USMNT star Luca de la Torre has revealed that he affectionately became known as “Frenkie de Jong from Aldi” during his time at Dutch side Heracles.
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Crystal Palace are believed to be interested in a sealing a summer reunion with Conor Gallagher, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
How is Gallagher performing at Chelsea?
The 23-year-old made himself a hero at Selhurst Park over the 2021/2022 season, spending a highly impressive year there on a temporary basis. He scored eight goals and chipped in with three assists, standing out as one of the Eagles' best players, before returning to Chelsea once the campaign reached its conclusion.
While Gallagher will no doubt have hoped to replicate that level of influence in a Blues side, he found himself in and out of the starting lineup throughout the 2022/23 season. While he featured in 35 of Chelsea's 38 Premier League matches, only 18 of them were starts, making it difficult for him to find any kind of rhythm week in, week out.
It could be that the west Londoners are willing to listen to offers for the England international once the summer transfer window opens, with plenty of interest in him from fellow Premier League clubs.
Could Gallagher make Palace return?
According to talkSPORT's Crook, Palace are keen on re-signing Gallagher this summer, but they aren't alone in eyeing up a move for him:
"Gallagher is not believed to have done enough this season to convince the Blues hierarchy that he ill be a part of their long-term plans.
"West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace, where he had a successful loan spell, have all been alerted to the possibility of signing the £40million-rated midfielder."
Gallagher returning to Palace before the start of next season could be a hugely exciting signing, given how popular he was during his loan spell at the club.
It could simply be that he isn't quite at the level required to be a regular starter for a club of Chelsea's stature, but there is no shame in that, instead possessing enough talent to be a star man for a team like the Eagles. He showed that last season, during which time he was described as a "massive player" by then-manager Patrick Vieira, as well as "extraordinary and outstanding" by Thomas Tuchel.
Gallagher himself would surely jump at the chance to potentially rejoin Palace, considering he knows the club well and seemingly had a strong relationship with the fanbase when he was last there, although that may depend on whether a club who can offer European football come in for him instead.
Tottenham Hotspur could make a "statement" by signing Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, says talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Who could Spurs sign this summer?
The Lilywhites are currently prioritising both the search for a new manager and new sporting director, coming after the departures of both Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici.
In terms of the former, Spurs have been dealt a big blow in the last 24 hours, with former top managerial target Arne Slot confirming his intention to remain at Feyenoord.
Now, Tottenham must return to the drawing board and identify alternative Conte replacements. In terms of who they could go for, Luis Enrique, Ruben Amorim, Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva, Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter are all contending for the vacant post.
Meanwhile, as the summer transfer window approaches, Levy must also get to work on identifying targets, with Leicester City star James Maddison and a new goalkeeper thought to be priorities.
Tottenham could also sign additions in defence, like Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, which will come as good news for supporters considering their side have shipped more goals than any other side in the top half.
Going back to the goalkeeping department, one player who could join Spurs is Pickford, despite him signing a new deal in February.
The England international has been linked with a move to north London since then, and talkSPORT's Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider, believes he'd be a "statement" signing.
“I’ve said this all season. Even before he signed the contract, it was clear that Pickford replacing Lloris is just an easy transfer for Spurs.“He’s English, he’s a top goalkeeper, he’s experienced, he can play from the back. Even though he’s signed a new contract – it means nothing.“I would still go for him. Make a statement.“Goalkeepers are a big part of where you need to go right as a football club, and Lloris is not good enough.”
Who is Jordan Pickford?
The 29-year-old has appears at three major tournaments for England at international level, playing a major role in their runs to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and Euro 2020 final.
Pickford could apparently cost around £35 million, which would be Everton's price tag if they were to sell, and it's arguable he may be worth that amount.
The former Sunderland keeper has been praised this season by Frank Lampard, who said this earlier in the campaign:
"I know how important keepers are, they can make or break you as a coach or as a team.“If we talk about expected goals and these things – then when he plays like that he wins you points, there’s no doubt.“Last week he could put his feet up, this week we rely on him and he makes great saves.”
Manchester United took one step closer to securing Champions League qualification last night, but could have made it a certainty had they fought off a late resurgence from Tottenham Hotspur.
Having led 2-0 at the break, Ryan Mason's revitalised Lilywhites had halved the deficit just over ten minutes after the restart. The home support were back onside, and it would take until the 79th minute until they would finally claim their equaliser.
Heung-min Son finished off what would be his third goal in four Premier League games, as the game ended 2-2.
This leaves the Red Devils still four points clear of Spurs with two games in hand, with an equally sizable lead on all those below despite the varied situation regarding games played. Last night was a must not lose, but the manner of the draw will frustrate Erik ten Hag.
His team were clearly feeling the effects of their recent 120-minute slog fest with Brighton and Hove Albion, which told in his rotation and substitutions throughout their latest clash.
However, from earning widespread accolades for his showing at Wembley, Aaron Wan-Bissaka returned to the disappointing dud that has instead drawn criticism in the past. Scared to push forward and even shaky at times defensively, the former Crystal Palace ace had a night to forget in north London.
How did Aaron Wan-Bissaka play vs Tottenham Hotspur?
To drop from a 7.4 Sofascore rating in an FA Cup semi-final to the 6.6 showing of last night could be chalked down to fatigue, but it does not excuse the fact that the £90k-per-week dud very nearly let his manager down on numerous occasions.
Having been booked late in the first half, it always felt like Wan-Bissaka was one mistimed tackle away from receiving his marching orders. As such, his Dutch boss saw fit to withdraw him early as to protect him.
Across his 71 minutes on the pitch, the full-back would record just 47 touches and an 83% pass accuracy. Creatively anonymous, the 26-year-old would not find anyone with his three attempted crosses, whilst also being unsuccessful in his two attempted dribbles too, via Sofascore.
Such a lack of influence on the game is further highlighted by the fact that even David De Gea recorded more touches of the ball (48).
However, and perhaps most shockingly, the usually-imperious defender proved that he can also be a "liability" at times – as he has previously been dubbed by journalist Andrew McDonnell.
Indeed, he lost 66% of his six duels; alarming for someone who is often so reliable in one-on-one situations. It was this shakiness that encouraged his boss to get him off before he truly let his team down.
Whilst he would claim tiredness played a factor in such a sluggish performance, their continued battle on numerous fronts means this is far from a valid excuse. Wan-Bissaka was just not his usual self last night.
Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott will be available for the Reds' crunch Premier League clash with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, according to reliable journalist David Lynch.
How has Elliott done this season?
The Reds had another forgettable game in midweek away to Chelsea in a "tame" goalless stalemate. It meant more points were dropped in the battle for a top-four finish, while Newcastle United and Manchester United's wins on Wednesday night further hampered their chances.
Someone who played no part against the Blues was Elliott, who missed his first game of the season after making 41 appearances in 2022/23 to date.
The youngster was hailed as "exceptional" earlier in the season and has clearly been a favourite of Jurgen Klopp's given his increased playing time this term.
And in an update on his situation, there is positive news for the Merseysiders ahead of their weekend meeting with the Gunners.
Is Elliott fit for the Arsenal clash?
Taking to Twitter, Football Insider reporter David Lynch confirmed that Elliott was simply rested against Chelsea and will be in contention to start at home to Premier League leaders Arsenal this weekend:
"Harvey Elliott expected to return to the Liverpool squad for Sunday's meeting with Arsenal. No injury concern behind his omission against Chelsea – more a recognition of a remarkable 41-game workload so far this season."
This is an undoubted boost for Liverpool, with Elliott someone who hasn't necessarily been perfect this season, but has contributed more than many struggling midfielders, registering two league assists – which is as many as Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner combined. At 19, he is already playing with a maturity beyond his years, scoring twice in the Champions League and also averaging one tackle per game in Europe's premier club competition.The Englishman deserves to come back into the side against Arsenal, with his guile capable of opening up the visitors' defence, as highlighted by 11 assists on loan at Blackburn Rovers back in 2020/21. He also boasts seven goal contributions this term, having had three in his senior Liverpool career at the start of this campaign.If Thiago is fit, it could make the most sense to start the Spaniard and Elliott in the No 8 roles, with either Fabinho or Henderson anchoring the midfield. The latter pair have been panned for their poor seasons, and if their lacklustre displays continue, starting both together could be a huge issue against a Gunners side brimming with confidence as they continue their title tilt.
There is also an argument to say that Elliott's lack of physicality and 5-foot-7 frame could be an issue on the day up against Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, who both top six feet. However, as mentioned, we think Elliott merits a starting berth more than others, especially after getting a rest in midweek.
Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen ensured Pakistan aced their chase against Bangladesh, beating them by nine wickets with over three overs to spare in Delhi
The Report by Mohammad Isam24-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen put on a record-breaking partnership for Pakistan•IDI/Getty Images
Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen ensured Pakistan aced their chase against Bangladesh, beating them by nine wickets with over three overs to spare in Delhi. The second-wicket pair added 99 runs in their unbroken partnership, Pakistan’s highest in World T20s for any wicket and best for the second wicket in T20Is.Ameen made 53 off 48 balls while Maroof struck five fours in her 43 after coming to bat at No. 3. They ensured Pakistan remained in contention for the knockouts. On four points from three games, they have a match against England in hand; a win in that game will put them directly in the semis should West Indies lose their final game to India; if both Pakistan and West Indies win, it will be a three-way tie with England on six points and come down to net run rate. Even if Pakistan lose their final group game, they might still go through if West Indies are defeated by a big enough margin on their last group game. As of now, West Indies’ NRR is better than Pakistan’s.Bangladesh bowed out of the competition having lost four out of four group matches. They have a lot to improve on overall in their cricket, but this evening in Delhi they managed an early breakthrough in their defence of 113, Salma Khatun removing Nahida Khan in the second over after she struck her for two fours. But Ameen, who started off with a beautiful pull shot off the Bangladesh captain Jahanara Alam, hardly put a foot wrong.The boundaries did not come often for her and Maroof, but the pair was steady and Ameen broke a dearth of big shots with two consecutive fours in the tenth over that brought the required rate plummeting down to below five. Maroof smashed her five boundaries between the 12th and 15th overs, including three on the trot between long-on and midwicket off Rumana Ahmed.In the field, Pakistan were at times clumsy but still effected four run-outs – a couple of these were due to wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz’s great collection around the stumps. Bangladesh, though, reached their second highest score batting first in T20s – 113 for 9 in 20 overs. Fargana Hoque top scored with 36 off 37 balls with two fours that came through a smack to midwicket and a heave over long-on.She shared a 43-run third wicket stand with opener Sharmin Akhter, who made 19 off 34 balls. The pair batted for 9.1 overs, ensuring Bangladesh got past the 50-run mark. But once Sharmin fell in the 14th over, through a soft dismissal when she swept Sana Mir to Nida Dar at short fine leg, Pakistan took control.Nigar Sultana was run out for a duck while attempting a second run in the following over before Anam Amin had Rumana play on to give her second wicket in the 16th over. Fahima Khatun and Fargana were Bangladesh’s second and third run-out victims, before Lata Mondal smacked the slow legspin of Maroof for two consecutive fours in the penultimate over. In the end, that proved to be not near enough to overcome Pakistan.
Arsenal’s January transfer window hit several bumps in the road, all of which looked as though they could derail the Gunners’ title bid.
Indeed, after the nature of last January’s transfer window, Edu and co couldn’t afford to go through the winter without signing anyone.
Last term, the Gunners’ squad was arguably too slim and as such, it cost them a place in the Champions League towards the business end of the campaign.
However, in 2023, it looks as though the club are beginning to peak at the right time.
They may have missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk and Moises Caicedo but their plan B has more than turned out well.
Leandro Trossard has already had a fine impact after his arrival from Brighton, scoring against Brentford, having a stunning strike ruled out versus Leicester and assisting goals in back-to-back games before the visit of Bournemouth.
But Jorginho has also had a vital impact, even when he’s not had any minutes.
How has Jorginho performed at Arsenal?
When Arsenal missed out on Caicedo the alternative was rather underwhelming. Here Mikel Arteta and Edu sat, signing a Chelsea player who looked past his sell-by date.
We know how that’s gone in the past with Willian undoubtedly the biggest case in point.
The Brazilian proved to be a seismic waste of wages and supporters were understandably concerned the save eventuality would sadly befall Jorginho.
As it happens, the Italian has been superb since moving to north London. He might not have the manoeuvrability of a Thomas Partey, but provides his own tempo-setting qualities.
Indeed, the 31-year-old was incredibly influential in that comeback win over Aston Villa, breaking up play and dictating things nicely in the middle of the park.
He was the man who played the biggest part in claiming the three points, with his looping strike from range coming back off the bar before bouncing off Emi Martinez and finding the net.
The 5 foot 10 stalwart’s influence simply cannot be underestimated with the “leader” – as he was dubbed by Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy – no doubt playing a huge role behind the scenes.
This Arsenal squad is full of youth wherever you look and at the centre of it, the very core, you need an experienced head.
In Jorginho, a man to have won the Champions League and European Championships, you have the perfect man.
That said, with Partey back fit again, his minutes are likely to be limited but it must be a source of huge comfort for Arteta that he has a reliable pair of hands to call on if rotation is required or injury strikes again.
The £31m-rated ace didn’t play a single minute of the remarkable 3-2 win over Bournemouth but still proved his importance.
Of course, it was Arteta and his coaching staff who had the biggest impact on how the second half played out, boldly ditching Takehiro Tomiyasu and Emile Smith Rowe for Ben White and Reiss Nelson who ended up scoring the crucial goals.
However, just for one moment, the Spaniard should step aside in our thoughts, with Jorginho essentially acting as chief cheerleader from the side.
Sent to warm up in the second half, as CBS reporter James Benge noted, he didn’t seem to do much of that.
“On the sidelines Jorginho is calling out passes, repositioning his teammates and barely doing any warming up,” the journalist noted.
It was an impeccable act of leadership and influence, as the former Chelsea ace willed his teammates to initiate a press, telling them precisely where they needed to be on the pitch.
That was a small glimpse of what he offers to the Islington outfit but it no doubt made a huge impact on the result.
To see your teammate, and one who joined only a matter of weeks ago no less, inspiring you is precisely what this team it all about now.
It is a special unit, a cohesive bond that looks relatively unstoppable in their title charge.
Jorginho may not start too many more games in the run-in but it’s clear he’ll still be able to have a say on what happens in the game.
West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has shared some big injury news ahead of their crunch Premier League clash with Man City this Saturday.
West Ham vs Man City
David Moyes' side have started the new campaign with real gusto and plenty of promise, even after they sold former superstar Declan Rice to Arsenal for around £105 million.
The loss of Rice was seen as a real worry for West Ham at the time, but so far, the east Londoners have really enjoyed life without their ex-captain.
West Ham are currently unbeaten in the top flight; winning three out of their opening four league games with impressive victories over an in-form Brighton side, big-spending Chelsea and newcomers Luton Town.
The likes of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, after signing in the summer transfer window, have dazzled with their displays so far; doing wonders to replace Rice in Moyes' new-look midfield.
"Fresh from their best start in 24 years, the Hammers can eye impending fixtures at home to Manchester City and away to Liverpool with confidence and much less trepidation," wrote BBC journalist Jon Bradshaw recently.
"Arguably, both are free hits and why shouldn’t they feel capable of getting something from the games, particularly after neutralising Roberto de Zerbi’s freewheeling Albion side at Amex Stadium two weeks ago. Last season it took until 9 October for them to hit 10 points.
"This time, sitting pretty in fourth, West Ham have sent their international players off around the world without any of the frenzy and anxiety of scrabbling for results at the bottom of the table."
Man City, who clinched an historic treble win last season, have begun in equally good fashion; clinching all three points in every single one of their matches so far.
In that time, Pep Guardiola's men have scored the joint-most goals in the league while conceding the fewest – making this West Ham's toughest game of the season to date.
West Ham vs Man City team news
In a boost for Moyes, City legend Kevin De Bruyne will miss the London Stadium bout with a long-term injury; while the likes of Jack Grealish, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are doubts (Evening Standard).
For West Ham, they could hand a debut to summer singing Konstantinos Mavropanos after the Greek's recovery from a back problem.
Both Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek will apparently be assessed ahead of the game, with club insider ExWHUemployee now sharing a big injury update on Ward-Prowse.
Reports last week indicated he picked up a knock in training, but luckily for West Ham, Ex says that the Englishman is fit and ready to play.
“We can confirm that James Ward Prowse was back in training today and took part fully,” said Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon.
“This will put to bed any fear that he could miss the Manchester City game, assuming no other injuries are picked up between then.”
The former Southampton star has been a mainstay for Moyes since making a switch from the south coast, and he was arguably unlucky to miss out on Gareth Southgate's England squad for this international break.
Tottenham Hotspur have Brentford striker Ivan Toney in their sights as journalist Dean Jones shares a transfer update out of north London.
Who will Spurs sign?
The departure of star striker Harry Kane has left a gaping hole in quality going forward for new manager Ange Postecoglou, and the England international will be a very, very hard man to replace.
Kane not only guarantees 20-plus-goals-per-season, but his ability to drop back and link up play will also be a sore miss for Spurs, who must now contend without their club legend and serial record-breaker.
One small silver lining for the club is the possible £103 million fee they'll get for his services, if certain add-ons are met, and it will be interesting to see how they'll reinvest that financial windfall.
Postecoglou has admitted that Tottenham need to offload certain players first given they already have a bloated squad, but reporters like Alasdair Gold believe Spurs have a few deals "lined up" for when they do.
“Postecoglou said that himself in his press conference on Friday he pretty much said how there’s areas in defence, midfield and attack that they can upgrade on as well," said Gold on his YouTube channel (via TBR).
“I would keep an eye on what happens.
“I kind of get the feeling that Spurs have got a number of deals lined up ready to go if they can get the players out of the squad first.”
A striker could be seen as one priority given their sale of Kane, and there have been many forwards linked with a move to north London, particularly highly-rated Gent striker Gift Orban.
Another to be mentioned is Toney of Brentford, who despite his ban for gambling breaches, remains of interest to Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy.
That is according to reporter Jones, who told GiveMeSport that Spurs are actively exploring a deal to sign the English top flight marksman.
“Toney is a deal that they have started to explore," said Jones.
"But that will come down to how realistic Brentford are in terms of what his value is. It seems they might price him out of a move like this.
“So, there’s no particular optimism at this stage for Tottenham making much headway with that. If they were to look for another forward, they’ve been linked with Romelu Lukaku, but I’m very sceptical about that. I don’t think that’s something that is going to happen.”
How good is Ivan Toney?
The Englishman scored a brilliant 20 goals last season and added a further four assists, having marked himself out as one of the division's most consistent goalscorers.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank said clubs will have to pay a £100 million price tag to prise him away from west London, with the Dane also heaping praise on him back in 2021 for his "lion" mentality.
Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…
"He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion," said Frank.
"I think for every person or player the sky’s the limit, then we will see in the future where they go.
"First I just want to enjoy Ivan here in my team, and see him grow and be as good as possible, and then we’ll see what happens in the future."
The India seamer, who became available when he went unsold in the IPL auction, should be available for five County Championship fixtures and eight Royal London One-Day Cup matches
George Dobell15-Feb-2018
BCCI
Ishant Sharma is to join Sussex for the first two months of the 2018 county season as an overseas player.The India seamer, who became available when he went unsold in the IPL auction, is expected to join the club on April 4. That means he should be available for five County Championship fixtures and eight Royal London One-Day Cup matches. He will provide a significant boost for a squad that will be without Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan for much of that period due to their IPL commitments.”Securing Ishant’s services has been very important for us,” Sussex’s director of cricket Keith Greenfield said. “Once Jofra and Chris were picked up in the IPL draft, it became crucial to sign an experienced international-quality seam bowler who could provide valuable support and know-how to the rest of the seamers.”Ishant has the attributes to be very successful in early season English conditions and a great role model. He fits the bill perfectly and we look forward to welcoming him to Sussex Cricket.”The signing may not please everyone, however. England coach Trevor Bayliss has previously expressed frustration at the way in which the counties allow overseas players to prepare ahead of Test series in England and, with India playing a five-Test series in England in the second half of the year, Ishant will have an ideal opportunity to adapt to the conditions and the Dukes ball.He is far from inexperienced in such conditions anyway. As well as having toured with India’s Test squad in 2011 and 2014 – when he was named Man of the Match for his Test-best 7 for 74 in the second innings as India won at Lord’s – he played in the 2009 World T20 and 2013 Champions Trophy teams, with his spell in the 2013 final (he dismissed the well-set Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara from successive deliveries) proving crucial.The signing continues the recent relaxation of rules as regards India players featuring in foreign domestic competitions. Appreciating that increased experience of such conditions could help India improve their overseas record, the BCCI also allowed R Ashwin to play for Worcestershire towards the end of the 2017 season – where he played a significant part in their County Championship promotion – while Virat Kohli has already expressed a desire to follow suit should a suitable gap in his schedule be found. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has become a regular face on the county scene after spells with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, has already confirmed he will return to Yorkshire for the early part of the 2018 campaign.Whether there is scope for further members of the India Test squad to feature in county cricket this year remains uncertain. Their schedule – which includes a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Bengaluru in mid-June – is hectic and, while the Test series in England does not start until August 1, the limited-overs section of the tour beings in early July.While Chadd Sayers, the Australian swing bowler, had claimed last week he was hoping to sign for Sussex for the same period, it appears the club had accepted that gaining a work permit for him (he has not played any international cricket) could have become a significant challenge.”We’re delighted to secure the services of an experienced and very skilful international seamer,” Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie said. “We believe Ishant will fit right into the Sussex dressing room and we are all really looking forward to welcoming him to Hove.””It’s a great honour to represent Sussex CCC, the oldest first-class county, and I am looking forward with excitement to my maiden stint in county cricket,” Ishant was quoted as saying in a club press release.”I would like to extend a special thanks to Sussex for taking note of my ongoing performances and deeming me suitable for this opportunity. I hope to add value during my time as part of the Sussex family this season.”