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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, John Hartson suggested that Manchester United and Wales may have a gem on their hands in the form of Dan James.

What did he say?

The winger has hit the ground running at Old Trafford since his summer arrival from Swansea, and he also took his form into the international break this week with a stunning winner against Belarus.

It has been a dream start for the 21-year-old, who has scored four goals for club and country just one month into the season – and is already only one short of the five-goal tally he achieved in 2018/19.

He has proved to be a key threat so far, and now his finishing ability seems to be matching his explosive pace – a perfect combination for a winger – and if he learns from teammates such as Anthony Martial and Gareth Bale he could go very far.

Hartson believes he is a great prospect and could go on to be an important player for both of his current sides. Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said:

“There are some really good players in that Wales midfield, with the likes of Harry Wilson, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Tom Lawrence, David Brooks and Dan James in particular who not only could have a massive impact for his country, but Manchester United too.

“United must be thinking oh my god, I can’t believe we got this boy for £15m. What’s he worth now?”

An astute addition

It has taken James only a matter of weeks to prove his critics wrong by showing he is ready to play at the highest level.

Moreover, United will consider him a steal at such a low price, particularly when compared to other young wingers signed by Premier League clubs in recent windows, such as Richarlison, who moved to Everton for a reported £50m, and Chelsea signing Christian Pulisic, who swapped Borussia Dortmund for west London in a £58m deal.

If James continues to progress as he has done since breaking into the Swansea first-team it is plausible to envision him being part of the United and Wales set-up for years to come, following in the footsteps of another Welsh winger: Ryan Giggs.

Both Giggs and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have looked to provide young players with opportunities since taking on their respective roles, and James’ success is evidence that they have been vindicated in their decision to do so.

He could undoubtedly become a key member of both teams, as Hartson suggests.

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Lots of Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to praise Sofiane Boufal’s cameo against Brighton on what was his second appearance of the season.

The Morocco international spent the 2018/19 campaign out on loan with Celta Vigo in La Liga and he now faces the challenge of playing his way into Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting XI.

There was talk of the former Lille man leaving the club this summer, with Nice reportedly interested.

But his cameo against the Seagulls was extremely positive and serves to suggest that there could be life in his Southampton career yet.

Boufal played just 11 minutes, but still made one key pass – which turned into an assist – completed two dribbles and was fouled once as the 25-year-old injected life into the game.

After dispelling transfer rumours about himself on his own Twitter account, it appears that Boufal is intent on making an impression this season.

His impact at the Amex Stadium certainly impressed the Saints fans on Twitter, to say the least…

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Tottenham blew a two goal advantage in the north London derby on Sunday.

They took the lead courtesy of strikes from Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane, but the Gunners fought back.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were good value in the first half, but rather caved in during the second period.

However, one of the most frustrating aspects according to Spurs fans was Moussa Sissoko.

The Frenchman missed a golden chance late on, blasting the ball into the stands from a promising position.

And it was that moment in the game and his overall performance that left many of their fans unhappy. One described him as the most frustrating to ever play for the club as he was lamented for his shooting ability.

It was claimed that no man had a worse shot than the 6 foot 2 midfielder as a further individual said people needed to stop pretending he was good enough to play for Spurs.

Sissoko achieved a low match rating of 6.4, per WhoScored, completing just 76% of his passes. He was also dispossessed twice.

Here’s some of the reaction from Twitter.

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Manuel Pellegrini has said that Jack Wilshere is available to play against Brighton & Hove Albion despite suffering an injury scare against Manchester City, as reported by football.london.

Wilshere was substituted off for Robert Snodgrass after 56 minutes of the season opener, with what eventually turned out to be a dead leg, as reported by The Express.

Speaking about the 27-year-old, Pellegrini said: “Jack is working without any problem with the squad. He is working a complete week with our team so we don’t have a problem with that. He’s okay.”

There weren’t really any West Ham players who managed to make much of an impact on their season opener, as City won 5-0.

However, Wilshere did show glimpses of his creative spark and how neat he can be on the ball, as he recorded a pass completion rate of 87.5%, as per WhoScored.

The England international’s injury record did add a sense of severity to Wilshere’s injury, which it turns out wasn’t actually the case.

Last season he managed to start four Premier League games, coming off the bench for another four, accumulating just 389 minutes on the pitch throughout the league campaign, as he missed most of it through injury.

The scare possibly acts as a reminder that Wilshere’s game time will need to be managed correctly this season if the Hammers are to get the most out of him.

It is encouraging that Wilshere is available and the club should do all they can to ensure this remains the case, as he can be a very useful player in possession.

He has put a lot of effort into his fitness and has even hired a physio to fly from Ireland to give him private sessions, as reported by The Daily Mail, hopefully, it pays off for him and he can have a season free of injuries.

West Ham fans, relieved that Wilshere hasn’t picked up another serious injury? Let us know in the comment section below!

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According to Fanatik, Trabzonspor are keen to complete a deal for Everton forward Oumar Niasse before this summer’s transfer window slams shut.

The 29-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with Cardiff City but could not help the Welsh outfit avoid relegation back to the Championship.

Niasse, who has scored nine times in 39 appearances for the Merseyside giants, has a contract with Everton until the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

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However, he could be on the move ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Indeed, according to Fanatik, Trabzonspor are keen to land the experienced forward, although it is unclear whether the interest is in the shape of a loan or a permanent deal.

Either way, the Everton fans are desperate for Niasse to leave, with many taking to social media to express their views on the transfer report.

Check out what happened when Thogden mixed with some of Montenegro’s craziest ultras in the video below…

A selection of the Twitter reaction is available below:

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Sunderland were beaten 1-0 by Portuguese Primeira Liga outfit Belenenses this weekend, and Jack Ross’ biggest problem last season is rearing its ugly head once again.

On the chalkboard

It’s only pre-season. Most managers would quite happily lose every friendly if it meant getting their players fit and primed for the start of the real campaign, and the results don’t really matter.

However, the fact that the Black Cats have now played two friendlies in Portugal and not even scored a single goal is most definitely a concern, after their 0-0 draw with Benfica B last week.

Indeed, last season Ross’ side fell behind in the automatic promotion race when they drew six out of eight league matches 1-1 between December 29 and February 12, and they drew with that same score-line a whopping 15 times in total across the whole campaign.

Just turning a couple of those draws into 2-1 or 3-1 wins could have secured automatic promotion and avoided Wembley heartbreak.

Clearly then, the manager has not yet figured out how to break teams down and open games up, and these problems, which ruined the last campaign and have persisted so far through pre-season, all stem from one position.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Crying out for a playmaker

It may be tempting to blame the men up front for the lack of goals, but Sunderland’s Charlie Wyke and Will Grigg have both shown in the past they can perform at this level.

Wyke racked up 16 goals and nine assists in his final season with Bradford, while Grigg boasts a remarkable 100 League One goals in his career.

Both players know how to stick the ball in the net if they get the chances, but the problem is they are not getting chances.

George Honeyman was Ross’ first choice in the number ten role last term, but only managed a measly two assists in 28 games in the position.

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Of course, the captain has not travelled on the pre-season trip to Portugal, but even fans have noted that it is the lack of chances to blame for the goalscoring drought, rather than the goalscorers themselves.

With Honeyman providing no success last season and no sign of a top playmaker emerging in pre-season, Ross simply must strengthen the position in the summer transfer window.

The Black Cats have added three new players so far, all in defence, but a creative number ten must now be the absolute priority.

If they don’t get some creativity behind the likes of Grigg and Wyke, the exact same problems that plagued the 18/19 campaign will do the same damage this time around.

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According to Alan Nixon of The Sun, Crystal Palace are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, whilst the Guardian states that talks are still ongoing between both clubs for right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Eagles are standing firm over their valuation of the England Under-21 star, with talks ongoing over a deal after the player himself expressed a desire to move to Old Trafford.

Palace are making life tough for United in negotiations and are believed to be open to a sale if the fee is guaranteed to be in excess of £50m.

Could United be in the hunt for an £85m blockbuster signing this summer? Check out the video below…

However, Nixon’s report suggesting that Palace want Scottish international McTominay could hand the Red Devils a vital negotiating tool in talks with the south Londoners.

McTominay plus cash for Wan-Bissaka?

McTominay, a United academy graduate, had a few good games last season but definitely should not be considered as good enough to start in Solskjaer’s midfield on a regular basis.

He isn’t of the required quality for United and they should definitely include him as part of the deal for Wan-Bissaka, which may be of interest to Palace due to their interest in landing the 22-year-old midfielder.

United have already shown a willingness to include their players as part of potential transfer deals in their pursuit of West Ham centre-back Issa Diop, who United have been linked with a £45m move for and an unnamed player included as well.

More than £50m is a lot to pay for a right-back who has just one full season on senior football under his belt, and it would be a purchase that would leave United with less funds to overhaul what is a faltering squad – wherever money can be saved, it should be, as a world-class centre back is still required.

McTominay, who is valued at £12m on Transfermarkt, should be thrown in as a bargaining chip without any second thoughts from United – Wan-Bissaka has three years left on his contract and Palace are in a very strong position in negotiations.

By doing this, United would have a vital asset in what is turning out to be a tough negotiation with Palace.

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With Tammy Abraham’s loan deal expiring and Aston Villa achieving promotion, it’s clear they’ll need to add some more firepower to their squad ahead of a return to the top-flight.

Maxi Gomez, who bagged 13 goals for Celta Vigo last term, could well be the answer.

Ney Castillo, the President of Gomez’s former club, Defensor Sporting, revealed to Tiempo de Futbol on Sport 890, broadcast June 6th, that the Villans were interested in the player.

On the same day one of the club’s scouts, Juanfran, also declared his admiration for the player. Per quotes from Marca, he said that there was interest for the forward’s services from the Premier League.

At just 22-years-of-age, the Uruguay international is still particularly raw but has shown great potential in Spain.

Any club that does move for him though will have to be prepared to pay a large fee. His current buy out clause sits at £43.5m.

Reacting to the news, Football FanCast writers have given their verdicts on whether Villa should sign the player.

Here’s what they said…

Charles Jones:

“Maxi Gomez has been putting up some fantastic numbers for his age in La Liga, but we know that prolific strikers in that division can flop in the Premier League. Iago Aspas and Christian Stuani ended up near the top of the scoring charts last season and we saw how much they struggled to adapt in England. £43.5m is an incredible fee, but you can’t help but feel they would be better off spending a lesser amount on bringing Tammy Abraham back.”

Luke Glanville:

“I think that Maxi Gomez should be a complete no-go for Aston Villa, especially at an obscene price like £43.5m. The 22-year-old has no Premier League experience and is only proven in a league of far inferior quality. What Dean Smith’s men really need to add to their ranks in every department is players who know what it’s like to play in the English top flight and are proven at that level. After survival in their first term back and some top-flight stability, Villa can go after the lavish names.”

Harry Sherlock:

“A move worth £43.5m for a club who have just been promoted makes absolutely zero sense. Villa should be hunting for proven talent, Premier League players who have long had a knack of scoring in the top-flight. Gomez is unproven. For a top-six club, it’s a drop in the ocean. For Villa, it could be the whole budget. They should move on and find an alternative target.”

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Sky Sports have reported that Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham United have tabled a bid for Lorient winger Alexis Claude-Maurice as they search for their third signing of the summer window.

What’s the word, then?

The Hammers’ approach to the Ligue 2 side is believed to be £10m for the 21-year-old, who has also been linked with West Ham’s Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Claude-Maurice has represented the French national team at every level from under-18 to under-20 and spent his entire career thus far at his current club, having progressed through their youth ranks.

However, following the Brittany side’s failure at promotion to Ligue 1 in 2018/2019, the attacker is expected to leave with the London Stadium very much looking like his next destination at present. He’s a left winger by trade but can play centrally and even be fielded on the right flank.

Real kick in the teeth for Diangana

You may be asking yourself, why do the east Londoners want an exciting young attacking hotshot who can play on either wing or in the middle when they have Grady Diangana, that very thing?

Well, the truth is that this move, if it goes ahead, would be a real kick in the teeth for the Academy of Football product and possibly the beginning of the end for him and the team he’s been with since childhood.

Breaking through into Pellegrini’s side to secure his senior debut last term and making a further 20 appearances in all competitions, many are predicting the 21-year-old to really kick on and become a first-team regular next campaign.

However, a move to bring Claude-Maurice in would suggest that the club don’t have the same confidence about Diangana and perhaps don’t believe his future lies in east London.

The Frenchman is exactly the same age as the Englishman and has an eerily similar style of play. In fact, they are so similar in so many different regards that it would make little sense to have them both in the same squad. This has to go down as the first nail in the coffin of Diangana’s West Ham career.

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Christian Eriksen turned in such an anonymous display as Tottenham Hotspur were beaten by Liverpool in the Champions League final that Danny Rose, the club’s left-back, had a better attacking performance than the Dane.

It has to be said that very few Spurs players emerged from the encounter with genuine credit; bar Rose, it was only the centre-back pairing and perhaps Son Heung-min who will be proud of their shift.

Rose, though, was the standout performer down the left flank, constantly looking to make something happen.

Spurs were ultimately frustrated, but the England left-back appears to have come through the worst moments of his career and has completed a remarkable turnaround. Having been linked with an exit in the past, in the showpiece, he turned up.

Rose completed four successful dribbles, per WhoScored, more than any other player on the pitch, and also laid on three key passes. His pass completion rate was 88% and he also delivered two successful corners and had one shot on target.

By comparison, Eriksen, the player linked with Real Madrid, was anonymous at best and atrocious at worst.

He too had one shot on target. Amazingly though, he did not complete a dribble, he laid on just one key pass and he had a passing accuracy of 85%. Despite being Spurs’ go-to set-piece taker, he did not complete a single accurate corner.

This is a player who is said to be valued at over £100million by both Spurs and Real Madrid.

On the grandest stage of them all, he fluffed his lines to the extent that his side’s left-back offered a greater attacking threat. That has to be mightily embarrassing for the Dane.

Perhaps, at the end of the day, this was Rose’s magnum opus, the finest performance of his career in one of the biggest games a footballer can play in.

Or perhaps it was proof that Eriksen simply isn’t as good as he thinks he is.