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According to RMC Sport, Leeds United are attempting to sign PSG star Julian Draxler.

What’s the word?

The Germany international has struggled for first-team football in the last couple of seasons, with the 2019/2020 campaign seeing him make just 22 appearances across all competitions, with only four 90 minutes being completed in the league.

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Now, French publication RMC Sport claim that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are exploring the possibility of luring him to the Premier League, although it is suggested Draxler himself isn’t keen on a move to Elland Road.

The report adds that PSG’s sporting director, Leonardo, is desperate to get the £125k-a-week earning star off the books, and it remains to be seen whether he manages to do so over the coming weeks.

Shades of Kevin De Bruyne

Just like Manchester City star De Bruyne, Draxler was also a young starlet who really showcased his potential in the Bundesliga. The former enjoyed a superb time at VfL Wolfsburg before eventually earning a move to the Etihad Stadium, whilst the latter cut his cloth at Schalke before making the switch to PSG.

And it was at Schalke, that Draxler was seen as the next big thing, with former sporting director Horst Heldt, declaring: “Julian is very, very young and his development isn’t over yet. That’s what makes him such an attractive proposition. It’s fantastic to have a player with such extraordinary talent here.”

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Apart from their career paths, Draxler and De Bruyne also have similarities in terms of their styles of play. Capable of playing as the number ten or out wide, the duo are skilled at using both feet, making them a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Draxler has an impressive career average of 2.1 dribbles, 1.4 shots and 1.3 key passes per game, and with him still being only 26, has got the potential to grown even more. And with Pablo Hernandez already at Elland Road, Leeds could have a tantalising partnership between two creative talents who can unlock even the meanest of defences on their day.

Chelsea are one step away from welcoming major summer target Kai Havertz to Stamford Bridge. 

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Blues are in the final stages of talks for signing the Bayer Leverkusen star. A final fee of €80m (£71.6m) plus €20m (£17.9m) in add-ons is set to be agreed by both clubs.

The Havertz-to-Chelsea talks have arguably been among the biggest and most discussed of the summer transfer window. Several Premier League clubs initially showed an interest in the midfielder, but due to the current financial climate, the Blues have come out on top.

After enduring their two-window transfer ban, Chelsea are in a position to splash the cash and can provide Leverkusen with the hefty funds that they are seeking. Roman Abramovich has already signed off deals on new recruits Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, with further exciting arrivals potentially on the horizon.

Chelsea had a very impressive second half to their 2019/20 Premier League season, recovering from a poor start to finish in a Champions League spot. The Blues made easy work of closing the gap on Leicester, who looked sure to secure a top four spot for themselves prior to the season being halted.

After such a dangerous-looking finish, Lampard and co will be throwing everything they’ve got at the league next season, and their chances of landing another English title may have just been amplified.

With the addition of a playmaker like Havertz in midfield, Chelsea could be serious contenders for their seventh league title. The 22-year-old boasted 12 goals and six assists in the Bundesliga last season (via Transfermarkt).

On six occasions last term, the Blues missed out on three points by settling for a draw. Havertz could be the answer to enhancing their attack and ensuring that the majority of their fixtures end in victory.

Do you think Havertz will be a valuable signing for Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Newcastle United could be in for a very interesting transfer window should their reported takeover come to fruition, but even though the Magpies’ new owners haven’t come in yet, they’re being linked to some top-quality talent.Interest in Wilfried Zaha was reported earlier in the week, and now the Chronicle are stating that the north-east outfit may go in for Aston Villa’s John McGinn should the Birmingham outfit be relegated at the end of the season.McGinn has been one of the bright sparks in Villa’s squad, earning an average WhoScored rating of 7.03 in the league this season, and you have to wonder if Dean Smith’s side would be in a better position had the Scot not missed three months of the campaign.The 25-year-old has been coveted by some of the biggest clubs in the country in the past, with Manchester United’s interest last summer heavily documented, and a move to Newcastle could prove to be a real coup for Steve Bruce’s side.A number of fans were certainly excited by the prospect of seeing McGinn at Villa Park.

However, as with any transfer story, you’ll always have your naysayers, and there are a number of United supporters who are turning their noses up at the prospect of signing a midfielder from a potentially relegated side.

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Perhaps these supporters should remember the calibre of player who was at St James’ Park when they went down back in 2016, with Georginio Wijnaldum and Moussa Sissoko playing that season, and those two would go on to face off in the Champions League final in 2019.

Whilst it may not turn out to be the big summer of spending Jose Mourinho may have been hoping for at Tottenham, the Portuguese boss will no doubt be keen to further stamp his authority on the first-team squad in north London.

And according to the latest reports, Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez is firmly within Spurs’ sights ahead of a potential summer move. As per The Daily Mirror (via The Daily Express), the Lilywhites have been offered the chance to sign the 28-year-old for a relatively affordable price, said to be around £16m plus add-ons.

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The report further claims that with Vazquez’s deal at the Santiago Bernabeu coming to an end following the conclusion of next season, Los Blancos have made it clear that he is available for an exit this summer.

After hearing about their links to the Spaniard, Spurs fans took to Twitter to share their reactions to the news.

Some Spurs fans couldn’t quite believe that the club are targeting another right-sided winger, with one supporter in particular suggesting that it would be a “waste of money” and that they “might as well get Fraser”.

At 28, Vazquez is arguably in the prime years of his career, and whilst he hasn’t had too many opportunities this season (he has played just 18 times across all competitions), he comes with bags of top-level experience.

With the market this summer likely to be unlike any other, finding shrewd bargains is going to be the real defining test. And at potentially just £16m for a player who has won multiple Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, and still has at least a few more years in the tank, could be right up Spurs’ alley.

So whilst a few fans are annoyed at the prospect of another winger joining, Vazquez has got the credentials to slot straight into the Spurs squad and offer them more squad depth in those attacking positions.

Amidst suggestions Tottenham are keeping an eye on Eberechi Eze ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, the QPR starlet himself has admitted to being a big fan of one Spurs player in particular: Dele Alli.

Speaking on The Beautiful Game podcast (Episode 80), the 21-year-old opened up on how Alli has inspired him.

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He said (as quoted by Football.London): “He’s shown that it’s possible to go from lower league and fit right in and even become more than what people expected you to be. When you look at guys like that, just like Raheem (Sterling) and (Jadon) Sancho, you appreciate what they’ve done and you look at them and it’s a round of applause to you because they’ve actually done it.”

And after hearing what Eze had to say, Spurs fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on their rumoured transfer target’s admission.

A couple of fans compared Eze to former Spurs midfielder Adel Taarabt, with one supporter in particular suggesting that the QPR prodigy has “more drive and work-rate”.

Just as Eze himself says, he could be the kind of shrewd signing Spurs make in terms of bringing in a player from a lower league and watching him flourish like Alli has done.

It’s a move that certainly makes a lot of sense.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In The Pipeline series, which takes a look at some of the most promising young talent either linked with clubs or emerging from their academies…

Everton’s youth sides have flourished over the past couple of years and seen some fantastic players make a strong case for a first-team argument. Over the past three seasons, the club’s youngsters have won two U21 Premier League titles and witnessed stars like Anthony Gordon and Ellis Simms flourish.

However, it seems the abilities run even deeper with the Blues’ young goal-getters, with 16-year-old Lewis Dobbin beginning to make waves. This season, Dobbin has four goals and one assist in nine appearances for the U18s, as Everton sit three points behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand.

The youngster also has three goals in seven games for England U16s and has started to establish himself as a name to watch for the future.

U23s boss David Unsworth has been keeping an eye on him and has clearly become a big fan of the striker.

“I’ve been champing at the bit to get him involved,” Unsworth told the Liverpool Echo last month.

“Him, and there’s probably one other under-18s player, who has done really well.

“I think it is important that we allow them to bed in, in their first year scholarship to get used to the amount of training they do, the intensity of it.

“He’s going to be a top player, there’s absolutely no doubt about that and the great thing tonight was that we had seven subs so it was great to get him involved.

“I was desperate to throw him on and he showed little glimpses of his pace and movement and there is an awful lot to work with there. I think he’s got a very bright future.”

There will be strong competition for Dobbin moving forward in Everton’s ranks with Simms scoring 41 goals in 44 appearances for the U18s.

The Guardian also named Dobbin in their ‘next generation’ of players to watch, stating he is a “quick, intelligent forward with a sharp eye for goal”.

Over the years, as he racks up more goals, Unsworth will have no choice but to promote him to the U23s.

At just 16 years old, he is certainly a player to keep a keen eye on.

After Hatem Ben Arfa cemented his mixed status as one of Newcastle United’s most exciting players of the last decade, being a crucial component to their incredible 2011/12 season, supporters have yearned for a player with the flair to match – with some thinking they have found one in Allan Saint-Maximin.Â

Saint-Maximin, who got off to a slow start in a Newcastle jersey, has been flying recently with a string of influential performances that have been key to Steve Bruce’s side upping their momentum in recent games.

The Frenchman played a ‘lively’ role in their 1-0 victory over Manchester United at St. James’ Park, whilst also putting on man-of-the-match displays in their recent back-to-back victories against West Ham and Bournemouth.

Although he is yet to open his account for the club with a goal, he has arguably been unlucky – finding himself through on goal twice away to the Hammers but failing to capitalise.

The 22-year-old also couldn’t take advantage of a great chance to put Newcastle further in front against Bournemouth on Tyneside, but judging by his recent showings, it’s only a matter of time.

As a result, supporters have credited him with being the second coming of Ben Arfa – showing just as much flair and creativity.

Here’s what they had to say on Twitter:

As quoted by The Manchester Evening News, Dimitar Berbatov has predicted Manchester United to “edge” their Premier League clash against Bournemouth on Saturday, but also warned that pundits will pour cold water on the club as soon as they lose despite a recent lift in results.

What did he say?

After enduring a miserable start to the campaign, including defeats against the likes of Crystal Palace and Newcastle, United appear to have turned the corner over the past week or so.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side earned a creditable draw against league leaders Liverpool, before securing three away wins on the bounce against Partizan Belgrade, Norwich and Chelsea respectively.

Now, Berbatov has insisted the Red Devils simply have to keep their revival going, and that their new-found confidence can be the key to grinding out results.

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He said: “Momentum is so important in football. It can get a team over the line for a narrow win even if they’re not performing at their best. Of course, pundits are fickle and, as soon as United lose, they will say that nothing has changed and the club are doomed under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, so United have to keep winning. I think they’ll edge this tricky game.”

 “Fickle”

As the club’s former Bulgarian star says, it only takes one poor performance and result for this recent swell of goodwill to completely dissipate. As the saying goes, ‘you’re only as good as your last game’. And in United’s case, they have been impressive in these past few games.

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But if they are to truly turn the corner, then they have to maintain this recent run of form for as long as possible, or risk it all crumbling down. If Rashford goes on another cold streak, it won’t be long before he gets slammed by the Old Trafford faithful like he was before. Football supporters and pundits alike are fickle and have a very prevalent problem of having a short-term memory. The Red Devils have to ride this wave of momentum for the next few weeks and months, or their old problems and criticisms will simply resurface.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

Charlton Athletic continued their rich vein of form in the Championship by holding the league leaders on their own patch.

Lee Bowyer’s side came away with a share of the spoils against a West Brom team that has lost just once all season.

The Baggies were handed the lead through Matty Phillips after just ten minutes before Macauley Bonne netted his fourth in as many matches to equalise just after the hour mark.

Nathan Ferguson received his marching orders for a rash challenge soon after, meaning Albion were down to ten men for the final 20 minutes or so, and that didn’t stop them then taking the lead after substitute Hal Robson-Kanu curled a scorcher past Dillon Phillips.

But in a moment of controversy, Naby Sarr was fouled inside the penalty area to hand the Addicks a 94th-minute penalty, which saw Josh Cullen step up and duly dispatch home.

Snapshot

Within ten minutes of the red card, Bowyer withdrew one of his most threatening outlets in Erhun Oztumer for Chuks Aneke, who is yet to start a league game this campaign.

This was a move that allowed West Brom back into the game despite only having ten men as Charlton now were without a man that provided two key passes and created one big chance, per SofaScore.

While the 26-year-old failed to have any impact on the match, failing to register a single successful dribble while losing possession four times from just 20 touches.

Beram Kayal didn’t come on until they were chasing the game with just three minutes left – had he come on sooner, maybe instead of Aneke, then Charlton could well have come away with more than just a point.

Off the Bench

The 31-year-old is exactly the sort of man you’d need in either seeing the game out at 1-1 or taking the initiative against ten men to try and win the game.

He’s won multiple Scottish Premier League titles with Celtic, won promotion from this very league with Brighton & Hove Albion, and has featured in both the Premier League (37 appearances) and on international stage (44 caps).

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That’s a list of accolades that not many amongst the Addicks squad can say they have.

As a box-to-box midfielder, he could have offered the ideal level of support in the attack, while also providing some solidity in defence.

He is also described as having ‘quick feet, passing ability, and a combative edge,’ meaning he would have been a far more excellent option than Aneke, who has played just 214 total minutes of football in the league this season.

Remember when Jermaine Beckford did a thing at Old Trafford? Of course you do.What a moment it was to see the then League One side successfully taking on the behemoths of Manchester United in their own backyard, back when Sir Alex Ferguson ruled the roost and they were actually quite good.The hatred that exists between each club is perhaps one of football’s most intense, Gary Neville recently reflected on the devastating day the great Beckford downed the mighty Red Devils.Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Former Leeds striker Beckford, who announced his retirement from football this year, was a decent talent back in the day, netting 84 times in 147 games.ÂHowever impressive that is though, there’s one goal more fantastic than any other: the 19th-minute stunner that sent Leeds sailing into the next round of the FA Cup.

Looking remarkably like a hotel bellboy, he recounted the day he booked himself a place in Leeds folklore…