أشاد المدرب الهولندي رونالد كومان، المدير الفني لنادي برشلونة، بالصاعد أنسو فاتي، جناح الفريق، بعد تألقه رفقة البلوجرانا مؤخرًا.

فاتي ظهر بشكل جيد مع برشلونة في أولى المباريات بالموسم الجديد 2020/2021، وساهم في انتصار برشلونة على فياريال وسيلتا فيجو.

وقال كومان في حواره مع الموقع الرسمي لـ برشلونة: “أنسو فاتي؟ نحن نتحدث عن لاعب يبلغ من العمر 17 عامًا، لقد لعب بشكل جيد في ثلاث مباريات متتالية وبأعلى مستوى، وهذا يعني أنه جيد جدًا”.

وأضاف: “إنه موهبة، لا يزال يجب أنّ يتعلم الكثير، لكنه أيضًا يريد أنّ يفعل هو أشياء، نحن هُنا من اجل مُساعدته، وأعتقد أنه لا يوجد لاعب في العالم في سنه ويلعب مع الفريق الأول”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ديباي يفتح الباب مجددًا أمام برشلونة ويكشف سبب فشل الصفقة

وعن مدى رضاه عن الفريق الحالي: “نحن نعمل بشكل جيد، وأنا سعيد بالتشكيلة التي لدينا، لقد حاولنا تحسّينها في بعض الجوانب، ونجحنا في حالات، وفي أخرى لم ننجح”.

وأتم: “ولكن الأمر يتعلق أيضًا بالوضع المالي لـ برشلونة، علينا قبول الوضع، والعمل مع ذلك”.

برشلونة حاول في سوق الانتقالات، التعاقد مع ممفيس ديباي من أولمبيك ليون، لتعويض رحيل سواريز، وجورجينو فينالدوم من ليفربول، ليعوض رحيل راكيتيتش وفيدال، وإريك جارسيا من سيتي لتحسّين الدفاع ولكن لم ينجح في ضم أي منهما.

Rangers fans may be feeling slightly anxious ahead of tomorrow’s Old Firm clash with Celtic, as there’s nothing supporters want more than to secure the bragging rights. 

The Light Blues find themselves struggling to keep Celtic in sight in the Scottish Premiership and they’re already out of the domestic cups, so Steven Gerrard may already be looking towards next season.

Interestingly, it looks as if the Glasgow club are close to securing a summer swoop, as according to Football Insider, Motherwell youngster Jake Hastie has agreed terms with Rangers.

Indeed, the winger has made a name for himself in the Scottish Premiership this season having produced an impressive six goals and one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions. And, the impressive part is that he’s only 21-years-old with his best years still ahead of him, so the Light Blues may secure themselves a future star.

Of course, this will definitely provide Rangers supporters with a much-needed boost amid claims (as per Liverpool Echo) that Liverpool want £12 million for Ryan Kent.

So, perhaps Hastie could be the man to replace Kent at Ibrox next season if Rangers decide against paying the fee or another club snaps him up. He’s very similar to the Liverpool man in many ways as he looks to make use of his pace and trickery out wide, and he’s scored one more goal than Kent in just 11 games in all competitions.

Also, the £12 million that could be spent on bringing Kent to Glasgow could be invested in strengthening a number of different areas in Gerrard’s squad, rather than just being splashed on one player.

Rangers fans, do you think that Hastie has what it takes to potentially replace Ryan Kent? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

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Leeds kept pace with their promotion rivals again on Saturday, grabbing a crucial three points at Bristol City, but it’s a post-game injury update that really has fans excited.

After Norwich heaped the pressure on Leeds on Friday night, the Whites responded on Saturday with a hard-fought and professional performance at Ashton Gate.

Patrick Bamford scored the game’s only goal, bundling in from close range after a knockdown by Luke Ayling.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

However, both the goalscorer and the ever-improving Kalvin Phillips appeared to pick up injuries, and Phil Hay has delivered an update on the duo.

“Bamford to have tests tomorrow. Leeds don’t think there’s any serious issue with his injured knee,” Hay tweeted on Saturday night.

He continued, reporting that Marcelo Bielsa said: “We’ll see by Tuesday how they are. I think they will be available.”

This is fantastic news, as with no Kemar Roofe to call on and no like-for-like replacement for Phillips, the pair are crucially important to the club’s promotion hopes.

Any serious damage to either player would have put a dark cloud over an otherwise perfect day, and fans are ecstatic over the update from Hay, as you can see from the reactions down below…

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Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a move for FC Copenhagen midfielder Robert Skov, according to Sky Sports News.

Spurs are one of a number of Premier League clubs currently watching the 22-year-old, along with the likes of Wolves, West Ham and Watford.

What’s the word?

Skov, a Denmark Under-21 international, has enjoyed a remarkably prolific campaign in his native country thus far this season.

Playing as a right winger, he has scored 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions and has also laid on six assists.

That tally includes the winner in Copenhagen’s only Europa League victory this season, a 2-1 success over Bordeaux.

Sky Sports News report that Spurs are keen to recruit a versatile attacking player who can support Harry Kane from the flank, and have subsequently identified Skov as a potential target.

The 22-year-old, who is yet to make his senior debut for Denmark, has only been with his current club for a season, having cost them just under £1million last summer, per the aforementioned report.

A gamble

Spurs definitely need a right winger this summer but recruiting Skov would be a gamble.

Copenhagen are almost guaranteed to turn a tidy profit on the player, with Premier League clubs circling.

It would mark a significant show of faith, however, if Spurs were to secure a player from the Danish top-flight.

Vincent Janssen is perhaps the example. Having scored 32 goals and laid on seven assists in just 49 appearances for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, the north London outfit identified him as the perfect man to offer support to Kane.

Instead, he has scored just six times for the club and is almost certain to leave in the summer.

Spurs had better tread carefully around Skov, then.

Most would say Manchester City have one of the strongest squads in Europe and it’s hard to disagree, but that means some players don’t get as much game time as they would at other clubs. Indeed, Ilkay Gundogan is one star who’s been in and out of favour at the Etihad, so he’s right to be coy (quotes sourced by the Manchester Evening News) on a new deal at the moment.

City have already won the Community Shield and the League Cup this season, now they’re on the hunt for the FA Cup, Champions League a club-first back-to-back title, but some of their greatest successes over the last two seasons have seen tying down their best players to long-term contracts.

Kevin De Buryne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, and Ederson just to name a few have put pen to paper on new deals, creating a certain future for many of their top stars.

Still, the 28-year-old has played 23 times in the Premier League this season, but he’s only recently begun to show Pep Guardiola his best form. He’s been behind arguably City’s all-time greatest player David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and now Bernardo Silva in the pecking order, so it’s been tough to get minutes in the biggest games.

Injuries to De Bruyne and Fernandinho, and the fact Silva can’t play two games a week anymore, has given him more of a chance.

That shouldn’t mean Gundogan goes ahead and signs a new deal right away because the only real reason he was given the amount of chances he has been is due to others getting injured, so he should bide his time and see just how much Guardiola values him as an important member of the team.

He can play in the six role and across the midfield, so on paper that’s very valuable, but it appears he wants to see that proven.

He doesn’t seem to want to settle for being a squad player and fair play to him, because he’s tremendously gifted and would play more minutes in most, if not all, other teams in Europe.

His contract is up at the end of next season, so he should wait until the end of this campaign and see just how important City make him feel before signing an extension that would probably be the last big contract of his career.

Manchester City fans, just how valuable has Gundogan been over the years? How desperate are you to keep him? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

[ad_pod ]Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to some international action, as Salomon Rondon dominated Argentina on Friday night.After years of watching the likes of Joselu, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Emmanuel Riviere, Newcastle fans are really revelling in the presence of Rondon.The big number nine has completely transformed the Magpies, providing exactly the focal point that Rafael Benitez demands from his front man. Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….He has continued his excellent form into the international break too, scoring the opener as Venezuela downed Argentina on Friday.La Vinotinto were expected to roll over for Lionel Messi’s side, but Rondon opened the scoring just six minutes into the match with a delightful chip.

Jhon Murillo and Josef Martinez both chipped in with a goal to help Rondon’s side win 3-1, but it was Tyneside’s new hero that really stole the show.

As well as his goal, he was just as destructive and dominant as he is at St. James’ Park, and the Twitter reactions down below are running out of superlatives for the summer arrival…

Are there any players who are better at scoring free-kicks than James Ward-Prowse in the Premier League?

The Southampton midfielder backed up his stunning set-piece effort at Old Trafford earlier on this month with an equally impressive strike against Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday.

Ward-Prowse’s goal against Spurs secured a vital three points for a Saints side who are currently sixteenth in the league standings, two points clear of Cardiff City who currently occupy the relegation places alongside Huddersfield Town and Fulham.

The 24 year-old’s form since the turn of the year has been very impressive as he has scored six goals in 10 appearances for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side with his contribution earning crucial victories over the likes of Everton and Leicester City in January.

Ward-Prowse’s supreme level of fitness has been a major reason behind the effectiveness of Southampton’s midfield under their Austrian coach.

According to Sky Sports, no other player in the Premier League has covered more ground than the play-maker in 2019 (123.7km) with the closest challenger being Burnley’s Jack Cork with a distance covered of 122.9km.

The form of the Portsmouth-born star had led to calls for him to be part of the England squad for the national team’s fixtures upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro at the end of March.

However, Gareth Southgate decided instead to opt for the likes of Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson and Ruben Loftus-Cheek for his midfield options leaving Ward-Prowse having to continue his wait for a second cap after being given his debut in 2017.

England’s loss could be Southampton’s gain as international fixtures can often see players pick up knocks which leaves their club sides worse off. By not being considered for selection by the Three Lions, Ward-Prowse can now focus totally on helping his side avoid relegation by preparing for the Saints’ fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on March 30th.

A victory for Hassenhuttl’s side at the Amex Stadium could see them edge ever closer to Premier League survival, preserving their top-flight status for another campaign.

What do you think Saints fans? Should Ward-Prowse have been called up for England? How big is the midfielder’s influence on your team’s recent successes? Let us know below.

[ad_pod ]West Ham United slumped to a miserable 2-0 defeat against Everton at the London Stadium on Saturday, and attacker Marko Arnautovic was the target of many fans’ frustrations having been booed when he was substituted off in the second half.The Austria international was once a hero among the Irons faithful, but it simply doesn’t appear to be the case anymore – you only have to look at what they have been saying on Twitter after the latest defeat to see this is the case.

Ever since the stories linking him with a move to China during the January transfer window, the relationship between him and the supporters was always going to be a strained one – even if he was handed a new contract.

A man who has impressed and scored 19 goals in 60 appearances in all competitions for the east London outfit just hasn’t been the same player in recent weeks, and since the 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on January 2 he has gone eight Premier League outings without a goal or an assist.

Despite that and the fact he has suffered from a few injury niggles, he has still started the club’s previous two top flight fixtures, including against the Toffees, having been preferred ahead of Javier Hernandez.

To be fair it was an off day for a number of his teammates too, but Arnautovic hardly put in a showing that proved he really cares about West Ham football club like he has often said that he does previously.

Service may have been light, but the fact that he failed to win a single aerial duel or make a key pass given the magic we have seen from the 29-year-old at times during his Hammers career is a worry.

The fact he was jeered off by some tells you all you need to know, and Manuel Pellegrini needs to wake up and smell the coffee too – the sooner he realises the Austrian doesn’t deserve to be in the starting XI, the better.

Newcastle United finally seem to be back on track for a strong end to the Premier League. Despite the difficulties, Rafa and his men have come through the pain of the Championship all the way up to what looks like a side that can hold their own in the Premier League once again. 

It’s not the same as the glory days, but Newcastle United fans will be happy to see that their club is FINALLY beginning to take a turn in the right direction.

Indeed, with Rafa at the helm and finally looking as though there will be some serious backing in the summer after the winter arrival of Miguel Almiron, we look at a couple of smart moves Newcastle have made during their rough climb back up to the Geordie standard.

Dwight Gayle 

Signing from Crystal Palace back in 2016, for a fee of around £10m Dwight Gayle was brought in to get Newcastle out of the Championship as soon as possible. Well, scoring 23 goals in the league did just that and the English striker went down as a Newcastle hero during the gruelling Championship season.

Perhaps not Premier League quality, the 28-year-old completed his only task of getting the Toon Army back to the top flight, making him worth every penny.

Martin Dubravka 

Initially signing on a loan deal back in January 2018, Dubravka quickly became an integral part of the Newcastle survival squad.

Prior to his arrival at St. James’, no one had ever heard of the 30-year-old Slovakian, and many fans must have wondered if the board were just signing him as a trial for next season in the Championship.

Despite all the doubt, he came in and kept a clean sheet in his first appearance in a 1-0 win against Manchester United.

Now that’s how you get your name out there!

Signing a permanent deal in the summer, Dubravka has shown time and time again, just why he was bought in to help the defensive troubles that Newcastle are prone to having.

تحدث لاعب مانشستر يونايتد برونو فرنانديز، عن فوز منتخب البرتغال على نظيره السويد مساء أمس في دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

وتلاقى المنتخبان في الجولة الرابعة من المجموعة الثالثة في المستوى الأول، حيث فازت البرتغال بثلاثة أهداف دون رد. أهداف مباراة البرتغال والسويد

وقال برونو فرنانديز، في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للبطولة: “قدمنا مباراة رائعة، صنعنا العديد من الفرص وكان بإمكاننا تسجيل المزيد من الأهداف”.

وأضاف: “لقد لعبنا جيدًا ضد فريق منظم للغاية، قوي دفاعيًا ويعرف كيف يمتلك الكرة وعدواني للغاية، لقد كنا مستيقظين”.

وواصل: “كانت النتيجة تتحدث عن نفسها وكان الأداء جيدًا أيضًا”.