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Wolves marksman Raúl Jiménez has uploaded an emotional Instagram post following Sunday’s 3-0 win over Norwich.

The 82-cap Mexico international netted his 12th Premier League goal of the campaign with his strike against the Canaries, adding the icing on the cake for Wolves after Diogo Jota’s first-half double had put the Midlands-based side in the ascendancy.

Jiménez now has 21 goals and ten assists to his name across all competitions this term, which is simply phenomenal.

His efforts have helped Nuno Espirito Santo’s side place one foot in the Europa League last 16 phase, while also taking Wolves just five points off the Premier League top four – he and his side truly are having an excellent season.

The former Benfica striker is expecting a child with his partner, and celebrated accordingly against Norwich by sticking the ball under his shirt – his Instagram post is relevant to his and his partner’s good news.

His 13-word post reads: “Un gol con dedicatoria especial para ti que vienes en camino. Los amo” which translates to “a goal with special dedication for you that you are on the way. I love them”.

You can see what the Mexican posted below:

In other news, this journalist has been waxing lyrical about one Wolves player on Twitter…

In what was no doubt a thrilling game for the neutral, Arsenal edged out Everton in a topsy-turvy encounter at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners eventually prevailed 3-2, thanks to a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a strike from Eddie Nketiah. But whilst Mikel Arteta will have been pleased with the duo’s contributions in a goal-scoring sense, he may be slightly more concerned with the latter’s overall display.

When the north London side recalled Nketiah from his spell at Leeds, the immediate suggestion was that he would be heading out on another loan for the rest of the campaign. Instead, the 20-year-old seemingly did enough in training to convince Arteta that he should remain at the Emirates for the duration of this season.

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And having started in the 4-0 win over Newcastle last time out in the Premier League, Nketiah was once again given the chance to shine against Everton. But whilst his equalising goal – a well-timed side-foot finish from an exquisite Bukayo Saka cross – was superbly taken, his overall performance left a lot to be desired.

Standing at just 5 foot 9, and with a physically slight frame, the Arsenal academy product was perhaps never going to win his fair share of the battles with Everton’s 6 foot 5 powerhouse Yerry Mina. And so it proved.

As per Sofascore, he won just four of his 14 total duels, whilst he also lost possession 11 times. Whilst the commitment was undeniably there – he could be seen on numerous occasions chasing back (sometimes rather too zealously and giving away a free-kick) – there was a cuteness lacking to his game.

From non-League to the Premier League: Where did these top-flight stars begin their careers?

There were several times where he needed to hold the ball up much better, and relieve some of the pressure on his team. It’s that understanding of when to trap and shield the ball away from the defender, and allowing his teammates to get closer to him in order to keep possession. Nketiah struggled to do that, and it was no surprise that he managed a hugely disappointing, and slightly worrying, 14 total passes in 90 minutes worth of action.

The starlet found it difficult to act as a significant presence through the middle for the Gunners, and it just went to show how much he still has to learn about being a number nine for a side like Arsenal. He cannot simply rely on being just an out-and-out goal-scorers. He needs to be stronger at holding the ball, and linking the play, and only then will he be a true all-round striker.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have slammed this rivals’ summer signing.

After their derby day triumph over Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, Manchester United proudly announced yet more exciting news, with confirmation of Tahith Chong signing a new contract to stay at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman had been linked with a move away from the club, with his initial deal expiring come the end of the season. The Red Devils can now sit back and see whether Chong can deliver on expectations, but one academy product who could arguably be the jewel in the crown for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is Largie Ramazani.

Standing at just 5 foot 6, the 19-year-old isn’t the biggest physical presence on the pitch. But his footballing ability goes a long way to making that point moot. As per Transfermarkt, he has struck ten goals this season for United’s academy sides, netting nine in 13 at Premier League 2 level, and also notching against Rotherham in the EFL Trophy.

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His versatility is something quite remarkable, playing all across the front-line, although his best performances this campaign have appeared to come from the flanks – he has scored five in five from the left, and four in six from the right.

Naturally, his displays have caught the eye of United’s coaches, with U23s boss Neil Wood singing his praises earlier in the season.

He said: “He’s really improved. He had a really good pre-season, he’s come back and he seems to have matured his game on the pitch and he’s producing goals, he’s producing assists. We thought his second half compared to his first half was really good and when he’s on that kind of form you kind of see what he can do, but it’s about getting him to maintain that level.”

With the likes of Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford all showing that they are comfortable playing out wide and through the middle, Ramazani appears to be showing that he is of a similar mould. And that is exactly why he could fit in perfectly with Solskjaer’s style when he eventually makes the step-up to the first-team at Old Trafford.

So whilst it may be Chong who is at the centre of headlines at the moment for his new contract, don’t be surprised if Ramazani comes onto the scene sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, this Man Utd player had an absolute nightmare against Manchester City.

The Athletic’s Rangers correspondent Jordan Campbell has revealed how Rangers convinced rising prospect Leon King to sign a professional contract at Ibrox.

The 16-year-old was believed to be of interest to Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and RB Leipzig according to Football Insider, although he has committed his future to Steven Gerrard’s side.

Rangers were struggling to agree terms with the teenager after he rejected an initial offer, forcing Gerrard to intervene in an attempt to keep the precocious talent at Ibrox.

The Gers were not as fortunate amid a similar contract stand-off with Billy Gilmour, who was eventually poached by Chelsea in a £500k deal – the young Scotsman shone for Frank Lampard’s side against Liverpool in the FA Cup recently.

Shortly after the news broke, The Athletic’s Campbell revealed how Rangers convinced their prodigy to put pen to paper on professional terms, mentioning that they “pushed the boat out” to keep him and also outlined his pathway into the first-team.

You can see what Campbell tweeted in full below:

In other news, this journalist has leapt to the defence of a key Rangers figure who is “hard to blame”…

Mikel Arteta has helped to rejuvenate Arsenal’s season.

Under Unai Emery, their whole campaign was in danger of fizzling out before it had even really got going – it was no real surprise when he was relieved of his duties in November of last year. Since the Spaniard’s appointment, though, they have lost just two from 15 matches, winning eight and drawing the other five.

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Arsene Wenger signing Granit Xhaka, however, has had a season to forget for the most part – and that has been reflected in the sharp decrease in his Transfermarkt value.

In December of 2018, he was valued at £45m, and even on July 1st last year, that number was at £40.5m. Now, though, he is said to be worth just £27m – that is a 40% drop in 18 months.

Here, we take a look at three reasons behind that slump…

Captaincy debacle

One of Emery’s last big decisions was to appoint the 27-year-old as the club’s captain. The path he took to make that decision was questionable in itself – reportedly, the players took part in a secret ballot to decide who the responsibility should be given too, on which the 48-year-old was said to have based his decision – but it was Xhaka who was given the honour.

It didn’t take long for it to look like a huge error of judgement. The initial reaction was far from positive from supporters, but it was during the home match against Crystal Palace where things peaked. In the 61st minute, he was subbed off, with the score at 2-2 after the Gunners had thrown away a 2-0 lead. His departure was met by boos throughout the stadium, at which point the former FC Basel man cupped his hands to his ears, threw his shirt on the ground and shouted expletives at the supporters.

Just a few days later, he was stripped of the armband.

Hertha interest

In December, it looked as though Xhaka would be out of the door during the January window – his agent said terms had been agreed with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin.

The club from the German capital received a €125m (£114m) investment last year, which saw them spend heavily at the start of 2020 – no other club in Europe parted with more than their €78m (£71.1m). However, their spending spree does not indicate that they are one of the country’s big powerhouses – they are currently 13th in the Bundesliga table and have won just two major trophies since the formation of the German league in its current form in 1963.

The fact that there was any talk of him joining a club that is miles below Arsenal in terms of stature shows just how low his stock has fallen.

Constant questioning

It is fair to say that Xhaka is not a popular figure in north London. Fans have constantly questioned his performances in recent times, which in part led to his reaction in that match against Palace earlier on this season.

It is not just supporters who have questioned him – pundits have also given him plenty of criticism. Last year, Chris Sutton was particularly scathing of his him following his showing against Tottenham (BBC 5 Live via football.london). He said: “The issue for Arsenal – and how many years have we said this – it isn’t going forward, it is defensively, I thought David Luiz had a shocker and Granit Xhaka, you just can’t trust him, he is a liability in an Arsenal shirt.”

It doesn’t get much worse than that, and that amount of judgement from those who comment on the game is only going to hurt his monetary value.

Aston Villa are hoping to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Dion Sanderson on loan for next season, as reported by Football Insider.

The 20-year-old has been on loan at Cardiff City for the second half of the current campaign, where he has played three games, getting one assist – he did also feature in Wolves’ 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Villa.

Wolves have indicated that they are willing to loan the youngster, who can play at centre-back and full-back, out again, but Villa will face competition from Cardiff among others.

With this in mind, FFC writers have given their verdicts on whether Villa making a loan move for Sanderson shows a lack of ambition.

Lewis Blain

“I don’t think Villa plotting a loan swoop for Wolves starlet Dion Sanderson is a lack of ambition, and I’d be surprised if it even happened unless they are competing in the Championship next term.

“The young wing-back is an impressive prospect – one that completely epitomises Fosun’s ambition – and he could well be the long-term heir to Matt Doherty’s throne should he play his cards right.

“He is currently pulling up trees whilst on loan to Cardiff City where his manager Neil Harris lauded him on his debut, claiming he showed “real character and heart”. Arguably, this has been something Dean Smith’s side have been without this campaign as they find themselves in the relegation zone. Therefore, Sanderson could give Villa something they are lacking.”

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Jack Saville

“The reported move for Dion Sanderson has all the makings of Kortney Hause 2.0.

“Villa may have secured a cut-price deal for the 24-year-old defender last summer following a promising loan spell, but his lack of involvement so far this season speaks volumes about his standing at the club.

“Wolves are a club in the ascendancy and they continue to show Villa the path to the Premier League elite. Sanderson’s move to Villa Park would only reinforce Villa’s position as a subordinate of the high-flying Wanderers, so Dean Smith should be aiming for much more established talents to bridge the gulf in class between the two sides.

“Not to mention that the Villans could effectively give Wolves a helping hand in the development of one of their young talents.

“Villa should swerve this deal if Sawiris has any ambition.”

Did he really play for us?! No Villa fan has managed to name all of these obscure Villans….

Viji Jeevathayalan

“Whilst rivalries are all well and good, it would all be forgotten in an instant if the Sanderson plays a big part in Villa’s success next season. His ability to play at both centre-back and right-back would add some vital versatility to Dean Smith’s side, and would surely also make him the perfect candidate to play in a back-three if that were to be the case.

“Just look at some of the more high-profile examples of players making the switch to rival clubs in years gone by. The likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez for example. The fans didn’t kick up a fuss, because they started delivering on the pitch, and the same will apply to Sanderson.

“Villa’s fiercest rivals remain Birmingham, and so bringing in a player from Wolves isn’t exactly the biggest cardinal sin in the world either. This is a sacrifice worth taking for Smith.”

Danny Lewis

“When Scott Hogan went out on loan to Birmingham City, Villa fans mercilessly poked fun at both the striker and their rivals – if they go through with this move, Villa could be making themselves a bit of a laughing stock in a similar way.

“Things have worked out for Hogan so far, as he already has seven goals and an assist. However, it should be kept in mind that this is someone who has played 119 Championship games, scoring 39 goals and assisting another eight.

“As mentioned above, Sanderson has only played three at this point, so there is far from any guarantee that he will come good – especially if Villa manage to stay in the Premier League. Even if he does develop well, it will be Wolves who benefit most in the long-run.

“Villa would be much better off going out and making a permanent signing that they can turn into a regular feature in their side for years to come.”

Meanwhile, one Villa flops entire season can be encapsulated by one picture.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been drooling over the latest news coming out of their camp during this time off as reports suggest manager Jose Mourinho is going to hand a popular figure more of an opportunity upon the Premier League’s return.

According to Football Insider, the Portuguese boss is planning on handing teenage midfielder Oliver Skipp a prominent role amongst the first-team setup – when, should and if domestic action gets back underway.

It’s claimed that the 19-year-old has made a major impression on Mourinho since he took the reins back in November and is now set to be a key member of the senior fold.

He has also been offered fresh terms with his current contract due to expire next summer.

Supporters in north London are besotted by this latest update, here’s how they have been reacting…

There were plenty of glowing endorsements for the young Englishman, including “bright talent” and the “best” to ever come through the academy, but none are as important as what Mourinho has lauded in the past, he said: “Phenomenal. Very, very good. Very, very good, solid performance” after their FA Cup exit to Norwich City earlier this month.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Spurs discussion going on in the Vital Tottenham Forum! Click here to get involved!

Many others on Tottenham Way believe Skipp is a far better option than Harry Winks, despite only featuring eight times this season compared to the 24-year-old’s 33 appearances.

One supporter went as far as suggesting that the younger midfielder was above Winks by a mile and another said he brings so much more to the team.

There were even huge comparisons made to former Lilywhites midfielder Scott Parker as many could draw similarities to the now-Fulham boss and Skipp.

While one member of the Spurs faithful could see the starlet being a solid defensive midfield option, one that could give Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele more freedom further afield.

It’s been reported that Mourinho is chasing a player who can fulfil such a role this summer, so might he have the cheapest and best option right under his nose?

There’s only one way to find out, and that’s through regular game time – with Spurs’ season effectively over, now is very much the perfect time to do so.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

AND in other news, would signing this Bundesliga star be a big Levy mistake or a perfect Eriksen replacement?

Leeds United should let centre-back Gaetano Berardi leave the club on a free this summer according to LeedsLive correspondent Beren Cross, and it would certainly be a bold call to make.

What’s he said?

The 31-year-old’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season with lots of talk over whether he should be offered an extension.

Plenty of supporters have made their feelings clear in recent weeks, claiming that he needs to retire at Elland Road as well as being a “talisman” and a “chief” for the club while ex-Whites midfielder Andy Couzens among others are of the same belief, too.

But Cross isn’t that way inclined, claiming the centre-back isn’t good enough to compete in the Premier League, especially as he’s prone to being rash and racks up too many errors.

Speaking in his recent column, he said…

“Release.

“Take the emotion out of it. Commanding at his best under Bielsa, especially in the early months of last season, but gets too few minutes to generate any consistency.

“He is prone to rash tackles and errors at this level, which would only be further exposed in the top flight.

“An easy keep as a back-up option if he were under contract, but with his deal expiring, is this a natural time to end the love affair? Turns 32 in August too.”

Beren Cross, LeedsLive.

Tough call

This decision is probably one of the biggest facing Marcelo Bielsa this summer.

He’s set to lose Brighton loan star Ben White and getting rid of another central defender could be risky business as it leaves the injury-prone Liam Cooper as the only senior option alongside a few members of the U23 squad.

Berardi’s also become a bit of a fan-favourite, as seen by the reaction above, having previously been blasted by some for being a liability.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!

The Swiss ace has featured in just 17 league matches this term but has managed to keep a clean sheet in 11 of them, meaning he’s proven to be a very worthwhile and resolute option for Bielsa to consider.

Although, the Premier League is a different ball game – can he replicate these exploits against the likes of Sergio Aguero, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Harry Kane?

Given his previous reputation, you’d have to side with no.

What could’ve been… Can you name the clubs these football legends almost joined?

AND in other news, Leeds fans rave over Jack Harrison footage…

According to The Daily Express, Everton are set to face competition from fellow Premier League side Leicester for midfielder Baptiste Santamaria.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent months had suggested Carlo Ancelotti’s side were looking at a potential move for Santamaria in the January transfer window, but a move failed to materialise.

Now, The Daily Express have revealed that whilst the Toffees have continued to watch the Angers ace, they are now set to face a battle for his signature from Leicester.

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The report claims that the Foxes are keeping tabs on Santamaria, and that they have been “keeping a careful eye on him in the last few months”, with La Liga sides Sevilla and Villareal also taking a keen interest in him.

Priority

Given how Morgan Schneiderlin has struggled massively at Goodison Park and arguably needs to be sold this summer, Everton desperately need to tie up a move for Santamaria.

The 25-year-old has been an ever-present for Angers this season, failing to complete the full 90 minutes in just one of the French side’s 28 Ligue 1 games.

He has been one of the best defensive-minded players in France, with his impressive average of 3.3 tackles per game putting him in joint-fourth amongst all players in the division.

Having someone like him to screen the Everton back-line could ensure Ancelotti’s side don’t suffer dismal defeats like the one against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Having an anchor man to just sit and protect would allow the Toffees’ more flair players the chance to shine further forward. It’s no surprise that only five teams have let in more than their abysmal total of 46 goals in the top-flight.

It’s exactly why they need to be very wary of sides both in the Premier League and abroad jumping ahead of them in the race to sign the £8.1m-rated Santamaria.

Meanwhile, Everton fans have reacted to this Richarlison tweet.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting to reports linking them with a move for a forward they know all too well.

According to LaRoma24, Spurs are prepared to negotiate with Serie A outfit Roma for the transfer of Patrik Schick, who has been impressing out on loan with RB Leipzig this campaign.

Should the German side fail to take up their €29m option-to-buy, then Daniel Levy could be free to swoop in for the 24-year-old.

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Schick was part of the squad that beat Spurs in the Champions League Round of 16 back in March, starting both legs, although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet.

He has, however, found the net seven times from 19 appearances in all competitions this season, which includes strikes against Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

The 6 foot 1 centre-forward has also picked up 22 caps with his national side, the Czech Republic.

Several members of the Spurs faithful would like to see Schick make the switch to the Premier League whilst others had their doubts given Levy’s infamous transfer history.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to Christian Eriksen comments…