On Friday at 8pm UK time, Reading and Derby County will kick off the 127th season of the English second division - also known as the Championship! 24 clubs will compete for 3 promotion spots to the Premier league (2 via automatic promotion and 1 via playoffs) and to avoid the 3 relegation spots to the third tier a.k.a League One.
Its looking like a really tight and competitive season. The league is absolutely full of ambitious player and managerial talent - the more time goes by the more it looks like a Premier League 2. If you want a competitive league with proper English football, that also has the spice of skilful players and forward thinking managers, it really is the place to go.
This is guide written by the fans who have come together on /Championship - an absolutely huge thanks to them. Do check out the sub, we try to keep it a good place to discuss the EFL, away from the rancid gloryhunting shithole that is /soccer (just kidding - I like this place). Lots going on, including a score predictor thread which is running all season.
This guide is in table order with the PL demoted sides first. Only 5 clubs today (because the Swansea one is a fucking novel and I can't fit any more in), the rest will be submitted tomorrow and Friday. Do bare in mind that not all the transfer news will be up to date as these guides were largely written a week ago. Point out to me if there are any clear errors with formatting or spelling.
Season previews:The Guardian | Sky Sports | The Mirror EFL focused podcasts:Not the Top 20 | The Totally Football League Show The 17/18 table - Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham went up. Barnsley, Burton and Sunderland went down. This season West Brom, Swansea and Stoke join from the PL and Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham join from League 1. These are the bookies' favourites for promotion (via Oddschecker):
Club
Odds
Stoke
2.75
Middlesbrough
4
West Brom
4
Nottingham Forest
4.5
Leeds
4.75
Swansea
5
And relegation:
Club
Odds
Rotherham
2.2
Bolton
2.25
Ipswich
4.5
Reading
5
QPR
6
Hull
6
How to watch in the UK: Live rights are owned by Sky Sports. They are upping the number of televised matches this season. Reading v Derby on Friday is televised. The weekly highlights show previously on Channel 5 is moving to Quest TV, which apparently is on Freeview. How to watch abroad: Depends, but in most territories, the iFollow Service is available, which is £110 to watch all a single club's matches. Bargain. I think the clubs that aren't on iFollow have their own similar streaming services. Check out club Youtube channels - quite a few of them post extended highlights now with their own commentary, including Derby, Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford and more. (You may need VPN to watch if you're abroad.)
Location: Swansea, Wales Nickname: Swans, The Jacks Major honours: Football League Cup (2013), Championship Play-off Winner (2011), League One Winners (1925, 1949, 2008) 17/18 finishing postion: 18th (Premier League) Transfermarkt squad value:€115.5 mil NOTE: This number is as of July 22nd, when we still have Mawson (€15 mil), A. Ayew (€15 mil), Bony (€10 mil), Clucas (€8 mil) and Fernandez (€8 mil), who are all pretty much expected to be sold, or loaned out, before the season starts. Without all of these players except Bony (who's injured for a while so it makes it unlikely he'll be sold soon), the squad value would be around €70 mil. Manager: Graham Potter joined the Swans on 11th June 2018. In 2010, he became head coach of Östersund, who were in the fourth tier of Swedish football. 5 years later, he got the club promoted into the Swedish top flight and in 2017, they won Svenska Cupen which qualified them for the Europa League where they managed to get through the group stage. He’s been applauded for what he did at Östersund and the way he managed to build the club up from nothing. The year after his success in the Europa league he signed a 3 year contract with Swansea. Potter is well respected by The Swans and after a few years of poor managerial and financial decisions his appointment is seen as a step in the right direction to bringing us back to our old ways of being a well-run club. Potter has been recognised for his "progressive" and "unconventional" coaching methods. At Östersund, he encouraged his players and staff to engage in community activities, such as performing in theatre and music productions which was designed to take them out of their comfort zone. Potter describes his style of football on the pitch as "tactically flexible, attacking, and possession-based". At Östersund, he deployed a flexible 3–5–2 formation centred on ball possession. Best player(s)/ talisman:With many of our best players being rumoured with a move away what good players that remain at the start of the season is yet to be seen. Alfie Mawson is probably our standout player. He’s been amazing for us since we got him and was a bargain at about £3m. He’s great in the air and is just an all round tank. Keeping him will be a huge boost for us and should be solid in the championship. Federico "El Pajaro" Fernandez has also been strong at the back with Alfie. The pair played with each other for the majority of last season and together became a solid unit. We will most likely sell him to reduce wages though. Jordan Ayew put in a great shift last season and was our top goal scorer. His work rate was immense and was able to drop back and defend when needed. He’s fast, able to beat a man and a decent finisher. Sadly all these players are transfer targets for other clubs and might not even be here at the start of the season. If we can keep a lot of our players we should have a decent season but who knows who'll be left by the end of the window… Rising star: Swansea’s U23 had a great season last year and with Potter wanting a young and fresh squad, a handful have moved up into the first team. Our standout youngster, Oliver McBurnie, joined Barnsley on loan in January last season where he went on to win a Championship player of the month award after 6 goals in 8 games and went on to win Barnsley’s Player of the year award. While only 22, he’s struggled to break into our first team but will most likely be our main striker for the coming season. Be on the lookout for his long legs, miniature shinpads and ridiculous sock length! LEGS LEGS LEGS!!! Connor Roberts performed well at RB last season and adapted quickly to the premier league where he battled Kyle Naughton to be in the starting line up and did great when given the chance. Decent at going forward and professional at the back. Hopefully potter puts him ahead of Naughton. What happened last season?: What Happened last season?: After our great escape the season before and with Paul Clement at the helm there was optimism that the 17/18 season could be our turning point where we start rebuilding 'The Swansea Way". How wrong we were. After a disastrous transfer window where we sold Sigurdsson and never replaced him and started panic buying the week before the transfer window closed we were left an obvious hole in our team. We had no creativity in midfield and no one could kick the ball into the box to save their life. And just to rub it in further Renato Sanches turned out to be more disappointing than Bob Bradley. With the team sitting bottom of the table Clement was sacked in late December. Then along came the wise talking Carlos Carvalhal who managed to rebuild the confidence the team had lost. Our results took a turn for the good, beating Liverpool, Arsenal, Burnley and West Ham consecutively at home. He pulled us out of the relegation zone and things were looking good. However, the good times were quickly followed by the bad times. Our form turned and we didn’t win a single one of our last 9 matches. We were quickly relegated after pitifully losing to both Southampton and Stoke in our last 2 games of the season. Highlights (Or lowlights): The pass by Renato Sanches that summed up his and our season Swansea City 3-1 Arsenal Summer transfer business (so far): At the end of last season, it was clear we needed several transfers, both in and out. However, this would all depend on the manager we got. Yan Dhanda (Free, Liverpool): A 19 year-old Midfielder, Yan Dhanda left Liverpool this summer and joined the Swans in a free, before we even hired Graham Potter. At one time one of the most promosing youngsters in Liverpool's Academy, injuries slowed down his progress, and ultimately made him fall behind other players. Citing lack of first-team playing time, Dhanda decided to join us this summer in hopes of getting regular playing time in the senior squad. Through 3 pre-season games, Dhanda has been one of the brighest and most impressive players in the squad, even scoring a game-winning goal and smashing a penalty in a shootout against Genoa. With our current injuries and shenanigans involved in our midfield, Dhanda has a good chance of becoming a starter and hopefully guide our midfield during the season. Jordi Govea (Free, Real Madrid): Another 19 year-old from Ecuador, Jordi was the first signing under Potter. Not much can be said about the lad, but this is what Real Madrid had as his bio:
Jordi is an Ecuadorian defender who possess three key qualities for a player in his position: he's skilful, is able to go past a player and has a good shot on him. He's left footed and is able to send in good crosses on the run.
With Martin Olsson currently as our starting LB, and Kyle Naughton as the backup, the hope is that Jordi can develop on our U-23 squad and hopefully move up to the senior squad in coming years. Also the only man I've seen do a medical while wearing jeans (https://twitter.com/SwansOfficial/status/1015251916132057089) Joel Asoro (€2 mil., Sunderland): Yet another 19 year-old, a Swedish winger who has represented his country in the younger levels, he was Potter's first senior signing. With world-class speed, and some impressive skills, Asoro was able to score 3 goals and get 2 assists last season in 26 apperances for Sunderland. While these numbers may seem a bit disappointing, many of these games were sub appearances on a very dysfunctional team. Along with Dhanda, Asoro has been one of the most impressive players during preseason, constantly beating his man with either speed or skills, and whipping in good balls to Legs. At the current rate, Asoro appears to have a good chance of starting on the right wing spot, with Nathan Dyer and Luciano Narsingh backing him up. Predicted starting XI: NOTE: This is gonna be assuming Mawson, A. Ayew, Clucas, and Fernandez are all sold by the start of the season. If by some reason they end up staying, they are pretty much guaranteed to start. Based on the pre-season games so far, a lineup looking like this would be plausible, with Rodon most likely to be replaced by a CB (possibly Scott McKenna) when we buy one. Our second unit is looking something like this. Best case scenario: Graham Potter is able to motivate and make sure our senior players (Fer, Carroll, etc.) stay fit, along with our youngsters being able to make an impact as expected, and also we retain Mawson, Fernandez, and Clucas, we can finish in the top 2 and get promoted automatically. Worst case scenario: Our worst case scenario, and something many of us fear of happening, consists of primarily 3 things. 1. Graham Potter isn't given enough time to build an identity with our squad and is sacked by the midway point of the season by the greedy, dumb American owners. . 2. We end up not replacing the players we sold properly like last summer, therefore having a squad with holes everywhere and no chemistry. 3. Our youngsters such as Asoro, McBurnie, Dhanda and company don't pan out and progress at all, thefore becoming mediocre players. This would all culminate in us looking like Sunderland, and making relegation a probability. Prediction: Realistically I see us selling Mawson and company in the last days before the season starts and not replacing them properly until later on. Because of this, as well as our current injuries with Fer and Clucas, I can see us initially struggling to build an identity but over time, we will start playing like Potter wants us and finishing the season strongly. 8th place, missing the play-offs by 4 points What will happen to your closest rivals?: The scum that is known as Cardiff City will break the record for lowest points ever accumulated in a Premier League season, getting 5 points all from draws, and will therefore get relegated with 17 games to spare.
Location:The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, West Midlands Nickname: The Baggies, The Throstles Major honours: 1x League title, 1x League Cup, 5x FA Cup 17/18 finishing postion: 20th in Premier League (relegated) Transfermarkt squad value: £101.16m Manager:Darren Moore or Big Dave as he's known to Albion fans. A club icon as a player in the early 2000s, he returned to look after our U23 squad before being promoted to assistant manager by Alan Pardew in January. Following the end of Pardew's horrific reign, Moore took temporary charge with Albion facing inevitable relegation. He led us to wins over Newcastle, Spurs, Man Utd and a draw with Liverpool, somehow taking our futile battle for survival to the final week of the season. Following this he earned the head coach role permanently. Moore is loved among the Albion faithful, largely due to his reputation as a player here. He heavily favours a 4-4-2 formation and at the back end of last season, tended to soak up pressure and play on the counter attack. It will be interesting to see how his approach differs in a league where we are one of the favourites, not fighting to survive (hopefully) Best player(s)/ talisman: It's an interesting situation for Albion currently. There are plenty of Premier League quality players still in the squad. A lot depends on if they are picked off before the deadline shuts. Chris Brunt is a club stalwart and likely to be reappointed as captain. He is adored by the fans and in my opinion will be an incredible asset in the championship. His set pieces alone will bring 10+ goals to the side. Kieran Gibbs is a high quality player who appears to be set to stay and should make a big difference. Jay Rodriguez, Craig Dawson, Salomon Rondon and Nacer Chadli should all make a big difference in this division IF they stay. In all honesty I expect to lose a few of the above. Sam Johnstone appears to be an astute signing to replace the outgoing Ben Foster. Rising star:Sam Field he's one of our own! He looked completely at home against some of the top Premier League sides last campaign. A box-to-box midfielder, he's full of energy and looks so comfortable on the ball. I expect him to be a major part of our side this season, having just signed a new long-term deal. Kyle Edwards is an exciting attacking midfielder who has been impressing in pre-season. He may have a part to play following a loan spell at Exeter last campaign. Jonathon Leko looked like a potential world-beater when he first came through a couple of years back. A lightning quick winger full of tricks. A loan spell at Bristol City and limited appearances later he seems to be losing his way. Will be an interesting one to watch. Finally, the enigma that is Olly Burke. After signing with us last summer for £15m, he failed to impress any of the four managers we had over the season. He looks exciting when he comes on, without any end product so far, and was unfairly blamed for a loss at West Ham by Alan 'Coward' Pardew. We all know the talent he's got. Hopefully we can see it this season. What happened last season?: Let's not talk about it... We finally escaped the stranglehold of Tony Pulis, only to opt for the human joke that is Alan Pardew and duly hurtled towards relegation. Four of our players stole a taxi and then played (and lost) the following weekend. Pardew was sacked about 3 months too late, and Moore took over, restoring pride with some notable wins over Man Utd and Spurs. This season we also lost the great Cyrille Regis, and the outpouring of emotion and the coming together of the club during the weeks after his passing was something special. Summer transfer business (so far): We started by releasing Claudio Yacob, Boaz Myhill and Gareth McAuley. Yacob and McAuley will be greatly missed but it is perhaps the right time for them to go. Jonny Evans departed for Leicester for a cut-price £3m, Ben Foster left for Watford and James McClean has departed for Stoke City. Sam Johnstone has been bought in to replace Foster, with Jonathon Bond arriving as backup. Kyle Bartley has joined from Swansea City and it appears that Harvey Barnes will soon be arriving on loan from Leicester. Finally, James Morrison is currently out of contract but still with the club. His future is uncertain. I am very happy with Johnstone and Bartley. It has been a quiet window for Albion so far but that is largely a good thing. The squad is packed with Premier League talent and the window is more about keeping hold of them. There is major interest in Dawson and Rondon, along with interest in Rodriguez, Hegazi and Chadli. If any of the above go, then we would need to replace. Otherwise I would be happy with another striker and another CB. It is also worth mentioning that every player in the Albion side suffered a 50% wage cut upon relegation which means that we are financially sound despite relegation, but may lead to more big names leaving. Predicted starting XI:This is my best attempt. It will undoubtedly be 4-4-2. We may see Nyom in at right back and perhaps Barry in for Field. Obviously about half of this side could leave, so we shall see. Best case scenario: The bulk of the side remains and the quality in the side shines through as we breeze to automatic promotion. Worst case scenario: The better players leave or do not put the effort in. Moore cannot transfer his great start into his first full season in management. We become embroiled in a relegation battle Prediction: It will be somewhere in the middle. I'd like to think we'll go up automatically but I think play-offs are more likely. 6th What will happen to your closest rivals?: Villa won't go down but will settle into mid-table, despite the recent takeover. I think Wolves will do well in the PL, although I don't know how long Nuno will last before a big club comes in.
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Nickname: The Potters Stadium:bet365 Stadium, 30,089 seats Major honours: 1972 League Cup 17/18 finishing position: 19th, Premier League Squad value: £127.8 million Manager:Gary Rowett signed from Derby in May. His honest attitude has brought lots of optimism to fans, who are looking forward to an overhaul of the Club. His style of play seems to change based on the squad he has available. Best Player:Joe Allen was vital to the Club last season, giving us hope that we would avoid relegation. His massive new contract signed this summer shows how loyal and committed to the Club he is, and will be a vital player this season. Rising star:Tom Edwards is a local lad who has won the Under 18 Player of the Year award twice in the Club. In the latter parts of last season he played some good first team football. What happened last season: A pathetic attempt at a season that had been coming for a while under Mark Hughes. Paul Lambert was appointed in January, but a win rate of just 2 in 15 matches wasn’t enough for him to keep his job and miss out on the million pound bonus offered to him. Transfer business so far: So far this has been a decent transfer window. Peter Etebo had an amazing World Cup for Nigeria and Benik Afobe looks really promising. Adam Federici has also been appointed to replace Lee Grant. Xherdan Shaqiri has left along with a few players like Stephen Ireland and Glen Johnson who will not be missed. Badou Ndiaye also looks to be on his way out, but it looks like Jack Butland will stay with us, which is massive. Perhaps most surprising are the new contracts signed by our 2 best players last season, Joe Allen and Moritz Bauer. Predicted Line up:Here is our predicted squad. I’m not sure what formation we will have. EDIT: This is a new version, complete with our rumoured new signings and in the right formation. Best case scenario: Stoke will finish top with an all-time Championship points record. Worst case scenario: A mediocre start to the season will see Rowett sacked and Stoke with a disappointing mid-table finish. Prediction: I think with our squad and our new manager, we will finish 1st. What will happen to our closest rivals? Port Vale will be relegated to the Vanarama National League.
Location:Villa Park, Trinity Rd, Birmingham B6 6HE Nickname: The Villans, The Villa, Prince William's Club, David "Twat" Cameron's Second Club. Major honours: 7 First Division wins, 7 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 1 European Cup, 1 European Super Cup, 1 Intertoto Cup 17/18 finishing postion: 4th Transfermarkt squad value: £67.77m and dropping fast Manager:Steve Bruce (for now). Former Man Utd playing legend who's been a fixture of English football for decades. He joined Villa in 2016 after successful runs at Hull, Sunderland (yes they were good once) and Birmingham City. A bit of a promotion specialist, he's taken Championship clubs up to the Premier League 4 times in the past and just missed out last season, losing 1-0 to Fulham in the Playoff Final. Tactically, he's fairly old school who prefers 4-4-2 or a 4-1-4-1, usually involving a big man up top. Fun fact: while managing Huddersfield in 1999 he wrote three novels, "Striker!", "Sweeper!" and "Defender!", which focus on main character Steve Barnes, a football manager. Barnes solves crime and takes on terrorists, and the books have become prized rarities. The Guardian's Football Weekly podcast managed to get a copy and read out some of the copy - suitably awful. Best player(s)/ talisman: There's only one Jack Grealish. A Villa boy through and through, he's been with the club since 2001 (aged 6), and made his way into the first team in the 2013-14 season. He's been the centre of controversy a few times, most notably getting on the beers and passing out on a Tenerife street. Playing as a number 10, his quick feet and dribbling skills provide a number of goals and assists, as well as fouls. He probably went down a bit too easily when first in the Premier League, but time in the gym has noticeably toughened him up and he's a much more solid player as a result. One of the better players in the Championship, and due to Villa's abject finances, a transfer target for the likes of Leicester. Rising star: Keinan Davis could possibly be it, potentially Andre Green and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as well. What happened last season?: Have you ever walked into a casino, spotted the roulette table and popped £10,000 on red? It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off. You've doubled your money if you win, but look like a right git if you lose. Villa figured this was a good way to approach 2017-18: spend millions on players, get in lots of loans, gamble everything on achieving promotion. After a so-so start, Bruce got the team playing well, stringing together a number of wins and moving through the playoff spots. Unfortunately they ran into a few teams playing out of their skin - champions Wolves ran away with the league and boasted a squad that included several Champions League players. Neil Warnock's Cardiff couldn't stop winning and grabbed the second automatic promotion. In the playoff final Villa came up against a Ryan Sessegnon-led Fulham and were just pipped at the post 1-0. Summer transfer business (so far): It's one-way traffic, due to absolutely abysmal finances. Loan spells for Lewis Grabban, Robert Snodgrass, Josh Onomah and Sam Johnstone have all ended, which is almost the spine of the team (Johnstone in particular - he was arguably the best keeper in the Championship and personally bagged a number of wins). Plus clubs are circling to pick off whatever assets we have left (eg. Jack Grealish, James Chester). With no prospect of anyone new coming in, it looks like the youth academy will be getting a lot more game time. Predicted starting XI:Possibly this, but half these players could be gone before the first match. Best case scenario: Mid-table anonymity would have to be best case - Villa are a mess and could go down this time around. Worst case scenario: Our finances are the real issue - they are dire. Villa need to find £9 million this month to avoid going into administration. Owner "Dr." Tony Xia is a billionaire, apparently, but tax bills went unpaid and the question remains if he's able to support the club as generously as he has in the past. Administration, points deductions and potentially relegation to League One are all real possibilities right now. It's not looking good. Prediction: Due to financial irregularities in the 23 clubs above us, Villa will get into the Champions League and take out the likes of Atletico, Bayern and Real Madrid on the way to our second European Cup. "Taylor, Green, prepared to venture down the left. There's a good ball played in for Jack Grealish. Oh, it must be and it is! It's Keinan Davis!" What will happen to your closest rivals?: Unfortunately the Scum managed to avoid League One in the final rounds of the season. Here's hoping they go one better. Agbonlahor to re-sign for one game: the Derby. And score the winner, again.
Location: The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough Founded: 1876 Nickname: The Boro (Or just Boro) Major honours: The League cup 2003-2004 season 17/18 finishing position: 5th Transfermarkt squad value: 79.34m Manager: Tony Pulis became manager of us in late December 2017, replacing the sacked Garry Monk after a pretty lacklustre few months of the campaign (despite where our league position was). Pulis is known in England for being the man that is never relegated when in charge of someone in the top flight. We are all aware of Tony Pulis' style of football. You start by having a strong and massive defence and maximise your use of set pieces to gain an advantage. Pulis is a lover of all set piece plays, whether that is crossing the ball in from a corner or free kick, or launching a ball into the box from a throw in, they're all in his arsenal of weapons. 'Pulisball' as it is pretty much known. Pulis has achieved promotion from the championship once before with Stoke, and I hope he achieves it again with us this season Best player(s)/ rising star: I mean, where else do I begin. Adama Traore. Arguably the best player in the championship on his day and is one of the most frightening dribblers in English football, maybe even world football. The winger is known for his speed and dribbling ability although is usually criticised for his lack of end product. Before last season I would've agreed, however 5 goals and 10 assists, with all but 2 assists coming before Pulis' arrival show the progression of the Spanish winger. As for other members of the squad, Ben Gibson, the prodigal son. Boro through and through he's progressed into a commanding centre half with the ability to play out from the back thanks to Karanka. He gained attention and emerged as one of the few given credit after our disappointing premier league campaign but was only the subject of one bid upon our relegation, from now manager Tony Pulis. It remains to be seen whether he'll be here come the first game of the season, but I hope he will be. As for future stars, Dael Fry, already has played 2 championship campaigns for us and looks as assured as a veteran of the game. Another centre half produced by our academy and he is being played in cdm this pre-season by Pulis, to add to his versatility. Hopefully a standout season for him, especially if Gibson does end up leaving. Finally, yes, he does always look as confused as images of him show. What happened last season?: Well, the first half of the season was tragic under Monk. We played really poor football at times and looked like we hadn't defended a day in our lives. There was also no consistency in the team, we'd win one game then lose the next. A key theme under both managers however, was our inability to beat those around us in the table. After Pulis' appointment the results picked up and it ended with us finishing 5th in the table. We ultimately lost in the playoff semi finals to Aston Villa but honestly, we didn't think we'd even be in the top half around Christmas. Summer transfer business (so far): Just the three deals to talk about so far. We've acquired Paddy McNair from Sunderland who looks like a decent player. He's been utilised in right back and midfield during pre-season so it looks like they'll be his positions for the season. I imagine he'll play alongside Clayts and Howson in a midfield three. Aden Flint was signed from Bristol City and I think I'm in the minority when I say I don't like how much we paid for him. Obviously the man is a Pulis player but I'm a bit unsure about his defensive ability. That being said he's looked strong during pre-season and I'm sure Pulis will get the best out of him. Fabio departed our club for Nantes so we'll need more full back cover. As for the rest of the window, I expect Gibson to leave but will be delighted if he doesn't. One of our strikers will also leave and Braithwaite should follow after his decent World Cup performances. We'll probably bring in a striker and a winger and hopefully hold onto Adama. That'd be a successful window in my eyes. Predicted starting XI: My best guess The only other guess I could make is that Gibson might leave and then Ayala would start, but he's injured at this point in time. Britt might play over Gestede too if Pulis is feeling fancy. Best case scenario: It has to be top of the pile right? It's not out of the question to imagine us up there and if everything clicks then we've got a chance. A defence that scores more than some teams' strikers, Adama channelling his inner Messi and finding consistency, Rudy/Britt/Bamford scoring for fun. It could be carnage. Worst case scenario: I can't see us finishing outside the playoffs, if we did then that would be gut-wrenching. But if we did then that would most certainly be the worst. Realistically, it'd be losing in the playoffs... again, and if it were in the final again then god help me. Although saying this, now losing Bamford and maybe Traore will be a worst case scenario in itself, definitely if they're not replaced. Prediction: Have to be confident, although it always kills me. 1st or 2nd. Tony Pulis and his nice white trainers carry us to the promise land. That being said, we never do it the easy way. Best Match of Last Season Sorry Leeds fans, but it had to be. "Hattrick Bamford" as our Twitter account tweeted, 3-0 against Leeds with Adama running the show. Leeds clearly found some positive from the game as they're set to sign him off us. This was the sign of what we should've done more last season. Showed what Paddy could've been too if given an even more extended period in Striker by himself. Oh well. What will happen to your closest rivals?: Who even are our closest rivals in this league? We're in geographical purgatory. Can't say Sunderland anymore so what? Leeds? Bielsa either turns them into the well oiled machine they hope for or he succumbs to the old Leeds ways and is sacked by December. As for the Mackems, probably promoted from League 1.
Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria is expected to overcome a thigh injury in time to face Chelsea.
Wayne Rooney is suspended and Radamel Falcao is nursing an injury but fit-again Michael Carrick could play for the first time this season.
Form vs. Chelsea: 59W 43D 42L
Head To Head
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last three league matches against Manchester United, conceding just one goal.
The Blues are the only team to have beaten United more often in the Premier League (15) than they have lost (13).
0 - Kickoff 7 - A couple of bad passes by both teams - nothing serious so far 12 - Yellow for Rafael 21 - Yellow for Drogba 38 - Matic booked 43 - Free kick on the edge of our box 45+1 - Half time 45 - We're Back 49 - Fabregas booked 52 - GOALLLLLL - DROGBA - A great run by hazard was saved by de gea, leading to a corner which was headed in by drogba 0-161 - Oscar booked 65 - Mikel on for Oscar Juan mata off for James Wilson (UTD) 87 - Hazard booked 88 - Schurrle on for Hazard 90+2 - Zouma on for Willian 90+3 - RED CARD - Another yellow for Ivanovic sends him down the dugout 90+4 - GOAL van persie makes the game square
I've hit the character limit here, this will now serve as a place for official actions by the club and an archive for the old rumours. You can check out the new rumour thread here.
Hey all, it’s that magical time of year again, and Shakespeare is on the hunt for some new foxes. I am making this thread to try to keep up with all the transfers and rumours, as well as give everyone a place to discuss transfer related topics. I’m going to be borrowing unabashedly plagiarizing from last year’s model a lot (a quick thank you to lgfualol and company). Also, as the lcfc beta website was just put up, there isn’t much news about anything as I’m writing this. At the moment I have a lot of free time at work as well as at home so hopefully I can keep up but I will also appreciate any help you provide staying up to date with the speculation and whatnot. So, firstly and very importantly, Craig Shakespeare was appointed manager on a 3-year deal on 15 June. Michael Appleton has been named the club's assistant coach.
I’m going to do my best to stick to good sources, but call me out if I post something from a shifty place and I’ll take it down or find it from a better source
Rumours from anytime this transfer season until 15/6/17:
Player
Rumour
Source
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Skybet dropped our odds of signing him from 18/1 to 5/1
West Brom's Gareth McAuley has said that Evans won't be leaving, as he is too important to the club. EDIT: The Mercury believe Leicester will make an improved £15 million bid for Evans.
West Brom have reportedly slapped a £20 million price tag on him and rumours are circling that he has been offered a new £100,000 per week contract to convince him to stay
Manchester City are demanding a buyback clause if we do sign Nacho from them. Edit: The striker has apparently followed Fuchs, Musa and Ndidi on twitter
Leicester seem interested in joining the race late for the 22 year old Chelsea and Netherlands centre back, but Bournemouth are already confident they can sign him this window
This is only somewhat relevant, but SPORT are reporting that if Verratti stays at PSG, then Barcelona will aim their focus at one of either Riyad of United's Herrera
According to Squawka, Leicester are prepared to make a £20 million offer for the young Nigerian. Odds on his transfer to Leicester have been cut dramatically
The Mercury are reporting that Leicester have had an enormous £40 million bid rejected in hopes of winning the fight over the Iceland international, they want £50 million for him
Just when you thought you'd heard the end of it, Spurs are now trying to hijack Iheanacho in an attempt to speed up a deal for Kyle Walker, but despite this a couple betting sites have suspended bets on the Nigeria striker's move
The French midfielder's agent blasts Leicester for a "lack of respect" concerning his move to France, with a host of clubs willing to take him on loan, but Leicester holding out for a sale
What a ridiculously drawn out piece of business. On the bright side, a couple days ago Pep said it was to be completed soon, and now today Vice-Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has said the deal is coming soon
Speaking of drawn out business, Mahrez is still in Leicester blue, but Roma are ready to launch a £30 million bid plus add ons for the winger, I'm hoping that these add ons are significant because 30 seems a little short for me
Leicester again show interest in Sporting Lisbon midfielder and Jornal de Noticias claim that Leicester are set to bid €22 million to try to gain his services. Link
George Thomas
After a £300,000 bid was rejected by Coventry, Leicester are preparing a £500,000 bid for the striker
Roma have stepped up their bid to about 30 million, but Leicester won't budge for less than 50 million. Also, Liverpool have reportedly been keeping tabs on the winger (I don't believe this one so much)
French reports are saying that Leicester have signed the young PSG striker, but there is nothing to back it up on the club website. My best guess is this is set to happen, possibly in the next couple days
Sunday, 6th of Feb 2011 at 4.00pm GMT (11am East Coast, 3am Sydney)
Location:
Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, London
Referee:
Andre Marriner (16 matches, 2 red cards)
Assistant referees:
Scott Ledger & Adam Watts
Fourth official:
Kevin Friend
Previous Fixture:
Liverpool won 2-0 at Anfield with Fernando Torres scoring two goals. The match marked the beginning of a form slump for the title holders. Soccernet Match Report
Television:
Live on Sky Sports 1 (UK), Fox Sports (Aus) and Fox Soccer Channel (USA)
LIVE CHAT NOW OPEN [http://live-news.appspot.com] If you have problems accessing live chat, privmsg me here or email me on my username at gmail.com
Match News
Critical match for both teams, with Chelsea looking to get their title bid back on track after a recent slump in results. The blues spent more than 70 million pounds in the transfer window to re-enforce their starting lineup both at the front and at the back.
Liverpool have seen a recent revival under new manager Kenny Dalglish and have also spent bid in the January transfer window in a bid to secure a place in Europe next year. The top 4 is still not out of sight for Liverpool, but they will need to pick up more points on the road.
Fernando Torres is set to make his debut for Chelsea against his former club after a 50M pound move from Anfield
Ancelotti is likely to slot Torres up front in a 3-man front line alongside Drogba and Anelka.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool have taken maximum points from their last three Premier League games
New Liverpool signing Luis Suarez is set to make his starting debut after coming on in the 70th minute against Stoke mid-week and scoring the second goal.
Suarez scored 81 goals in 110 games for Ajax, and is looking to make his mark in his first full EPL game
Raul Meireles is looking to continue his recent good form, with 3 goals in his last 4 EPL outings. The former Porto player has re-found his old form under new manager Kenny Dalglish, who has played him in a more advanced midfield role where he has the freedom to create opportunities.
Pepe Reina is coming into the game having not conceded a goal in 308 minutes of play (since they played Everton at Anfield on the 16th of January). Three straight clean-sheets for the Spanish keeper.
Jamie Caragher is expected to return to the starting lineup after sitting out the mid-week Stoke match on the bench. He return from a shoulder injury that kept him out for 6 weeks.
New Chelsea signing David Luiz is set to make his debut for his new club after a protracted January transfer from Portugese club Benfica. Luiz is expected to line up along-side club captain John Terry in the center of defense, while Branislav Ivanovic is expected to take back his newly preferred position of right-back, possibly relegating Jose Bosingwa back to the substitutes bench.
Match Trivia
Liverpool have not scored a goal in 5 of their last 6 visits to Stamford Bridge.
In the 2008 fixture, Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 with Alonso scoring the only goal of the match early on. The Liverpool win ended Chelsea's 86-game winning streak at the Bridge. Match Report from 2008
The sides have met 27 times since 2004, with Chelsea winning 12 times while Liverpool have won 8.
Chelsea have won all four games at Stamford Bridge this year without conceding a single goal
Didier Drogba has scored five goals in his last eight matches against Liverpool in all competitions.
Over the last five games since Kenny Dalglish has taken over at Liverpool they have taken 10 points. Only Manchester United are in better form in the past 5 games
Fernando Torres scored seven goals in eight games for Liverpool against Chelsea.
Pre-Match Press Quotes
We are more important than any player they have got. We'll play against whoever they put on the pitch. I would expect they would relish the battle against him [Torres] but they have competed brilliantly against everyone since I have come in
HALF TIME - Awesome Game. Torres had one chance, runs onto a ball from Drogba that was cut across goal. Brilliant last second block from Carragher. And then there was Maxi. Maxi, maxi maxi. No doubt that video will be all over reddit within an hour.
45'
SECOND HALF
65'
SUBSTITUTION CHELSEA Solomon Kalou (9M pounds) has come on for Fernando Torres (50M pounds)
68'
RAUL MEIRELES!!!! LIVERPOOOOOL!
90'
FULL TIME what a game, what a weekend!
(Apologies for not keeping up a running game log. I got a bit carried away watching the game. Almost had a heart attack)
That's all we have time for today, many thanks for joining us. We'll be back here from 7am tomorrow with the latest done deals, news and rumours. See you then! 21:58
WATCH: TRANSFER CENTRE
Get the latest transfer updates from Sky Sports News. 21:53
LERMA HANDS IN REQUEST
Sky sources understand Jefferson Lerma has handed in a transfer request at Levante after a significant bid from Bournemouth was rejected. Sources close to the deal tell us the player is disappointed he is being denied the opportunity to fulfil his ambition of playing in the Premier League 21:35
'TRANSFER RUMOURS NOT NICE'
Ajax midfielder Frankie De Jong is getting tired of being linked to Barcelona, and says he does not find the rumours "nice" anymore. “I’m an Ajax player so I can’t say too much about it at the moment,” De Jong told Voetbal International. “Of course there is interest, everyone knows that, but I am an Ajax player, as I say. “In the beginning the transfer rumours are nice, but gradually I think I don’t need this anymore, they can write what they want. That’s not me and it’s not that I think ‘ah, that’s nice’.” 21:14
NZONZI TO BARCA?
Arsenal transfer target Steven Nzonzi is reportedly attracting interest from Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo. The Gunners have reportedly been put off his £35m valuation and Barca see Nzonzi as a more viable option than Paris Saint-Germain’s Adrien Rabiot. 20:44
Real Madrid are planning to offer Keylor Navas a new contract, reports La Nacion. Navas, who has been Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper in each of the past three seasons, could drop down the goalkeeping pecking order at the Bernabeu this term if the European champions bring in Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea. However, it appears as though Madrid are still keen for the Costa Rica international to continue at the club, with La Nacion reporting that they are set to present him with a two-year contract renewal offer which would tie him to the La Liga giants until 2022. 20:06
MALCOM PRESENTED BY BARCA
New Barcelona signing Malcom has been presented by the club, with the player saying: "I am really happy to be here, it's a dream, playing at Barça is a great challenge and I hope to make the fans happy." https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1022571318464667655 19:51
Sky Sports News understands former Manchester City midfielder Albert Rusnak will snub a number of offers to return to European football, and instead sign an improved contract to stay in the MLS with Real Salt Lake. Rusnak hinted last month that he was expecting to leave America in this window, with Sparta Prague among the clubs interested in him, but it now looks like he will be staying put, with Salt Lake offering him a new deal until 2021. 19:26
PALMER TO JOIN ROVERS
Chelsea’s young midfielder Kasey Palmer is joining Blackburn Rovers on a short-term loan deal until Christmas, Sky Sports News has learned. The deal won’t be completed until after the weekend. Palmer spent the second half of last season on loan at Derby County, and earlier this month it looked like he was bound for Pride Park again to join up with Chelsea legend Frank Lampard. But the 21-year-old will instead head to the North West for four months, once the paperwork is completed on Monday. 19:14
Unai Emery believes Aaron Ramsey is going to stay at Arsenal despite speculation surrounding his future. "Football changes every day. It's not easy. For that, I am thinking the match today first, then training tomorrow, then the match Saturday, with an important player here," the manager said. "Aaron is an important player for us, and the contract is one thing for the club and the player. For me, I want him to stay with us, to work with us, to give the team the big performance. "I think he is going to stay here with us." 18:30
ROANLDO'S FIRST GAME CONFIRMED
Cristiano Ronaldo will start his Serie A career with Juventus at Chievo. The Portugal forward became Juve's club record signing last month when he joined from Real Madrid for £99.2m. And Thursday's announcement of the opening round of Italian top flight fixtures sees him head to the Stadio Bentegodi for the champions' first match of the 2018/19 campaign, on the weekend of August 18-19. 18:16
ENQUIRIES FOR TRIO
Cardiff City have received enquiries for Lee Tomlin, Anthony Pilkington and Omar Bogle, but Neil Warnock has revealed the players may not leave until the last day of the window. "We've had one or two enquiries, that will all come up I would imagine and liven up in the next three weeks," he told Wales Online. "Especially when I announce my squad on the 9th (of August), the Football League have got another two or three weeks so I think a lot of them will be waiting until deadline as always." 17:59
RICHARLISON ON BENCH
Everton are playing in a pre-season friendly at Blackburn tonight, and new signing Richarlison is among the substitutes. 17:46
RABIOT GOING NOWHERE
PSG are unwilling to sell Adrien Rabiot this summer, reports L’Equipe. Rabiot, who is attracting interest from Barcelona and Juventus, is out of contract next year and PSG want to hand him a new deal. Even though he is inside the final 12 months of his deal, PSG are not contemplating cashing in on him this year. 17:32
VALVERDE HAS NEXT TARGET
Ernesto Valverde has identified Dani Parejo as his next target, according to Sport. The Valencia playmaker has been linked with a move to Barcelona before, but now the Catalans' interest in the 29-year-old is coming to a head. 17:16
Jeff Reine-Adelaide has joined Ligue 1 side Angers from Arsenal in a permanent deal, following a loan spell with the club earlier this year. The 20-year-old signed for the Gunners in July 2015 from Ligue 2 side Racing Club Lens. He made eight first team appearances over three seasons. 17:01
Get the latest from the Sky Sports News Transfer Centre. 16:37
SELS MAKES MOVE
Goalkeeper Matz Sels has completed a permanent move to French side Strasbourg from Newcastle. The 26-year-old joins the Ligue 1 outfit for an undisclosed fee after a two-year spell at St. James’ Park. https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/1022519589241069576 16:25
GUTHRIE JOINS STEVENAGE
Kurtis Guthrie has signed for Stevenage, subject to EFL registration. The striker was signed by Colchester from Forest Green Rovers in July 2016 and scored 13 goals across 49 appearances for the U’s. 15:50
LEEDS TARGET BAMFORD
Leeds are interested in Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. New manager Marco Bielsa wants a striker for his squad, and Leeds have also been linked to Derby forward Matej Vydra. 15:35
CHESTER TO STAY AT VILLA
Captain James Chester is ready to snub Stoke and hand Aston Villa a further boost by staying at the club. The defender is keen to help Villa return to the Premier League, Press Association Sport understands. Stoke have made an offer, reportedly worth up to £10m, for the Wales international but he would prefer to remain at Villa Park. 15:21
EVERTON JOIN GONALONS RACE
Everton have reportedly joined the race for Roma midfielder Maxime Gonalons, according to the Liverpool Echo. Crystal Palace are also said to be tracking the Frenchman. 15:06
MUTO DEAL IN PRINCIPLE
Mainz 05 Sporting Director Rouven Schroder has confirmed they’ve agreed a deal in principle to sell striker Yoshinori Muto to Newcastle. The German club have said the transfer has been agreed subject to a few formalities and the player gaining a work permit. Muto is on his way to Tyneside from Tokyo. It’s our understanding the fee is £9.5m. 14:51
PJANIC ON THE MOVE?
Juventus will sell Man City transfer target Miralem Pjanic this summer, but only if they receive the same amount they paid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid, according to Calciomercato. The Bianconeri view the Bosnian as good as Ronaldo and want at least £89m for him. 14:31
Barcelona are interested in out-of-favour Liverpool 'keeper Simon Mignolet, according to Marca. The arrival of Alisson at Anfield has pushed Mignolet further down the pecking order, and Barca want a potential replacement for Jasper Cillessen. 14:11
CAVANI NEW REAL TARGET
Edinson Cavani is Real Madrid's new number one target after Chelsea demanded the Spanish giants pay £178m for Eden Hazard, according to AS. Robert Lewandowski is also no longer a serious target for Real. 13:53
AFTERNOON HEADLINES
For those of you just joining us - firstly where have you been? - but here is a quick roundup of where we stand with some of the day's main transfer stories... 13:35
MITCHELL MAKES ST JOHNSTONE LOAN SWITCH
St Johnstone have announced the signing of 'keeper Conor Mitchell on a season-long loan from Burnley. The Northern Ireland U21 international trained with the Saints squad towards the end of last week before boss Tommy Wright moved to capture the 22-year-old to add to his goalkeeping options which include Zander Clark and Mark Hurst. 13:13
KLAASSEN NEARS BREMEN SWITCH
Everton midfielder Davy Klaassen’s move to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen is close to completion, according to Sky sources. The former Ajax captain failed to nail down a regular starting place at Goodison Park and is on the brink of making the move to Germany. Klaassen won’t be involved at Blackburn Rovers tonight. 12:56
TOP-FLIGHT TRANSFER TARGETS RATED
Sky Sports Fantasy Footballhas priced up potential Premier League transfer targets, rating Nabil Fekir and Gonzalo Higuain as the most valuable potential additions. With just two weeks until the revised transfer deadline date of August 9, business looks set to crank up as Premier League sides prepare for the new campaign. Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham have made moves early but while Manchester United reportedly have domestic targets in Toby Alderweireld and Harry Maguire, plenty of further additions are expected from abroad. Based on the most likely major deals according to Sky Bet's transfer odds, here are five big names expected to arrive and the Sky Sports Fantasy Football valuations you may just want to make a note of... 12:24
OLDHAM SIGN IVERSEN
Oldham have announced the signing of Leicester 'keeper Daniel Iversen on a season-long loan deal. The 21-year-old Dane, who will wear the number one shirt during the loan spell, has been on trial with the Latics and featured in pre-season friendlies against Nottingham Forest and Girona. Iversen joined Leicester from Esbjerg in January 2016, going into the club’s development squad. He has not made a first-team appearance for the Foxes. 12:00
UNITED MAKE MAGUIRE APPROACH
Man Utd have approached Leicester over the sale of their England centre-back Harry Maguire, SSN understands. However, with a fortnight of the summer transfer window remaining, it looks like Jose Mourinho will have a battle on his hands, with Leicester adamant their star defender is staying at the King Power Stadium. We understand United value the player, who starred in England's summer World Cup campaign, at around £65m. Maguire is due to return from holiday in the next few days and is understood to be keen to make the move to Old Trafford. 11:53
Juventus will sell Manchester City transfer target Miralem Pjanic this summer, but only if they receive the same amount they paid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. The Bianconeri view the Bosnian as good as Ronaldo and want at least £89m for him (Calciomercato).
OK for those of you just joining us - firstly where have you been? - but here is a quick roundup of where we stand with some of the day's main transfer stories... 10:41
DOUGALL TO HAVE BARNSLEY MEDICAL
Sparta Rotterdam defender Kenneth Dougall will undergo a medical at Barnsley on Thursday ahead of proposed move to Oakwell, according to Sky sources. 10:33
WATFORD STAND BY EVERTON COMPLAINT
Watford are standing by a complaint against Everton over an allegation of an illegal approach to former manager Marco Silva. The clubs entered a mediation process at the request of the Premier League that involved club officials and their respective legal teams, but no conclusion was reached. The sale of Richarlison to Everton had prompted reports a resolution had been found between the two clubs, but Watford say they have been "compelled" to reiterate the disciplinary process is still ongoing. 10:19
MILAN TOLD TO PAY £62M FOR MORATA
Chelsea have told Milan they will have to pay up to £62m for Alvaro Morata after initial negotiations got underway on Wednesday. Sky Italy believe Milan’s new sporting director, Leonardo, had a series of phone conversations yesterday about a potential transfer, with the player reportedly keen on a return to Italy. However, the two clubs remain poles apart on their valuations of the player, prompting Milan to retain their interest in bringing Gonzalo Higuain or Radamel Falcao to San Siro. The 25-year old striker joined Chelsea last summer from Real Madrid for an initial £57m, with the job of replacing Diego Costa. 10:05
Simon Moore has signed a new contract at Sheffield United, ending speculation of a move to West Brom. The Baggies held discussions with the Blades over signing the 28-year old 'keeper as back-up to Sam Johnstone. Moore has signed a new three year-deal, keeping him at Bramall Lane until the summer of 2021. The player joined United from Cardiff for an undisclosed fee in August 2016 and has made a total of 64 appearances for United. https://twitter.com/SUFC_tweets/status/1022417464712486912 09:54
CHELSEA MONITOR MILINKOVIC-SAVIC
Chelsea are keeping tabs on Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic, says the Independent. However, the Blues face competition from Man Utd and Real Madrid, although the Serbian would prefer a move to Stamford Bridge. 09:32
NEWCASTLE AND FULHAM IN MITROVIC STALEMATE
Newcastle and Fulham remain apart over their valuation of Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serb striker is back training on Tyneside after returning from an expended holiday following the World Cup. 09:11
MAN UTD PONDER £60M MAGUIRE MOVE
Jose Mourinho is urging Man Utd's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to tie up a deal for Harry Maguire, according to reports in the Sun. However, Leicester may demand £60m for the England international defender. 09:07
SCHAR UNDERGOES NEWCASTLE MEDICAL
Newcastle are closing in on Deportivo La Coruna defender Fabian Schar after activating a £3m release clause in his contract, according to Sky sources. The Swiss international is due on Tyneside on Wednesday and will undergo a medical with the club. Newcastle are looking to replace Chancel Mbemba, who they sold to Porto for £7m earlier this month. The Magpies have been tracking Schar, who won three Swiss titles with Basel, for some time. The 26-year-old left Basel to join Hoffenheim in 2015 where he made 30 appearances before joining Deportivo last year. 08:57
NEWCASTLE AGREE MUTO DEAL
Newcastle have agreed a deal with Mainz to sign striker Yoshinori Muto for £9.5m, according to Sky sources. The 25-year-old Japanese striker is currently on a flight from Tokyo to Newcastle after they agreed a fee with Mainz, with the move subject to the player gaining a work permit. Muto played for Japan in the World Cup in Russia. 08:55
SILVA HINTS AT NEW CHALLENGE
David Silva admits his latest contract at Man City will probably be his last at the club but says he wouldn't join a Premier League rival. Silva signed a one-year contract extension at City last season to keep him at the club until 2020. "When I finish my contract with Manchester City I will be 34 years old, at that time I will probably want to do something different," he said. "I don't know yet but I won't play for another club in England. "People always love me in England, it's been eight years - very successful years, and the football we've played has been very attractive. English people love that type of football - those type of games. And that's why I'm so happy here." 08:36
CSKA Moscow midfielder Aleksandr Golovin has agreed to join Monaco, despite being heavily linked with Chelsea this summer. The 22-year-old, who starred for Russia at the World Cup, is expected to sign a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 club and Sky Sports Newsunderstands the move could be completed in the next few days. 08:21
POCH: MANY SPURS RUMOURS
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted there are currently "many rumours around the team" as the club continue to be linked with possible moves for Palace forward Wilfried Zaha and Villa midfielder Jack Grealish. "There are many rumours around the team," Pochettino said after Spurs beat Roma 4-1 International Champions Cup in San Diego on Wednesday. "I cannot talk and I don't want to talk because I think we need to be focused on trying to work hard and get in the best form for the first game of the season." 08:05
ERIKSSON NEARS IRAQ ROLE
Sven Goran Eriksson has agreed a deal in principle to take over as head coach of Iraq, according to Sky sources. The Swede held positive talks with Iraqi FA officials in Istanbul last week. Eriksson’s representative Saif Rubie says he has a couple of other options and will make his final decision in the next week. 08:03
MOURINHO: DARMIAN CAN LEAVE
Jose Mourinho has confirmed Matteo Darmian can leave Man Utd if a suitable bid comes in for him this summer. Full-back Darmian has been linked with a return to Italy with either Inter Milan, Juventus or Napoli. "Matteo wants to leave and I think when a player wants to leave, if the right offer arrives you have to try to be human and let the player follow his instinct but not at any price," he said after watching his side beat Milan on penalties on Wednesday night. "And, until now, the offers we got for Matteo are not even close to being accepted." 08:00
PALACE MAKE £8.9M GONALONS OFFER
Crystal Palace have made an £8.9m offer for Roma midfielder Maxime Gonalons, according to Sky Italy. The 29-year-old is a defensive midfielder who has eight caps for France. Palace need midfield reinforcements following the departure of Yohan Cabaye. 07:52
MOURINHO: LIVERPOOL HAVE TO WIN
Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho says Liverpool have to win something next season after their heavy summer of spending. "Maybe this season finally you demand that they win," he said after watching his side beat Milan on penalties on Wednesday night. "You, I think, you have to be fair and now you have to demand and say the team with investments, who are making investments that they started making last season, not just this season, last season. "That you made in January, that you make now, that will probably be the record of the Premier League this season, I don't see another team getting close to that level of investment, a team that was a finalist in the Champions League, you have to say you are a big candidate. "You have to win." 07:46
WATFORD JOIN REYES RACE
Watford are interested in Mexico international defender Diego Reyes, according to Sky sources. However, no formal offer has been made for the player so far. Reyes is a free agent after he ran down his contract at Porto. Newcastle and West Ham are two of a number of Premier League clubs who have also made an offer for the centre back. 07:42
POCH WON'T DISCUSS LLORENTE FUTURE
Mauricio Pochettino refused to discuss the future of Fernando Llorente after the Spanish striker scored twice in Spurs' 4-1 International Champions Cup win over Roma in San Diego. Llorente is widely understood to be up for sale this summer after failing to make a big enough impression following his move from Swansea at the start of last season. "I'm not going to talk about individual situations because if I'm going to talk now about someone I need to talk about everyone," he said. "I am focusing on trying to work hard, trying to provide the team and every single player with the best tools to improve. Of course I'm happy when the striker scores and finds the net." 07:31
MOURINHO: NO PROBLEMS WITH MARTIAL
Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho says he has no problems with Anthony Martial leaving the club's pre-season tour to attend the birth of his first child. Some reports in the press today had claimed Mourinho wanted the Frenchman out of the club due to his decision to leave the US. "I found out that Martial was going to Paris when he told me," Mourinho said after watching his side beat Milan on penalties on Wednesday night. "Was two or three days ago. "When it is personal reasons, everyone analyses that the way they think is the correct way and when a man is going to be a father in this case, it's the second time he is going to be a father, and he decides is very important for him to go, nobody has the right to stop him to go." 07:25
UNITED TARGET REBIC
Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of Ante Rebic, reports the Mail. The Eintracht Frankfurt winger starred for Croatia at the recent World Cup in Russia, where his country were runners-up to France. 07:08
CHELSEA SIGN GREEN
Chelsea have completed the signing of 38-year old former England goalkeeper Rob Green on a one-year deal. Green, who was released by Huddersfield at the end of last season, is likely to be third-choice keeper behind Thibaut Courtois and Willy Caballero at Stamford Bridge. 06:48
SHAQIRI: CRITICS WRONG ABOUT ME
New Liverpool signing Xherdan Shaqiri believes his critics are "totally wrong" about him. 06:34
REAL CLOSE IN ON COURTOIS
Real Madrid have agreed terms with Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, but Spurs No 1 Hugo Lloris is also a target, says the Mail. The European champions are believed to be after a new 'keeper for the upcoming season. 06:28
Right, let's kick things off this morning with a quick roundup of some of the biggest stories making today's back pages...
Real have agreed terms with Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois, but Spurs stopper Hugo Lloris is also a target (Mail)
Jose Mourinho is urging Man Utd's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to tie up a deal for Harry Maguire - even though Leicester may demand £60m for the defender (Sun)
Liverpool and Everton have made offers for Croatia defender Domagoj Vida, according to the player's agent (Express)
Jack Wilshere turned down an £8m signing-on fee and Champions League football at Fenerbahce in order to join West Ham (Star)
Marcos Rojo is fearing for his United future after Jose Mourinho made signing a centre half a priority this summer (Telegraph)
West Brom are the latest club to register interest in the Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo as they bid to make an immediate return to the Premier League next season (Guardian)
06:06
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695 points: DerpJungler's comment in Professional PL footballers of Reddit - we know you browse this, so please can you create throwaway accounts with proof and tell us who is in your Fantasy team?
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