The idea of Mousa Dembele being one of the most underrated players in Europe is now so common that it’s safe to argue the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is actually rated pretty accurately these days. But even amid the recent era of widespread Dembele appreciation, it still sometimes feels as if not everybody realises what a formidable player the Belgium international truly is.
Simply put, there are few midfielders in world football who offer an equal level of control over the engine room; whether Dembele’s using his power to move the ball on efficiently or win it back off the opposition, he always dominates that deep pocket of the midfield – giving Spurs an invaluable platform to build from.
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That was evident on Tuesday night as Dembele played a decisive role in Tottenham’s two-goal comeback against Juventus in Turin. Even though he wasn’t directly involved in either goal during the Champions League clash, the 30-year-old was an intrinsic influence, allowing his side to dominate the flow and tempo of the match after an erroneous start.
Accordingly, we asked Tottenham fans earlier this week whether Dembele – who Transfermarkt value at £16.2million – qualifies as a world-class asset and according to our poll, an incredible 98% of Spurs supporters would put the midfielder in that bracket.
Are there any central midfielders in world football you’d swap for Dembele, Tottenham fans? Let us know by commenting below…
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West Ham United have been, surprisingly, one of the most active teams in the transfer market this summer.
The Hammers have already purchased Argentine attacking sensation Mauro Zarate, defender Cheikhou Kouyaté, and marauding left-back Aaron Cresswell… as well as about to announce the signing of Diego Poyet.
At this rate many Irons fans are already hoping for the Premier League kick-off to see their new stars in action, but with two months of potential transfer activity still remaining, West Ham could do with a few more additions.
The World Cup has now reached the semi-finals and the we’re only a week away from celebrating a new world champion, but were there any players that stood out in the group stages that West Ham can swoop in to sign?
We take a look into Group F, which saw Argentina and Nigeria progress at the expense of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran. Are any players worthy of Sam Allardyce’s notice?
Here are SIX WORLD CUP STARS West Ham should sign from Group F.
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Ahmed Musa
Age: 21
Club: CSKA Moscow
Position: RW
Nationality: Nigeria
Estimated Value: £10million
Ahmed Musa has been regularly scoring at his young age but really burst into the scene when he scored both goals in Nigeria’s tight contest against Argentina this summer, the first Nigerian to score two goals in a World Cup fixture.
West Ham would love to have a winger capable of chipping in with a few goals, with his menacing pace and dribbling down the right side a danger for any opponent.
He would however be one of West Ham’s more expensive purchases, with a £10million believe to be the minimum.
Augusto Fernandez
//www.youtube.com/embed/vY5q36GZ7Os
Age: 28
Club: Celta Vigo
Position: RW
Nationality: Argentina
Estimated Value: £5million
Sam Allardyce has promised some attractive attacking football this coming season and a swoop for Augusto Fernandez could be exactly what the Hammers need.
Mauro Zarate’s adapting to Upton Park won’t be easy, but the signing of Fernandez would help with that aspect as well as give an added dimension to the West ham attack.
Usually deployed as a right winger, the 28-year-old is good on the ball and capable of putting through an incisive through ball to a forward… especially of Zarate’s calibre. A swoop of around £5million could see the La Liga outfit negotiate for his transfer.
Muhamed Besic
Age: 21
Club: Ferencváros Budapest
Position: CM
Nationality: Bosnia-Herzegovina
Estimated Value: £2million
One of the stars of the Bosnian side, the young central-midfielder has amazing stats of 91% passing accuracy in the group stages (6th in the rankings). Besic has also played centre-back, proving his versatility and ability.
Although West ham have just signed midfielder Diego Poyet, a player of this calibre for only £2million would be a steal and would provide the Hammers with for once a midfield capable of controlling the pace of the game.
Kenneth Omeruo
Age: 20
Club: Chelsea
Position: CB
Nationality: Nigeria
Estimated Value: £2million or Loan
Chelsea have been known to purchase young talent and send them out on loan, but with Omeruo’s amazing performances during the World Cup West Ham should come knocking to sign the Nigerian centre-back.
Omeruo is extremely strong in the air and a very capable tackler. The 20-year-old won 12/14 aerial duels (whoscored.com) and would be a reliable partner for the future to newly signed Kouyate. If not the Hammers should even consider a loan, making their back-line extremely difficult to penetrate.
Ashkan Dejagah
Age: 27
Club: Fulham
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Position: RM
Nationality: Iran
Estimated Value: £3million
Don’t let Dejagah’s choice to play for Asian side Iran fool you, the Fulham man has played for Germany in all Youth levels and impressed while doing so. He also won the Bundesliga back in 2008 with Wolfsburg, being an essential player in the triumph.
The right winger is quick and good on the ball, but more importantly tracks back well, contributing to the team’s defence. West Ham could use a player of this ilk, as Sam Allardyce may have promised attacking football but in the end still values defensive solidity.
With the Cottagers relegated, the Hammers could lure Dejagah for around £3million.
Efe Ambrose
Age: 25
Club: Celtic
Position: RB, CB
Nationality: Nigeria
Estimated Value: £4million
With the signing of Aaron Cresswell completed, ‘Big Sam’ has a left back that pushes up in support of the attack. And if the manager wants balance on the other side, could make a bid for Nigeria right-back Efe Ambrose.
The Nigerian is a useful outlet during an attack but is extremely solid defensively, and has a large amount of experience playing all four of Nigeria’s World Cup games as well as regular games in the UEFA Champions League for Celtic.
If Sam Allardyce can convince the 25-year-old to make a move to Upton Park, Hammer fans could very well see the revolution they were finally hoping for.
Manchester City are set to complete the signing of Japanese wonder kid, Hideki Ishige, from Shimizu S-Pulse.
The Asian youth player of the year has shone in recent weeks and has been a key factor behind the success of his club’s march to the Nabisco Cup final on Saturday, on top of their late surge up the Japanese league.
Shimizu manager Afshin Ghotbi would love to keep the 18- year-old at his club, but would not stop the teenager in gaining experience at a club like City.
“If you want to build top-class players, you have to give them various experiences and opportunities to see first-hand what the world level is about,” Ghotbi told Japans Kyodo news.
“And what better experience for Ishige than to train with the first team of Manchester City, the champions of England, and have manager Roberto Mancini see him first hand and train with some of the top players in the world.”
“There is interest in him, not just Man City but many clubs in Europe and he deserves it. He’s a real fantastic talent.
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“As far as I’m concerned, he’s not for sale and we want him to be a part of S-Pulse for the next few years to come. There has been no offer, City just want to see him and we are doing the same with other players with other clubs.
“The greatest asset of Japan is its youths. I’m very, very positive about the youth players in Japan and their qualities. Ishige is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.”
As reported by The Evening Chronicle, Newcastle United are eager to sign Chelsea winger up on a permanent basis this summer, after impressing on loan in the second half of last season.
What’s the story?
The Magpies are on the hunt for talent that can help them improve on their 10th placed finish in the English Premier League next term, having consolidated on their return to the top-flight from the Championship.
One player that Rafa Benitez is eager to add is former loanee Kenedy.
That’s according to The Chronicle, who say that Benitez is even in talks with the player’s agent about a potential move to St James’ Park, with the Spaniard looking to structure a deal that will suit both the Blues and the 22-year-old himself.
The paper reckon he could cost as much as £20m, which would make him Newcastle’s record incoming signing.
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Would he be a good signing?
While Kenedy is still far from the finished product, he did show enough on loan last season that suggests he could be a shining light in Rafa Benitez’s team next term. He scored twice and assisted twice in the second half of 2017/18, helping the Magpies turn around their form and escape relegation in the latter stages.
Still young and clearly fancied by Benitez, St James Park can be a great learning ground for him next term and he will undoubtedly improve with more regular first-team football.
£20m may be expensive by Newcastle’s standards, but in today’s transfer market that could prove to be something of a bargain, especially if the Brazilian can up his direct goal contribution.
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He’s a player who should definitely be a priority for the club this summer.
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Curtis Jones can play a bit, there is absolutely no question about that.
The attacker turned 17 at the end of last month, and that birthday brought a professional contract with Liverpool Football Club.
The teenager has scored seven times in 12 Under-18 appearances for Liverpool this season, whilst he has also managed four goals in six UEFA Youth League appearances.
Speaking to the people who watch him on a regular basis, there is a general feeling that Jones has the talent to forge a long and successful career in the sport.
Liverpool announced that Jones had signed his first professional contract on their official Twitter page on Thursday afternoon.
Jones has been with the Reds since the age of eight, and he was pictured alongside club legend Steven Gerrard signing his new deal.
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The Liverpool supporters cannot wait to see how Jones develops over the next few years. A selection of the Twitter reaction to the contract news can be seen below:
Chelsea face disciplinary action for three separate events that took place during and after their match against Sunderland last weekend, with manager Jose Mourinho, assistant coach Rui Faria, and midfielder Ramires all involved.
Mourinho’s post match comments seemed to have caught the attention of the FA as he faces punishment for the manner of his messages.
Assistant coach Faria, is also facing action from the FA for his outburst at the match officials before being sent to the stands after much tussling in the Chelsea dugout.
In addition, Brazilian midfielder Ramires could also face a hefty ban after being charged by the FA, when video footage revealed that the player seemed to have struck Sunderland’s Sebastian Larsson in the face, although the referee missed the incident at the time.
According to Skyports an FA statement read: “The FA has charged three members of Chelsea’s staff following their fixture against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on April 19.
“Chelsea midfielder Ramires has been charged by The FA for violent conduct following an off-the-ball incident that was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.
“Rui Faria, Chelsea’s assistant manager, has been charged with two counts of misconduct.
“It is alleged that in the 83rd minute of the fixture, Faria used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official (Phil Dowd). It also alleged that Faria’s behaviour following the match referee’s (Mike Dean) request that he leave the technical area amounted to improper conduct.
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“Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct in respect of post-match comments he made following the fixture.
“It is alleged that Mourinho’s comments constitute improper conduct, in that they call into question the integrity of the referee appointed to the above fixture and/or the integrity of Mr Mike Riley, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, and/or the comments bring the game into disrepute.”
Following Liverpool’s surprise 3-1 defeat to Swansea in the Capital One Cup, Reds’ boss Brendan Rodgers told reporters he was less than impressed with the performance of out-of-favour Joe Cole.
The former England midfielder has struggled at Liverpool since joining in 2010. Cole spent last season out on loan at Lille, where the 30-year-old managed to regain some of his old form.
This campaign, Cole has been struggling with a hamstring injury, and kept out of the first team at Anfield by the rise in stock of youngsters Suso and Raheem Sterling.
Rodgers announced yesterday that he would give Joe Cole an opportunity to shine as he rotated his squad for the Capital One Cup clash with Swansea. However, the former West Ham and Chelsea man was hauled off by his boss at half time, failing to make any impact on the game.
In a post match interview, Rodgers explained “Joe Allen was virtually playing on his own in midfield in the first half with all due respect”, and continued by suggesting Cole’s time at Liverpool could now be up.
“The club have invested an astronomical amount of money on a talented player and Joe [Cole] had the opportunity” said Rodgers.
“He has been back fit a couple of weeks and his opportunities have been limited but you have to see.
“I thought it was difficult for him, it was too slow and it wasn’t what I would expect from a team I tried to set up to be dynamic” he added.
Cole is currently paid 100k per week, a deal brokered by England boss Roy Hodgson. Considering Rodgers has already offloaded the likes of Maxi Rodriguez and Andy Carroll in the summer to reduce the wage budget, Joe Cole’s costly Liverpool career could soon come to an abrupt end in the January transfer window.
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According to Sky Sports, West Ham United’s attempts to sign Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Javier Pastore have been thwarted by his £190,000-a-week wage demands, and Irons fans have been quick to react to the rumour.
Sky Sports report that the east London outfit and manager Manuel Pellegrini are keen to bring the Argentina international to the London Stadium in a £17.5m deal, and while they remain in talks for the 28-year-old the money he wants could put paid to any potential transfer.
Pastore joined PSG from Palermo in 2011, and he has gone on to score 45 goals in 265 appearances in all competitions and won the Ligue 1 title on five occasions.
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West Ham supporters, the large majority of whom want Pellegrini to break the club’s transfer record on 25-year-old star, took to social media to give their thoughts on the latest update on the attacker, and while one said “I don’t even want him anyway”, another said “we’re not Man U or Chelsea”.
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According to The Mirror, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is still interested in signing West Bromwich Albion centre-back Jonny Evans before the end of the month.
What’s the story?
Arsenal – along with Manchester City – were strongly linked with a move for Evans last summer, but the defender ultimately stayed at the Hawthorns.
Man City have since switched their attention to Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte, leaving Arsenal as the frontrunners to sign Evans before Wednesday night’s deadline.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal are interested in a late move for the Northern Ireland international, but are not prepared to pay the asking price of £20m.
Indeed, the report claims that Evans could leave West Brom in the summer for £3m if the Baggies are relegated, and the Gunners are wary of over-paying for the 30-year-old.
Would Evans be a good signing for Arsenal?
In short, yes. Arsenal are not exactly well stocked at centre-back, and the Gunners are crying out for some fresh blood to boost their back-line.
West Brom boss Alan Pardew has continually insisted that his club will not be selling Evans on the cheap, and Arsenal really need to bite the bullet before Wednesday’s deadline.
It might be that the Gunners have to pay a premium for Evans, but they would be signing a player that has really impressed since leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2015.
Evans, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is fast closing on 100 appearances for West Brom in all competitions, and has again been extremely impressive this season.
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At 30, Evans is the perfect age to boost Arsenal’s defence.
The Gunners are desperately trying to get a deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang over the line, but will also have one eye on sealing the signature of one of the most consistent centre-backs in the top flight.
Eight years ago, Joe Cole netted that stunning goal against Sweden in Germany. Four years ago, the midfielder was preparing for his third appearance at the World Cup Finals as part of Fabio Capello’s twenty three man squad in South Africa.
Fast forward to the present, though, and the thirty two year old has been forgotten by both club and country, with West Ham set to release the former Chelsea man this summer. Where did things go so wrong?
Whilst thirty four year old Steven Gerrard will be leading England out in Brazil alongside thirty five year old Frank Lampard, Cole will spend the summer desperately trying to secure a new club. In a similar manner to current MK Dons midfielder Alan Smith, Cole’s career has fizzled out following serious injury.
The cruciate ligament rupture suffered at the age of 27 in an FA Cup Third Round tie against Southend United unfortunately marked the beginning of the midfielder’s sharp decline.
Prior to this career-defining moment, Cole was regularly the subject of some harsh public criticism from his manager Jose Mourinho. Like Eden Hazard in the recent defeat to Atletico Madrid, the “Special One” questioned the Englishman’s defensive contributions to his side.
In a 1-0 win over Liverpool back in 2004 where Cole bagged the winner, Mourinho stated: “When he scored the goal the game finished for him. After that I needed 11 players for my defensive organisation and I had just 10.”
In his second coming at Stamford Bridge, players like Hazard and Juan Mata have since received what the media like to call the “Joe Cole” treatment.
But it was under the “Special One” where Cole enjoyed the most productive spell of his career. Despite considering himself to be a central option, the Englishman established himself in a strong Chelsea side out on the left. Speaking about Cole at a later date, Mourinho said: “We transformed that player into the kind of inside-winger, right and left, strong defensively. He was fantastic. I was so pleased with what we did with him.”
It was out on the left where Cole represented England in the 2006 World Cup.
However, Cole struggled to impress any of the subsequent Chelsea managers. Prior to the injury, the midfielder lifted two Premier League titles and earned fifty three of his fifty six England caps. After that, though, Cole found himself on the periphery of Carlo Ancelotti’s double winning side in 2010 and was released in the summer.
Injury has unfortunately tainted the career of one of English football’s most gifted talents in recent years, but the decline has also been accelerated by a series of poor choices. Chelsea decided to cut their losses on the midfielder allegedly due to his excessive wage demands.
In hindsight, Cole must regret following the money to Liverpool over other offers before choosing to remain at Anfield following a productive loan spell at Lille. The midfielder enjoyed something of a renaissance in Ligue 1 and the French club were keen to make the move permanent, only for the midfielder to shun their advances.
The bank balance may be a lot healthier but the footballing prospects now look bleak. Cole was quickly ushered out of Liverpool in January 2013 after Brendan Rodgers publicly slammed the midfielder’s performance in the Capital One Cup defeat to Swansea and the player’s “astronomical” wages. A romantic return to his boyhood club failed to materialise under Sam Allardyce at West Ham, the midfielder was still on the periphery and started just six times in the league this season.
When recently asked about his future, Cole stressed his desire and motivation to continue playing. The midfielder stated: “At my age and where I am in my career, I want to enjoy my football. I love competing and I just want to play.”
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But at the same time, it appears that Cole has already begun planning for a life outside of the game. Owner of a restaurant in Chelmsford, Essex, the player has done some punditry work on ITV and is currently subscribed to a UEFA “B” coaching licence course.
Injury and poor choices have irrevocably tainted one of English football’s most gifted talents in recent years. The high of that goal against Sweden will never be matched again.
At the age of thirty two though, there is a chance that another manager could be tempted to take a gamble on Cole for one last time.