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Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer window is threatening to finally get underway during the final 7 days with the news that Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Mosua Dembele could all leave the club, according to Sky Sports News.

The report claims that Spurs are willing to listen to offers for the aforementioned trio, and they are hoping to make two signings of their own before the window slams shut.

With Dembele potentially set to depart the club, Mauricio Pochettino will need to target the acquisition of a new central midfielder to ensure his side are well prepared for life after their Belgium lynchpin.

And Pochettino already has his eye on a handful of players to target in the event of Dembele’s departure, one of which is Southampton’s Mario Lemina – an all-action central midfielder who impressed on his debut season in English football.

After winning back-to-back Serie A titles with Juventus, Lemina’s decision to sign for the Saints provoked plenty of interest last summer.

The Gabon international is a defensive midfielder by trade, but he possesses a level of creative intent which suggests his technical quality is rather wasted in a midfield anchor role.

Whether he is better suited to a box-to-box or a more advanced role remains to be seen, but his debut season in the Premier League suggests he is only bound to improve with further experience.

However, with all due respect to Southampton, a player of Lemina’s level could, and perhaps should be playing his trade for a top-four club with ambitions of reaching the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Tottenham are a club who fit that particular description at this moment in time, and under a manager like Pochettino who possesses a strong passion for developing emerging talent, Lemina could step up another level next season.

Lemina possesses all of the credentials to grow into one of the Premier League’s best midfielders in the years to come: he is technically gifted, a confident ball-carrier, strong in the tackle, an inventive passer and a brilliant engine.

But unless the 24-year-old slots into the right environment he will fail to live up to his enormous potential, so he should jump at the chance to play under a manager of Pochettino’s expertise if Spurs come calling for his signature in the final week of the window.

Tottenham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Manchester United won 2-1 against Leicester City on Friday night to get their Premier League campaign off to the ideal start.

A summer of bad blood off the field and a lack of big money signings had seemingly thrown United off track somewhat, and manager Jose Mourinho was vocal to say the least in the build up the big kick off.

However, Mourinho did what he knows best, and got the three points in the bag, and there was some encouraging signs for United.

One of the big plus points from Friday was the showing of midfielder Paul Pogba, who captained the side and returned from his small summer break after winning the World Cup with France to take his place in the starting XI and deliver a big performance.

Pogba was often criticised last season for not taking games by the scruff of the neck and allowing the opposition to dominate the game, but on Friday, it was Pogba who showed dominance.

It should come as no surprise, given how well he performed in the summer, but it is a pleasant sight for United fans that they might finally be seeing the player everyone knows he has the ability to be.

If Pogba can maintain and even improve the levels he displayed on the opening night of the season, then there is every chance United could well find themselves right in the title mix come May 2019.

United fans, what did you make of Pogba’s showing? Give us your thoughts in the comments!

When Sheikh Mansour took over Manchester City in 2009, a stigma was soon attached to the North-West outfit.

Billions of pounds were flooded into the club and now they are one of the Premier League heavyweights.

In the past, City have spent huge amounts on signing new players, but this summer they have been relatively quiet.

Their only major new arrival of the window was Riyad Mahrez, who according to The Telegraph cost around £60m when City bought the winger from Leicester City earlier in the summer.

Elsewhere, some of their league rivals were splashing the cash on numerous signings.

When City secured the signature of Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson last year from Benfica, the club broke the world record fee in a £35m deal.

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Liverpool obliterated that when – as reported by The Guardian – the Merseyside outfit spent £66.9m bringing Alisson to Anfield from Roma.

Within a few weeks, the record was broken again when Chelsea landed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao.

According to BBC Sport, the West London outfit, who hired Maurizio Sarri to replace Antonio Conte earlier this summer, parted with £71m to sign the keeper.

On Reddit, some City fans pointed fingers at their rivals and critics for the constant criticism that the club faces for spending big on transfers.

Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.Comment from discussion “Ederson was overpriced and a stupid buy”.

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Leeds progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 win over Bolton at Elland Road on Tuesday evening, and fans of the club on Twitter were impressed with Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman’s performance.

The 24-year-old came through the academy system at Chelsea but is now on his fifth loan spell away from Stamford Bridge and is yet to make his debut for the Blues’ first team.

After Bailey Peacock-Farrell started Leeds’ first two league games, this was Blackman’s first competitive appearance for Marcelo Bielsa’s side and, despite one loose moment, he impressed these fans on Twitter enough to warrant a start in the Whites’ next Championship fixture at home to Rotherham on Saturday.

Blackman looked confident and comfortable on his first appearance of the season and after Peacock-Farrell’s mistake against Derby, where Tom Lawrence’s free-kick went straight past the 21-year-old’s hand, boss Marcelo Bielsa will have a big decision to make.

Take a look at some of the best tweets from Leeds fans on the dilemma after Blackman’s performance against Bolton below.

Leeds fans, who would you like to see start in goal for Saturday’s Championship tie at home to Rotherham? Have your say in our poll below.

Everton were the Premier League’s entertainers on Deadline Day alongside Fulham, bringing in a whole raft of late signings to boost the squad Marco Silva inherited from Sam Allardyce.

But was it good business from the Merseyside outfit, or could they come to regret some of the deals director Marcel Brands has made this summer?

Football FanCast’s expert writers debate one simple question – what will prove to be Everton’s biggest mistake of the summer transfer window?

Ben Goodwin – No back-up to Tosun

“Everton had a fantastic window, and I particularly like the capture of Kurt Zouma, but I think they will regret not adding more goals. Richarlison is already proving he will chip in, but one injury to Cenk Tosun could prove fatal, and the Turkish international himself is not exactly setting the league alight. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Oumar Niasse simply aren’t good enough, so the Toffees should signed a pacey young striker that could learn from Tosun and push him for the starting spot.”

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James Beavis – Another wideman needed

“Everton were pretty impressive against Southampton last weekend considering that only one of their new signings started the game, with the likes of Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina still to come into the starting XI. While they appear to be well-stocked at the back and in midfield, Silva will have one big regret which is not bringing in a new wide player – especially if Yannick Bolasie and Ademola Lookman join Nikola Vlasic and Kevin Mirallas in leaving this summer. If they do depart it would leave the Portuguese short on the flanks despite the arrivals of Richarlison and Bernard, who need to stay fit to get Tosun firing.”

Will Jones – Too much business

“Everton’s biggest mistake may well be just how much business they did. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that making any more than three or four first team signings in one window risks rocking the boat too much. The Toffees recruited Richarlison, Bernard, Gomes, Digne, Zouma and Mina this summer, and hired a new manager to boot.

“It could take a long time for all of these new faces to bed in and gel. Whilst Silva has got off to a good start, he’ll be hoping he will be shown some patience when his side hits a rough patch, especially if his new signings are failing to fire.”

Christy Malyan – Not shifting the deadwood

“At the start of the summer Marcel Brands spoke about offloading up to twelve players and while 13 have left the club in one form or another (six only on loan), it still feels as if Marco Silva’s squad is a little overloaded and lacking natural hierarchy. Depth is all well and good but there are so many players at Everton that will consider themselves worthy of a starting berth that team selections are bound to cause fractions amongst the dressing room as the campaign goes on.

“Lookman is a prime example of that – he probably should be getting first-team opportunities but now finds himself behind a January signing and a summer signing to get a chance on the flanks. Some of the late arrivals will likely take priority as well, so Brands has made a really tough challenge for Silva in keeping all of these players happy.” 

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French champions Paris Saint-Germain are plotting a £100m bid to snatch Christian Eriksen from Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Daily Express.

What’s the word?

Tottenham fans witnessed a quiet summer under Mauricio Pochettino as the Lilywhites did not make any new signings in the market but things could be set to spark into life in the final days of the European transfer window.

The Daily Express claims Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are eyeing a late move for Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen and are prepared to pay a whopping £100m to lure the Denmark international to the French capital.

Eriksen’s future in North London remains subject to intense speculation as contract talks between him and the club show no signs of conclusion, with the 26-year-old having entered the final two years of his current deal.

PSG could use that to their advantage with a late swoop in the market, with the report stating Thomas Tuchel’s side will target a move if they fail in a £81m approach to land Ivan Rakitic from Barcelona.

Should Spurs be worried?

While news of PSG’s interest in Eriksen will lead to alarm bells ringing at Tottenham, the reports should be taken with a huge pinch of salt due to the ongoing insight into the French club’s financials by European governing body UEFA.

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A potential bid for Eriksen does not really make sense considering alternative reports, including those via The Guardian, suggest that PSG may have to sell either Neymar or Kylian Mbappe in order to adhere to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

It is therefore extremely unlikely that PSG have the finances or the intention to seal a move for Eriksen before Friday’s European deadline, although it should at least boot Spurs into action as they seek to secure a new deal for their creative star.

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Sheffield United romped to a 4-1 win this weekend over potential promotion rivals Aston Villa, and manager Chris Wilder will be delighted with his side’s work.

Four wins on the bounce have given Blades fan renewed optimism that this might actually be their year, and Wilder deserves a ton of credit for getting the Blades into such a position given his budget and spending power in the transfer market.

However, working on such a small budget can bring with it it’s masterstrokes in terms of transfers, and one player who Wilder seems to have pulled out of the bag is Northern Ireland midfielder Oliver Norwood, who has been nothing short of superb since arriving a few weeks ago.

The £2m signing from Fulham is proving quite the capture, and once again was man of the match as the Blades dispatched Villa this weekend.

Norwood looks in all likelihood to be one of the signings of the summer, not just in the second tier, but in terms of transfers in the country overall. His ability on the ball in the middle of the park seemingly makes those around him better, while his dead ball delivery has already proved a big success at Bramall Lane.

With Norwood in the middle alongside and ever improving John Fleck, the Blades have all the hallmarks of being a team who can make the playoffs, and they should not be counted out by anyone.

Blades fans, what do you think? Has Norwood made all the difference? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

After talk of their finances dominated the summer, Aston Villa have got off to a very solid start to the Championship campaign, the Villains are unbeaten in their first five and sit fourth in the table currently. 

Villa have shown a real battle and steel so far in their season. Equalising in the last minute to Brentford to salvage a point shows the resolve and never-say-die spirit that exists in the camp of the Birmingham-based club. They possess quality all over the pitch, and surely the target for this season has to be to return to the promised land of the Premier League, which the club played in uninterrupted for so many years.

One major piece of business for the club over summer was holding on to key asset Jack Grealish despite heavy interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The Midlands outfit and Spurs battled over the price of the midfield talent all summer, and the price put on his shoulders by the Villa hierarchy clearly did not mean Tottenham’s valuation of the player.

Holding on to the player is huge for the Villa Park outfit. He is creative, a good dribbler, has a great pass and holds the ability to produce a fearsome shot. He dictates the play, and is hugely valuable to Steve Bruce. The reason the young Englishman, who is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, could cost Aston Villa promotion is because he could still leave the club in January. The 22-year-old does seem to want to further his career elsewhere, and if he left in January he could deeply unsettle the balance of the side. Villa fans will be desperately hoping they can hold on to their man during the next transfer window, as it could be the difference between promotion to the top-flight, and staying in the second tier.

Manchester United finally put their early season misery behind them last weekend as they ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at Burnley.

Things had been getting a bit pressured for manager Jose Mourinho and his squad as the Red Devils fell to losses against both Brighton and Spurs, and the win will have done the manager and the team the world of good.

However, there has to be an element inside the United manager which has some anger at the amount of summer transfers which were seemingly not completed at Old Trafford, and one man we at the Tavern think Mourinho will be annoyed about missing out on is Leicester City and England defender Harry Maguire.

The big defender had a superb World Cup and was clearly identified by Mourinho as a key target.

However, a move for Maguire failed to materialise, and with the defensive displays so far from United, the gaffer will no doubt be feeling somewhat aggrieved at missing out on his top target.

Maguire has gotten off to a superb start for the Foxes once again, bagging a late winner at Southampton two weeks back, while once again delivering consistent and steady performances at the heart of the defence.

For all the attacking talent at Old Trafford, they needed a dominant centre half. Maguire would have been that man, and as the season goes on, Mourinho will surely only live to regret not capturing the former Sheffield United man even more.

United fans, what do you think? Have you missed the boat with Maguire? Let us know in the comments!

Aston Villa once again fell to defeat this weekend as Sheffield Wednesday rolled into Villa Park to take all three points.

The pressure is continuing to build on manager Steve Bruce, and despite being rescued over the summer in terms of off the field problems and money to bring in new signings, it looks like being a bleak old season for Bruce and his squad.

One of the summer signings which caused quite the stir was the addition of Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham, a young striker who was well courted by a host of clubs throughout the summer.

However, it was Villa who got their man, and we here at the Tavern think that this season could really turn into make or break for the youngster.

Abraham has thus far in his career only showed consistent goalscoering form during one spell, that being his time with Bristol City two seasons ago when he smashed in 25 goals for the Robins and earnt himself a move to then Premier League Swansea the season after.

However, his form for the Swans was patchy to say the least, and despite getting off the mark already for the Villans, the pressure will be on the Chelsea man to find his form.

A poor season for Villa will see the doubters come out in force over his talent, while a good showing might well force him into the reckoning for Blues manager Maurizio Sarri.

Either way, this season is set to be a huge one for Abraham, as he looks to cement himself as one of the best up and coming talents in the country.

Villa fans, do you agree? Is Abraham going to produce the goods for you this term? Let us know your thoughts!