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According to The Mirror, Manchester United have made Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly their No.1 transfer target for the summer, but face paying a world-record fee for the defender.

The current highest figure spent on a defender remains the £75m splashed out on Virgil van Dijk by Liverpool 18 months ago, and the Red Devils may need to trump that after boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “He is worth €150m and he is not available for transfer.

Will OGS still be in charge of Man Utd come next May? The Flying Pig discusses in the video below…

“Koulibaly’s contract expires in 2023, in 2021 there’s a €150m clause but Napoli do not need to sell, the president [Aurelio De Laurentiis] does not want to sell and the question doesn’t come up.”

With the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Victor Lindelof currently on the books, should United part with a world-record sum for the Senegalese international? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…

James Beavis

“Absolutely. United missed a trick when they failed to enter into a bidding war with Liverpool for Virgil van Dijk. The impact the Dutchman has made at Anfield shows just how important having a quality centre-back can be, and Koulibaly fits into that mould. The Senegal international is brilliant and would lead the Solskjaer revolution at Old Trafford. Strong, dominant and decent on the ball, this is the signing that will prove United mean business again.”

Harry Sherlock

“Yes. Koulibaly is everything Man United need in defence and more. He’s a brilliantly commanding defender with genuine European pedigree and would walk into most sides in Europe. The current options, of course, are Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof; Koulibaly is three times the player of all of them. United have been erratic with their spending in recent years but this is one money-spinning deal that makes sense; Ed Woodward needs to get it done.”

Matt Dawson

“Absolutely. If United were able to bring Koulibaly to the Premier League it would be a game changer and would certainly have Ed Woodward back in the supporters’ good books. He’d be an instant fix to their leaky defence and is exactly the type of authoritative defender they’ve needed for years. His quality is undoubted and I’m sure he’d be a phenomenal success in the Premier League.”

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Loads of Celtic fans have been reacting to the release of next season’s kit, and let’s just say it hasn’t gone down too well.

Celtic look almost certain to wrap up their eighth consecutive title this weekend, knowing just a point at Pittodrie will be enough to settle the season.

Rangers went on a terrible run of form in March and the Bhoys left their arch-rivals in the dust, as despite some pretty drab performances the results have not been affected by the departure of Brendan Rodgers.

Now with the title almost in their hands, the club is looking ahead to next season. They launched the new strip for the 2019/20 campaign this week, which you can see here.

Unfortunately, fans aren’t too happy with the style of the shirt, with some taking particular offence to the decision to break the hoops.

Perhaps the designers should have known better than to disrupt something that is so engrained in the club’s culture and image, they are called the Hoops after all, and just have a look at some of the fume below…

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Manchester United fans on Twitter have been busy reminiscing about their former striker Wayne Rooney, after a video emerged highlighting the bullish forward’s passion and commitment to the cause.

England’s all-time top goalscorer made 559 appearances for the Red Devils over the course of a 13-year stay at Old Trafford, in which he scored 253 goals and recorded 146 assists.

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The current D.C United marksman is arguably one of the greatest players in the club’s history, and the video on Twitter has got fans reminiscing about their glory days during a time when their players showed plenty of passion and determination.

United, now managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are sat in sixth-place in the Premier League, and face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League.

It seems that their current period is so difficult to enjoy that they have been forced to take to days gone by for a source of entertainment.

Well, that’s if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…

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Liverpool have had a number of excellent players come out of their academy over the years. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Carragher are perhaps the most famous examples, as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold more recently.

In Bobby Duncan and Paul Glatzer, the Reds have two phenomenal young strikers in their ranks who have hit 19 and 22 goals respectively this season, although there is another burgeoning young talent rising through the ranks alongside them: Curtis Jones.

Jones was part of Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad for the pre-season trip to the United States back in the summer, where he caught the eye with some impressive performances.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The 18-year-old centre-midfielder has hit five goals and recorded two assists in all competitions this season, whilst also making his senior debut for the club in the FA Cup tie against Wolves, where he more than held his own in what was a pretty woeful Reds display if truth be told.

Klopp has already lavished praise on the physical midfielder who hit 18 goals last season, calling him a ‘proper scouser’ and a player who ‘is not shy to say a few things’, highlighting his confidence to be outspoken around senior pros.

He has been likened to Philippe Coutinho by some, as a result of his tendency to take up the left side of midfield and glide past players, before cutting in on his stronger right foot and looking to make something happen.

“He is a tall boy but still very mobile, good at dribbling and stuff like that,” Klopp said when describing him, and there is definitely a pathway into the first team for the Liverpool-born midfielder such are the Reds’ current struggles with creativity in the middle of the park.

Klopp has shown with his trust and belief in Alexander-Arnold that he isn’t afraid to throw the kids in at the deep end – the right-back’s first Premier League start came against Manchester United at Old Trafford – and perhaps Jones will be the next academy star to shine through.

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Birmingham City manager Garry Monk confirmed on Thursday that right-back Maxime Colin will miss the second city derby against Aston Villa at St Andrew’s on Sunday with a hamstring injury, and it gives Wes Harding a chance to avenge his Villa Park pain.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Monk announced via the official club website that the Frenchman will be missing for the visit of the Blues’ arch-rivals at the weekend, and it will be a big loss seeing as the boss said he considers the 27-year-old to be “one of the best full-backs in the league”.

Given Brum don’t have a huge squad or plethora of options to choose from it seems highly likely that Harding will step in at right-back, as he has done countless times over the past couple of months.

The 40-year-old City chief is confident that the 22-year-old can step up to the plate against Dean Smith’s men, telling bcfc.co.uk: “I have got no fears about any of the players, they have all shown they can contribute and they are all ready to go.”

That said, the 5ft 11in man will surely be looking to avenge the Villa Park nightmare he encountered during his side’s 4-2 defeat back in November.

Reaction time

While Harding has shown no signs of being affected by it, there is no doubt that his display in the reverse fixture wasn’t great.

Firstly he was asked to play in an unfamiliar left-back role, and he was torn apart by Albert Adomah time and time again – weirdly enough despite featuring on the opposite flank this weekend, he will likely come up against the same opponent.

His below-par display culminated in a late yellow card for a poor challenge on the Ghana international, and he will surely want to make up for it against their local neighbours at St Andrew’s on Sunday.

Tottenham have been brilliant this season and although it’s a longshot, still have a chance in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Without spending a single penny and suffering badly from big injuries, Mauricio Pochettino and his players have just got on with things, not worrying about anything else apart from doing the business on the pitch.

There have been a number of terrific showings from Tottenham recently that have since brought them back into the Premier League title debate, whilst their Champions League aspirations are also very much alive and kicking.

Yet, whatever success they may or may not enjoy this season, Spurs cannot stand still in the transfer market again and must look to replenish their squad.

Whether he would want to play second-fiddle or Tottenham somehow integrated him within the starting line-up, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic could be a brilliant summer coup.

Mitrovic, (who is valued at £22.5 million on Transfermarkt) is far greater than the Championship striker he could become if Fulham are to be relegated and would arguably good enough for Tottenham’s squad.

With the chance to play with a much greater surrounding of quality, Mitrovic could be looking at bettering the ten goals he has scored this season so far.

The Serbian international is still only 24-years-old as well, meaning that his career with Tottenham could be very long lasting and full of success eventually.

Tottenham have a squad full of young and exciting players, which Aleksandar Mitrovic would also fit the criteria of being too.

He is a bullish striker that is superb in the air and on the ground knocking the ball around. He would be far better than Fernando Llorente and would ultimately improve Tottenham’s choices massively.

Do you agree… Let us know!

A late goal against Newcastle helped Tottenham stay in the Premier League title race last weekend.

Son Heung-Min capitalised on Martin Dubravka’s error in the 83rd minute to score the only goal of the game against the Magpies and hand Mauricio Pochettino a massive three points. Just like against Fulham and Watford, Tottenham’s persistence paid off late on and kept the pressure on the league leaders. Their refusal to draw is remarkable and victory means Spurs set a Premier League record of 29 matches in a row without drawing.

Considering Spurs haven’t signed a single player in the last two transfer windows, their progress this season has been magnificent. Pochettino’s men remain in the title race and could take advantage of both Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points in recent weeks. Even if they fall short, the building blocks are in place for another strong campaign next year.

One man who could help take them to the next level is Bournemouth sensation – David Brooks. Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Welshman burst on to the scene at Sheffield United last season – impressing in the derby against Sheffield Wednesday on his debut. His fantastic showings did not go unnoticed with Bournemouth paying £10m to prise him to the Vitality Stadium in the summer.

Brooks has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and has been brilliant during his 22 appearances so far. The 21-year-old has netted six goals and registered four assists for his team-mates, highlighting the threat he poses in the final third of the field. Still developing and improving, Brooks has been tipped for a move to one of the Premier League top four in the near future.

Pochettino has a reputation for giving youth a chance and could be the perfect mentor for the Wales international in the summer.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney was thrilled to see the club's new Kop stand at the Racecourse after securing a partnership with his whiskey brand.

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• Wrexham open new temporary Kop stand
• Named the 'Fourth Wall' at the Racecourse
• McElhenney shows stand with new sponsor

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After the Always Sunny in Philadelphia star announced the temporary Kop stand at STōK Cae Ras would be named the 'Fourth Wall' this week, McElhenney has posted another update. He showed a fresh image of the stand with the new name and his sponsor emblazoned at the top of it.

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• WHAT MCELHENNEY POSTED

  The Hollywood actor posted a photo of the new-look stand and tweeted: "Looking good, Wrexham," followed by a smiling face with heart eyes emoji.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The temporary stand opened last December and has allowed the club to rake in the extra revenue an additional 2,289 fans provide. This is another example of how owners McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds havecompletely transformed the Welsh club – taking them out of the National League and into a League One promotion push.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  The Red Dragons, who sit third in League Two, are working to open a new, fully fledged Kop stand at the start of the 2024/25 season – which will hold approximately 5,500 fans. This will take the Racecourse's capacity to around 16,000.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has confirmed that the club have a buy-back clause that would allow them to re-sign Harry Kane from Bayern Munich.

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Kane joined Bayern in summerSigned four-year contractLevy revealed buy-back optionWHAT HAPPENED?

Kane joined Bayern from Spurs in a €100 million deal in the summer transfer window, bringing an end to a drawn out saga surrounding the striker.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Spurs tried hard to prevent the England star from leaving, having rejected bids from Bayern and offered the 31-year-old an improved contract before finally agreeing to let him leave. However, Levy has indicated that he could end up returning to north London as they included a clause in their deal with the German giants.

WHAT THEY SAID

"There is a buy-back clause," Levy told a fans' forum on Tuesday.

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Kane signed a four-year contract with Bayern and will likely hope to enjoy a successful few seasons in Germany before he considers returning to Tottenham.

However, the English side will wish they had the attacker at their disposal when they line up against local rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Eredivisie side will rake in big profits if they sell the rising stars, who look destined to go on to bigger and better things in the near future

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  Frenkie de Jong

  Frenkie de Jong is not happy with his reputation as the new Johan Cruyff, but the 21-year-old midfielder will just have to get used to it as he continues to excel for Ajax and Netherlands.

  It seems inevitable that he will become Ajax’s biggest ever sale as Manchester City are prepared to pay €70 million (£62m/$80m) plus €20m (£18m/$23m) in bonuses in order to beat Barcelona to his services.

  De Jong had been touted as a Franz Beckenbauer-esque revolutionary defender when he broke into the starting XI last year but he has now become a key component of the Ajax midfield.

  He is also quickly blossoming into one of the leading figures in Netherlands’ revitalisation under Ronald Koeman, since his debut in September.

  De Jong even showed up N’Golo Kante when he hunted him down to dispossess the Chelsea midfielder in Oranje’s 2-0 win over France, only offering further encouragement to those who expect the Dutchman to become one of the best players in the world.

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  Matthijs de Ligt

  Just a year after Virgil van Dijk became football's most expensive defender, there is already talk of him being usurped by a young compatriot.

  Matthijs de Ligt may be just 19 years old but he does not look nor play like it. He is a beast, a boss and will only get better.

  A mainstay in the Ajax back line and the team's captain, their only defeat this season – 3-0 to PSV – came in the one game that De Ligt has missed.

  He was thrown into the deep end with the national team and endured a disastrous debut against Bulgaria in March 2017, but he emerged seemingly unscathed and has cemented his place in Ronald Koeman's starting XI.

  Indeed, he now looks so solid alongside Van Dijk that Koeman and Wesley Sneijder have tipped him to break the latter's record as Oranje's most-capped player.

  Barcelona and Manchester City look set to battle it out to sign him in the near future, but a few more of Europe's top sides will be sniffing around too.

  Aware that they will not be able to hold on to him for too long, Ajax will listen to offers at the end of the season and will be demanding a massive fee for the potentially world-class defender.

  Even if he does not smash Van Dijk's £75 million ($96m) record right away, he won't be far off it.

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  Hakim Ziyech

  That the 25-year-old Hakim Ziyech is still playing in the Eredivisie is as much of a mystery as it is a blessing for the Dutch top flight.

  It has been six years since he made his first appearance in the league and he soon grew into a star for Heerenveen before joining Twente and becoming a talismanic figure.

  As Europe’s bigger sides hesitated, Ajax capitalised in August 2016 just before the transfer window closed and Ziyech immediately injected a creative spark they had been missing since Christian Eriksen’s 2013 departure.

  Although the attacking midfielder takes too many long-range shots, he can pull off imaginative passes from almost anywhere on the pitch and has formed a super partnership with Dusan Tadic this season – both have scored seven and set up four in the league. 

  Ziyech has 10 goals from 22 appearances for Morocco, too, and is guaranteed a key role at the Africa Cup of Nations.

  If he maintains this form for Ajax and Morocco for the rest of the season, then big clubs in the Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga will surely be interested.

  He is tied to Ajax until 2021, however, so the club are in a good position to demand upwards of €40 million for a player they will struggle to replace.

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  Nicolas Tagliafico

  With three goals and seven assists in all competitions so far, Nicolas Tagliafico has been a sensation at Ajax since his €4.5 million (£4m/$5m) arrival from Independiente in January.

  He had already made 103 appearances for the Argentine side after impressing at Banfield, and in the second tier in Spain with Real Murcia.

  Now, he has been trusted with the captain's armband by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni three times over the last three months. 

  Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal have been linked already, but more clubs are scouting him and at 26 he may see Ajax as a quick stop on his journey to bigger and better things.

  Given his talent, Ajax would be in a good position to demand upwards of €25m.