hands.
The Belgian defender has long been courted by a number of top clubs across Europe, but he has remained integral to the cause for Spurs and he is the sort of player who they really don’t want to be losing.
Alderwiereld is a class act, and on his day can be one of the best defenders in the league, not to mention his threat going forward in terms of attacking set pieces.
Spurs need to be building for the future and making a run at the title now they have got their new stadium up and running, and they really need to be greeting Juventus with a firm no if the Italian giants do make their move.
With the promise of big signings along with a squad which is already full of potential, Alderwiereld might just consider this enough of a reason to stay put and make a sure Spurs finally see some success in terms of trophies under Pochettino.
يلتقي منتخب مصر الأول مع نظيره توجو اليوم الثلاثاء في إطار منافسات التصفيات المؤهلة لأمم إفريقيا.
منتخب مصر يلاقي نظيره توجو علي ملعب كيجي في الجولة الرابعة من التصفيات.
اقرأ أيضًا.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة مصر وتوجو في تصفيات أمم إفريقيا
ويتواجد منتخبا مصر وتوجو في المجوعة السابعة مع جزر القمر وكينيا. موعد مباراة مصر وتوجو اليوم
تبدأ مباراة مصر وتوجو في تمام 6 مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، 7 مساء بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر وتوجو
تُذاع أحداث مباراة مصر وتوجو علي قناة beIN Sports HD 7.
طالع أيضًا.. تشكيل منتخب مصر الرسمي أمام توجو في تصفيات أمم إفريقيا معلق مباراة مصر وتوجو
اختارت قناة بي ان سبورت المعلق المصري أحمد الطيب للتعليق على المباراة التي ستقام بالتصفيات.
ويحل منتخب مصر في المركز الثاني برصيد 5 نقاط، فيما تتصدر جزر القمر المجموعة برصيد 8 نقاط، بينما تقبع كينيا في المركز الثالث برصيد 3 نقاط، أما توجو فتتذيل الترتيب بنقطة وحيدة. هدف فوز مصر على توجو في الجولة السابقة
جدير بالذكر أن منتخب مصر فاز على نظيره توجو بهدف نظيف بتوقيع محمود الونش في المباراة التي أقيمت على استاد القاهرة الدولي.
يُمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا