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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

When Aston Villa splashed the cash this summer, £144.5m on 12 players, it was easy to forget those who were already under contract at the club.

In January, one of Dean Smith’s first moves was to sign French right-back Frederic Guilbert, but he was loaned back to Caen for the remainder of the season whilst Ahmed Elmohamady continued to occupy that place as Villa gained promotion to the Premier League.

With the Egyptian at the Africa Cup of Nations during the summer, Guilbert was given a chance to impress in pre-season, which he duly did by helping towards two clean sheets in five matches.

But on the opening day, Elmohamady kept hold of his place, perhaps a surprise, as Smith rewarded those that got them to where they are now.

On the Chalkboard

Guilbert has since been given his debut, against Everton, where the west Midlands club picked up their first win and clean sheet of the season thanks to a 2-0 victory.

The 24-year-old picked up a 7.16 rating and even though they lost to Crystal Palace, he continued to impress in defence.

He is averaging four interceptions per game, which is above and beyond anyone else in the Villa squad with Bjorn Engels next best at 1.8 per match.

Only Wilfred Ndidi has been averaging more at 4.3 per game in the entire division, so it only goes to show the impact Guilbert has had on this impressive Villa defence already in just two matches.

This isn’t the first time the Frenchman has racked up impressive stats, however. In Ligue 1, Guilbert managed 2.9 tackles in 2018/19 whilst registering 2.3 interceptions.

The fact he’s been able to adapt so quickly to life in England is impressive.

In two games, Guilbert has clearly has been well worth the seven-month wait. It remains to be seen whether he can maintain this performance level after the international break but initial signs bode well.

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According to Bild, Timo Werner is unlikely to sign a new contract with RB Leipzig and could therefore leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Bayern Munich are said to have a long-standing interest in the Germany international, although Bild have suggested that the Bundesliga champions might turn their back on a swoop due to their recent transfer business.

A number of Liverpool fans have been commenting on the situation on social media, and it would be fair to say that the majority want their club to move for the striker.

Werner has found the back of the net on 62 occasions in 116 appearances for Leipzig in all competitions, which is a very impressive record.

And signing a player of his quality on a free transfer would be some turn-up.

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool’s Super Cup win in the video below…

It remains to be seen what the future has in store for the 23-year-old. A number of Liverpool fans, though, are desperate for their club to sign him.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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استشهد ريكاردو كاكا أسطورة منتخب البرازيل وميلان، واللاعب الأسبق لـ ريال مدريد، بـ محمد صلاح والنادي الأهلي، للحديث عن تطور الكرة المصرية.

كاكا كان حاضرًا في مباراة الأهلي وبايرن ميونخ أمس في نصف نهائي كأس العالم للأندية التي فاز بها الفريق الألماني بهدفين نظيفين.

طالع أيضًا.. كاكا: الأهلي يستحق التواجد في كأس العالم للأندية عن جدارة

وقال كاكا في مؤتمر أساطير فيفا، بملعب المدينة الرياضية في العاصمة القطرية الدوحة: “بعدما شاهدت الأهلي في هذه البطولة، محمد صلاح ليس الاستثناء في الكرة المصرية”.

وأضاف: “الكرة المصرية تطورت كثيرًا، رأينا التطور الذي ظهر عليه الأهلي، المباراة كانت شيقة مع بايرن ميونخ، جماهير الأهلي يستحقون التواجد هنا مثل فريقهم”.

وأكمل: “محمد صلاح ليس الاستثناء الوحيد إذًا، فالكرة المصرية يبدو أنها تتطور بطريقة مميزة، لذلك رأينا الأهلي بهذا المستوى في كأس العالم للأندية”.

واختتم: “أهنئ الأهلي بل ومصر بالكامل على هذا التطور الرائع، والتواجد هنا وسط كبار العالم”.

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Greek giants Panathinaikos are considering a loan move for Celtic winger Mikey Johnston this summer, according to The Scottish Sun.

What’s the story?

The paper reckon that the Super League side watched Johnston in action during last month’s Scottish Cup final and could offer the youngster a foreign route to regular first-team action.

The report states that Scottish and English clubs are also keen on the winger, but that Hoops manager Neil Lennon rates the 20-year-old very highly.

Watch a tribute to Celtic’s late Lisbon Lion and greatest ever captain, Billy McNeill in the video below…

Should Celtic send him away for the season?

Johnston got his fair share of Celtic action last season, but never really the regular run of games he truly needs to determine whether he is ready to be a reliable presence on the Hoops’ left flank.

He played 23 times throughout 2018/19, scoring five goals, with the vast majority of his appearances coming from the bench.

The chance to broaden his horizons and play in another football culture is a very interesting option for the player and for Celtic, with a season in the Greek top-flight likely to help him learn a lot on and off the pitch.

Neil Lennon has plenty of wing options already and with the return of Daniel Arzani will have another player ready to compete with Scott Sinclair for a first-team place.

If Johnston isn’t going to get 20 plus starts next season then a loan away should be something the club seriously consider.

The evidence is there that it’s beneficial with two of the current team’s most important players, Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie, spending time away from the club before making a breakthrough.

In order to prove he is ready to become a regular for the Hoops, Johnston might first need to shine elsewhere too.

It may be seen as a risk to switch Scotland for Greece, with the route far from traditional, but it’s a chance worth taking.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Sun, Everton are interested in making a £16m swoop for versatile Manchester City ace Fabian Delph.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the England international has been pushed further down the pecking order in two positions at the Etihad Stadium this summer, as a result of City’s only two signings.

The club-record capture of Spain midfielder Rodri means that Delph will now find chances in the middle of the park even harder to come by.

Thogden challenged himself to DM 100 footballers on Instagram. Find out who replied in the video below…

Additionally, the return of left-back Angelino means that even Delph’s second position has been bolstered – the former Leeds man often deputised for Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko in defence, but his chances of playing there may now be limited with Angelino back.

The 29-year-old, who earns £90,000-a-week according to Spotrac, could now be surplus to requirements with the champions.

Would he even get in Everton’s starting eleven?

The same issues as previously mentioned may also affect Delph at Goodison Park if he ends up making the move to Merseyside.

Marco Silva has Andre Gomes and Idrissa Gueye occupying his only two centre-midfield positions, and given how well they hit it off together last term, it seems unlikely that anything will break that.

So, in addition to the fact that a starting place in midfield seems a long way off, 5 foot 9 ace Delph would even struggle to get into the side in his other position of left-back.

The form of Everton’s Player of the Season Lucas Digne last term was impressive after his £18m move from Barcelona – he won the award thanks to some fine performances that saw him end the campaign with four goals and four assists.

He is arguably one of the Toffees’ best performers, so it seems massively unlikely that Silva would play Delph at left-back instead unless the France international suffered an injury.

Everton really don’t need an ageing Delph, especially given their strength in his best positions.

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Panathinaikos are interested in a loan move for Celtic winger Lewis Morgan, according to Greek outlet SDNA.

What’s the story?

The Super League side have already been linked with a Hoops player this week, with The Scottish Sun reporting on Wednesday that they were keen on a move for Mikey Johnston.

SDNA however believe that Celtic would prefer Johnston to move on loan to a team in Britain in order to track his progress more closely.

The outlet reckon that Technical Director Nikos Dabizas will now turn his attention to 22-year-old Lewis Morgan, having already collected positive reports on his ability after a spell on loan at Sunderland.

The fans in the video below had some very strong words for Michael Platini who was detained over alleged corruption this week…

Will Morgan make it at Celtic?

Unfortunately for Morgan there just doesn’t seem much scope for him to get regular first-team football at the club, having mainly featured from the bench last season before heading to the Stadium of Light in January.

The player excelled in the Scottish Championship with St Mirren in 2017/18 but has never proven himself at top-flight level, and didn’t really turn into a match-winner at Sunderland either with four assists in 22 appearances for the Black Cats.

Watch Celtic Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With Daniel Arzani returning to fitness and Neil Lennon regularly playing Johnston and Jonny Hayes when taking over from Brendan Rodgers, Morgan looks like the odd man out on the left flank.

A loan away again next season could well be his best chance of first-team football and ultimately his development as a player, and featuring for a club in Europe could be beneficial in refreshing him in more ways than one.

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The transfer window can be considered broken if Manchester City aren’t linked with at least five different potential replacements for Fernandinho in the next four weeks.

Regular reports claiming the club are lining up a new holding midfielder have become a staple of every Man City fan’s diet in the past twelve months, yet the identity of the mystery man seems no closer to being revealed.

Whoever is bestowed with the honour of succeeding the Brazilian in City’s anchor role will be acutely aware of the importance Pep Guardiola places on this position. Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso and Fernandinho – three of the most high-profile players to protect the centre-backs during his time at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City respectively – have set the bar at a height which very few dare to reach.

But dare someone must to carry the Citizens into a future without the 34-year-old veteran. Tanguy Ndombele is a player luring admirers from across Europe with his silky smooth, composed, daring and outrageously talented gift in possession of the ball, which he simultaneously attempts to balance with his defensive responsibilities.

According to a report published by Tuttosport (via Sky Sports) last month, Lyon’s chairman has confirmed that City are one of a multitude of clubs interested in the Frenchman’s signature.

However, Txiki Begiristain has also recommended Atletico Madrid star Rodri as the number one replacement for Fernandinho, per Sky Sports, although they are not interested in getting involved in a bidding war for a player with a £60.6 million release clause.

Statistically, there is only one winner between the two players.

It’s easy to see why Begiristain has bookmarked the young Spain international, a player who has been tipped to succeed Busquets in the national side.

Defensively he is as stark as they come and Ndombele is simply no match for him in that respect. The number of tackles and interceptions he has completed dwarfs Ndombele’s return, while his aerial presence is also vastly superior with 92 headers won compared to 21, per Whoscored.

Unsurprisingly, the sacrifice is a limited contribution in the attacking phase, particularly when directly contrasted with the playmaking exploits offered by the Ligue 1 star. A total of 49 key passes both in the league and in Europe underlines Ndombele’s creative prowess and ability to break the lines with a cutting edge through ball.

The problem for Lyon’s all-action midfielder, however, is that City’s squad is stacked with midfield maestros, such as Bernardo and David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, who offer an embarrassing level of creativity in this department.

Ultimately Fernandinho’s successor must boast the ability to provide a resilient shield in front of the defensive unit and, as the statistics reveal, Rodri is equipped with a vastly superior skill set to that of Ndombele.

Both players are prodigious talents at 22, but it’s clear to understand why Begiristain is leaning towards Atletico’s outstanding enforcer.

حسم التعادل الإيجابي نتيجة مباراة الأهلي والشباب التي أقيمت اليوم الاثنين ضمن منافسات دوري كأس الأمير محمد بن سلمان السعودي.

واستضاف الشباب منافسه الأهلي في ملعب الملك عبد الله الدولي، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الخامسة بالدوري السعودي.

وافتتح عبد الله تارمين مدافع الأهلي التسجيل مبكرا لفريقه، عندما هز الشباك في الدقيقة الثانية من زمن المباراة، لكن الشباب أدرك التعادل قبل دقيقة واحدة على انتهاء الشوط الأول وذلك عن طريق اللاعب كريستيان خوانكا.

وتقدم الشباب بالهدف الثاني بعد انطلاق الشوط الثاني بثلاث دقائق فقط، عندما تمكن فوزي السجورق من معانقة الشباك، لكن نجح الأهلي في تسجل هدف التعادل بعد دقيقتين عن طريق صانع العابه الألماني ماركو مارين. شاهد أهداف الأهلي والشباب

وبهذه النتيجة ارتقى الشباب لصدارة ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 11 نقطة، متفوقًا بنقطة وحيدة على الأهلي الذي يحل في المركز الرابع.

It has been a roller-coaster of a season to be a Middlesbrough supporter, hasn’t it?

Having looked certain to finish in the play-off positions at the turn of the year, a shocking run of six defeats in a row resulted in them falling out of contention earlier this month. However, three wins in their last four games has given Tony Pulis’ side a strong chance of extending their season past the 46-game mark in May.

Although the Smoggies boast the joint-best defensive record in the Championship alongside Sheffield United, their struggles this year have been directly linked with a lack of attacking prowess.

With the likes of Britt Assombalonga, Ashley Fletcher and Rudy Gestede all struggling for form in-front of goal, it would be surprising if the club do not bring in a new forward when the transfer window opens in July.

Having previously been linked with a move for Genk forward Mbwana Samatta earlier on this season (via the Daily Mirror), Pulis should consider re-igniting his interest in the summer.

The 26-year-old has fired in a remarkable total of 31 goals in all competitions for the Belgian side this year and would be a considerable upgrade on Boro’s current options. Rated at £8.1m according to Transfermarkt, it may be worth splashing the cash to convince him to make the move to the Riverside Stadium.

Any possible deal for Samatta may, however, depend on the outcome of the Smoggies’ current campaign.

Whereas promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs would make the club a much more desirable destination for the forward, another season in the second tier of English football may not be enough to convince him to join.

What do you think Boro fans? Should Pulis go all-out to try and sign Samatta in the summer? Or is too much of a risk to sign a player who has no previous experience of playing in English football? Get in touch below.

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West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice has proven himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League this season, but he was certainly shown up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.

On the chalkboard

It was always going to be a hard task for the Irons in west London given they had lost two of their previous three top flight fixtures, and it proved to be the case.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini started Rice alongside Mark Noble in a 4-2-3-1 system, with the former expected to protect the backline – as he has done on so many occasions throughout the current campaign.

The 20-year-old has excelled in that role time and time again with his ability to intercept and win the ball back, but it was a different story against Maurizio Sarri’s men as he was overrun and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in particular ran rings around him in the opening 45 minutes.

Tables have turned

Rice has had his praises sung constantly and received an England call-up this term, whereas Loftus-Cheek has found first-team starts hard to come by for the Blues.

Perhaps their respective fortunes are beginning to change now though, with the former hardly impressing against a big team on this occasion given he has been linked with moves to Manchester City and Manchester United.

While the 23-year-old does play in a more advanced position than his fellow Three Lions man, he showed a couple aspects of his game that if the Irons starlet took on, would allow him to reach the next level.

He used his strength, power and work rate when on the ball to create problems for his opponents, and it is something that Rice probably doesn’t utilise enough.

He certainly has the height and muscle to do this, but for whatever reason he tends to play it safe – perhaps no surprise given his age.

The youngster is clearly a great player in the making but by no means the finished article, and if he looks at his international teammate’s display on Monday he may just get there.