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According to reports in The Sun on Sunday, Everton have placed Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill at the top of their three-man shortlist to succeed Ronald Koeman, and Toffees fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.

The Sun on Sunday says that majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has identified the 65-year-old as the man he wants to take charge five weeks after Koeman was sacked, although the former Aston Villa and Celtic boss will want a contract that lasts longer than just until the end of the season.

The Merseyside outfit’s need to make a permanent appointment quickly is even more important following successive heavy defeats against Atalanta and Southampton.

Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the potential of the Irishman taking over, and they were divided with their opinions.

While one said “Please not MON”, another said “I;d take O’Neill in a heartbeat”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Heralding the return of Jack Wilshere after a good performance on a night when another away result eluded Arsenal would seem like a step too far, but when a player of such potential has been so unlucky with injuries, people get excited if there’s a potential return.

Against West Ham on Wednesday night, Wilshere was the Gunners’ best player, whilst his aggression and directness stood out as something Arsene Wenger has lacked in his side for too long.

The Arsenal midfielder’s all-round play was impressive, getting involved in the game with 80 touches as his side dominated possession against a disciplined West Ham side.

More importantly, though, it was Wilshere’s willingness to take the game to his opponents that stood out. He attempted four dribbles – more than any other Arsenal player – completing all of them, and completed 92% of his passes, showing that when he got the ball, he rarely wasted it.

His three tackles showed his contribution to his side when they didn’t have the ball, too, and only Nacho Monreal won the ball back more times on the night than the English midfielder.

It’s too early to say that Wilshere is coming back. One good game – especially one where Arsenal didn’t actually win – is hardly cause for unbridled optimism, but at the same time, it’s encouraging that the England man isn’t shying away from his natural game when he’s on the pitch, still playing without fear and playing a direct, swashbuckling game.

Having had so many injuries, Wilshere might well need to adapt his game to a slower, more considered style at some point. But for now, he possesses a fight and the good kind of aggression that his team don’t have too much of in the centre of midfield. And if he can keep his form high between now and the end of the season, staying injury free, he could make a huge difference to Arsenal’s season.

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The Liverpool fans in and around the Transfer Tavern are hopeful that this season could be the one where the Reds bring some silverware back to Anfield. 

Having got all the way to the Champions League final last season just shows how far Jurgen Klopp has progressed with his team in the last few years, given that they finished near mid-table not too long ago. However, their biggest worry is still in-between the sticks and judging by his World Cup and Premier League performances, Kasper Schmeichel, (who is valued at £9 million on Transfermarkt) should be a serious contender for the number 1 jersey.

Having saved three penalties and only conceded two goals in the World Cup, Schmeichel showed on the biggest stage of them all what he can do. The shot-stopper has been at Leicester for seven years now and every season seems to be growing better and better with age, helping the Foxes to another top 10 finish last term as well. In his 33 league appearances, Schmeichel kept 8 clean sheets and done the best he could considering the bad defending at times in front of him.

Liverpool have a real dilemma with Karius and Mignolet alike, with both making costly mistakes last season. Do they trust them again or is their time up at Anfield? Only time will tell but 31-year-old Kasper Schmeichel would be an improvement on either keeper, something Liverpool have to make sure they buy.

The Reds have already completed the signings of Fabinho and Naby Keita this summer as they bid to challenge for the Premier League as well as European stardom.

Thoughts… Let us know!

Leeds fans are reacting absolutely hilariously to some comments from Paul Scholes, as the Manchester United legend picked Leeds as an example of “mental” fans.

Last season was a huge disappointment for Leeds, as what looked like it could be a playoff-chasing season quickly turned into a game of musical chairs in the dugout, as two managers have said their goodbyes to the club.

One thing that never faltered though was the support at Elland Road, and former Manchester United man Scholes has had his say on the Leeds faithful.

“We loved going to places where everyone is baying for blood,” the 43 year-old said when quizzed about intimidating atmospheres.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”270847″ player=”12034″ title=”England’s 1966 World Cup Omens”]

“It’s brilliant. You’d go to Leeds, I know it’s on a domestic point of view… psychopaths! Absolutely mental fans.

“But there’s nothing better than going there and winning a game.”

Needless to say, if new manager Marcelo Bielsa is going to guide his side up the table he’s going to need some support from the fans, and they’re absolutely loving the comments from Scholes.

The club’s struggles in recent years has somewhat killed the rivalry with the Red Devils, but the deep rooted hatred still remains, and fans are taking Scholes’ comments as a huge compliment.

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You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Leeds United are set to go head to head with Derby County after having a £2.5million bid for Brentford winger Florian Jozefzoon accepted, according to Football Insider.

What’s the story?

The 27-year-old moved to Brentford from PSV Eindhoven in January 2017 and has gone on to make 58 Championship appearances for the Bees, scoring eight goals and assisting nine.

According to the report, Leeds have matched Derby’s bid for the Dutch winger and it’s now up to the player where he wants to move this summer.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”271323″ player=”12034″ title=”Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus on Football Manager”]

Good move for Leeds?

If Leeds manage to win the battle against Derby, Jozefzoon will be their first permanent deal of the transfer window after completing loan moves for Lewis Baker and Jamal Blackman.

Leeds are in desperate need of a wide-man who provides pace and creativity and Jozefzoon has proved that he is one of the best in the league.

It’s now up to Bielsa’s persuasive skills and if he succeeds it could spell the end of Hadi Sacko’s time at Leeds after the winger failed to impress last season.

According to the Mirror, despite interest from Juventus and Spurs, Manchester United are willing to give Anthony Martial another season to prove his worth at Old Trafford.

Reportedly, this decision has been taken by the Red Devils in the hope that the enforced absences of Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, a result of their World Cup exploits, will provide Martial a window of opportunity in which to impress and stake his claim to be a regular starter.

Martial should be wary of taking this route though, and ought to focus instead on securing himself a way out from under Jose Mourinho’s charge.

The Breakdown

A similar situation occurred at the beginning of last season, when Martial was a starter for the early part of the campaign. During that period, Martial impressed in the Red Devils’ attack and netted six times in the Premier League before December.

That strong early form didn’t make United hesitate in purchasing Alexis Sanchez though, and pushing the young Frenchman even further down the pecking order.

A lack of game time under Mourinho cost Martial his place in the international set up, causing the 22-year-old to miss out on this summer’s World Cup triumph.

Martial is too talented to be a bench player and should force through a move to a side where he’ll be treated as the star man. At his age, this state of affairs isn’t helping his development. If Martial is to ever reach the level that his potential suggests he can, then he has to get out of Old Trafford first.

According to a recent report from Milliyet (via The Daily Star), Liverpool will begin talks with Besiktas about a move for Domagoj Vida in the next few days. The centre back enjoyed a fine World Cup with Croatia earlier this summer in helping his country reach the showpiece in Russia, only to go down 4-2 to France in a thrilling final in Moscow.

Yet it appears that the 29-year-old’s efforts have attracted much attention in recent weeks, not least from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who would complete a remarkable summer of business with the addition of the Croatian ace in the coming weeks.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Klopp have been extremely busy in the transfer window so far this summer in trying to turn the Reds into a team capable of challenging for the Premier League, having seemingly plugged key areas of the squad with shrewd additions so far.

Fabinho and Naby Keita have both moved to Anfield in a bid to give the Liverpool manager more options in the middle of the park, while Xherdan Shaqiri’s arrival from Stoke will go some way to bolstering the attacking ranks which, outside of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah, are somewhat lacking in genuine quality.

And with Roma goalkeeper Alisson also moving to Merseyside, in a bid to finally replace the unconvincing Loris Karius, it seems that Klopp is slowly but surely building a squad ready to challenge the likes of Manchester City for the Premier League title – Vida’s arrival would only aid in that quest.

The 29-year-old was outstanding for Croatia alongside Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren in helping his country reach the World Cup final, with the defender starting six of their seven games in reaching the showpiece, helping them to two clean sheets in the group stages and indeed netting in their 2-2 draw with Russia in the quarter-final.

Add in his excellent exploits for Besiktas in the second half of last season, having only moved to the Turkish giants back in January, alongside five fine years at Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev, and it’s clear that Vida is the sort of centre back that could strike quite the partnership with Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Klopp’s backline.

And with the other centre back position arguably the one area of the squad that still remains somewhat unconvincing, despite Lovren’s efforts in Russia this summer, it’s pretty clear that landing Vida this summer would complete a remarkable summer of business from the Merseyside giants.

Liverpool fans… what do you think? Let us know!

According to ESPN, Adrien Rabiot is closing in on signing a new deal with PSG, after rumours that he was considering an exit this summer.

New PSG boss, Thomas Tuchel, appears prepared to make Rabiot part of his plans for the upcoming season, which could be what it takes to convince the Frenchman to remain at the Parc des Princes.

The 23-year-old is currently entering the final year of his deal with the Parisian giants, and could therefore be available for less than the £45 million he is valued at by Transfermarkt.

Before Rabiot officially agrees to new terms with PSG, there is a window of opportunity for other top clubs, who can give the France international an even greater guarantee of regular first team football, to move for the midfielder’s signature.

Chelsea would be wise to swoop for Rabiot now, whilst they still can.

The Breakdown

Despite the arrival of Jorginho already this summer, the centre of the park will remain a concern for Maurizio Sarri.

Presently, the likes of Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko look a long way short of the standard required at Stamford Bridge, and with Cesc Fabregas no longer the creative force he once was, further reinforcements look to be required in that area of the pitch.

Rabiot’s blend of technical excellence, grace, and physical presence and athleticism would add a lot of quality to the Blues’ midfield contingent. The PSG man would be able to assist N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in their defensive duties, whilst also being able to contribute positively in the final third by taking his share of the creative burden.

If Sarri can part Rabiot from PSG for a bargain price this summer then he’d be wise to pull out all of the stops to see it done.

Southampton are running out of time in their pursuit of a centre-forward, and supporters will no doubt head into the new season fearing for the worst if one is not secured before the transfer window closes. 

The Saints have done some decent business this summer by bringing in Jannik Vestergaard, Angus Gunn, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Stuart Armstrong, but all of that good work could be undone if a striker does not accompany them.

The Breakdown

However, given the relegation battle Southampton found themselves embroiled in last season, it would be a surprise if the club’s hierarchy did not make one big push to bring someone in ahead of deadline day.

And, if they do, the man who could be lined up for a move to St. Mary’s is Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck.

According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for £13.5m-rated (via Transfermarkt) Welbeck with the 27-year-old said to have been told by Unai Emery that he will not be a regular at the Emirates in the forthcoming campaign.

Welbeck’s availability has since alerted several Premier League clubs including Everton, Bournemouth and Southampton. And while the latter do desperately need a new frontman, it is debatable to whether Welbeck is the answer or not.

The England international has never been the greatest of goalscorers, failing to score more than five goals in any of his four Premier League campaigns as an Arsenal player.

Although, In Welbeck’s defence, he has had a couple of bad injuries and when fit, is often forced to play out wide.

With Welbeck’s goalscoring and injury records in mind, he may not have been Southampton supporters’ dream signing up front. But given how close deadline day is, the former Manchester United striker could be the Saints’ best bet.

According to a recent report from Goal, the future of Michy Batshuayi remains uncertain as the transfer deadline draws nearer. The 24-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League giants Chelsea but was shipped out on loan to Borussia Dortmund last season such was his lowly position in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, with Spanish side Sevilla reportedly leading the chase for his signature this summer.

And these recent reports should certainly be of interest to Newcastle United and indeed owner Mike Ashley, who should make a move for the supremely talented striker in a bid to try and finally appease the Magpies supporters.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it has been 13 long years since Newcastle splashed out £17 million to bring Michael Owen back to the Premier League after his ill-fated time at Real Madrid, which to this day remains the club’s transfer record.

And in an era of inflated prices and incredible sums of money being banded about, it is quite extraordinary to think that the Magpies haven’t exceeded that £17 million figure, with owner Ashley unsurprisingly bearing the brunt of criticism over the years.

And this summer has hardly been a big-spending one either given Rafa Benitez’s side have managed to bring in just six players so far, two of which on loan in Kenedy and Salomon Rondon, and one in Ki Sung-Yueng on a free transfer after leaving Swansea City.

Thus, frustrations remain among Newcastle fans that their side aren’t showing the sort of ambition Benitez has seemingly called for to try and take the club back to its former glories, which is why Ashley must seek to rival the likes of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, and Valencia for the signature of Batshuayi.

The 24-year-old may not have commanded regular football during his short stint at Chelsea, but his goal record is actually pretty impressive given he has bagged 19 goals in 53 games for the Blues, which given his lack of starts equates to a goal every 93 minutes.

Add in the nine goals in he scored in just 14 games for Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund last time round, in another of Europe’s top leagues, and it’s clear that Batshuayi has clear pedigree in front of goal – the sort of pedigree Newcastle were desperately short of last season.

And while they have sought to combat that by bringing in West Brom’s Rondon on loan, his arrival is another that hasn’t exactly been met with genuine excitement – a move for Batshuayi would though as it finally shows ambition from the Newcastle hierarchy.

The damage between Ashley and the Magpies faithful is probably beyond repair, but he would go some way to trying to appease them were he to join and indeed win the race for Chelsea’s Batshuayi in the final few days of the transfer window.

Newcastle fans… what do you think? Let us know!