Chelsea will be heading into the summer with an uncertainty hanging over the club with a transfer ban set to affect any potential dealings.

The Blues will of course be looking at getting that ban overturned and will be keen to spend money on the squad if they can indeed bring new players in.

However, there is also set to be a few Blues players who could well be looking at the exit door, and one man who has been linked with a permanent move away from the club this weekend is former Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, who has been on loan with AC Milan this season.

Bakayoko has rediscovered an element of his best form since making the move to Milan, and while Chelsea might be tempted to bring him back and get that form out of him themselves, it has to be said he just did not look the part for the Blues before.

A move on a permanent basis would make all kinds of sense really, with Chelsea receiving a decent fee for a player they spent heavily on themselves, while Bakayoko would be moving to a club where he has clearly settled well.

There is no denying that Bakayoko can be a talent and a force in the middle of the park., it’s just that it might not be in the Premier League at this moment in time.

Chelsea would be wise to move him on, and with the likes of Loftus-Cheek and Barkley ready to step in anyway, the Blues have plenty in the squad to call upon if need be.

Liverpool have made some strange signings in their time, but none are more bizarre than Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

A shocking transfer for all the wrong reasons.

Anfield was in a state of crisis; Martin Skrtel was out after breaking his jaw against Tottenham, Daniel Agger required surgery for an ongoing back problem and Liverpool could no longer rely on the talents of Sami Hyypia who had departed the club that summer after ten years of servitude (as per The Guardian).

The only logical step: sign AEK Athens’ Sotirios Kyrgiakos, of course.

Desperate times most certainly call for desperate measures and we think it’s fair to say that signing the Greek was the most desperate of them all. The football equivalent of resorting to cannibalism on a deserted island.

Nevertheless, Rafael Benitez was full in spirit and confident that his new signing had enough to make it arguably the most intense league in the world.

“He has had experience in Scotland with Rangers, and in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt as well as with the Greek national side,” he said (as per The Guardian). “He is strong and good in the air, and we were looking for experience and he is the perfect answer.”

The answer to what we’re not quite sure of but it certainly wasn’t the solution to Liverpool’s widespread defensive issues. Maybe it had something to do with signing Alberto Aquilani and Glen Johnson in the same window.

Needless to say, the Greek did little warm himself to the Liverpool faithful other than landing a two-footed cruncher on Everton’s Marouane Fellaini in the Merseyside derby. This brief episode of stardom quickly dissolved, however, and he is more commonly known now as an infamous member of one of the worst squads to ever represent the club.

By moving for the flop, it proved Benitez (despite his legendary like status with the Reds after winning the Champions League) was on the wane on Merseyside just prior to his protracted departure and, surely, this was a major warning sign as to his future, though the Kop faithful may only start to see that now.

He lasted just two seasons before departing to join Wolfsburg.

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With Andy Robertson set to sit out Liverpool’s quarter-final tie against Porto tonight due to suspension, the most likely replacement for the Scotsman is James Milner, who, as we all know, is versatile enough to fill in at left-back.

The 33-year-old midfielder spent the entirety of the 2016/17 campaign playing in that position, although when the Reds welcome Porto to Anfield, he should not be given the nod to line up on the left of defence.

Instead, a quite unpopular figure on Merseyside should come in: Alberto Moreno.

Mo Salah has been brutally mocked for his recent diving antics in a new video by 442oons. Check it out below…

The Spaniard has endured an error-ridden time at the club since arriving from Sevilla back in 2014 in a £12m deal. Moreno often lacks the concentration required at the top level, something which has upset the Liverpool fanbase who demand their players to be switched on and full of desire.

However, what the 26-year-old is good at is bombing forward and contributing in the final third – it is why Barcelona are reportedly interested in snapping him up as Jordi Alba’s understudy when Moreno’s contract expires this summer.

Additionally, it is worth noting that Moreno has never really been afforded a run in the team whilst Virgil van Dijk has been at the club. The Dutchman has completely transformed the Reds’ previously flimsy backline into the Premier League’s best this season, and appears to instil confidence and belief in his fellow defenders.

The impact of the full-backs has been a huge feature under Jurgen Klopp this season, and it would be detrimental to put the slower, less attack-minded Milner in as a replacement for Robertson, a player who is the polar opposite in terms of his willingness to get forward.

For example, when the former Leeds United man had to step in and replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back for two games towards the end of January, Liverpool looked toothless and recorded disappointing 1-1 draws against Leicester and West Ham – the athleticism and attacking play from the full-backs is pivotal in getting results.

Moreno may have a mistake in him, but his similarities to Robertson going forward will be vital if Liverpool are to gain a stranglehold of this tie early on – with Van Dijk assisting him in defence, it is worth playing the Spanish ace for what he contributes going forward.

Just how many trophies will Manchester City have their hands on come the end of the season? If it was up to them, the unprecedented quadruple would be the reward for all their hard work they have produced but football is never as easy as that. 

Indeed, you City fans will know that more anyone…

Obviously and annoyingly from your perspective, Liverpool continue to push Man City all the way for the Premier League title and that will be frustrating for Guardiola and his players, considering how well they have played.

The long, tiring season is nearing its conclusion and the identity of the side who will claim the league title is no closer to being found. However, with the right additions during the summer transfer window, City can easily coast clear of their title rivals.

A defensive-midfielder is top of Man City’s wants and needs and the perfect player to fit that role would be Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey.

Partey, (who is valued at £45 million on Transfermarkt) is yet another Atletico midfielder being linked (as per ESPN in March) to the Etihad but operating as more of defensive-type, he may be the right option for a side constantly looking to improve.

The 25-year-old is a dynamic midfielder that eases up and down the pitch all game long. He operates in a similar style to Fernandinho and could be a fine option for Man City to continue their progression as a world-class side. Pep Guardiola is the right manager to help develop any player and the Ghanian would also benefit from the quality coaching of the Spanish coach.

If he came in, you’d have none of that Fernandinho worry. Wouldn’t that be nice?

With three goals and five assists in all competitions this season, Thomas Partey would add even more creativity to a free-scoring Man City side, as well as mostly, an improvement to their defensive capabilities. It’s actually pretty scary how good he could be under the managerial legend’s stewardship.

Sky Blues, do you agree City should sign Thomas Partey? Let us know!

أشاد أسطورة آرسنال الهجومية، كيفن كامبل، بأداء لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم الحالي، محمد النني، بعد تألقه في مباراة مانشستر يونايتد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ونجح محمد النني في تقديم مستوى رائع على ملعب “أولد ترافورد” يوم، الأحد الماضي، وساهم في الحفاظ على فوز فريقه بهدف نظيف أحرز، بيير إيمريك أوباميانج، من ركلة جزاء.

وعاد المصري الدولي بقوة إلى تشكيل آرسنال مع المدرب، ميكل أرتيتا، بعد إعارته في الموسم الماضي إلى بشكتاش بسبب استبعاده من المشاركة مع المدرب السابق للجانرز، أوناي إيمري.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ميدو عن محمد النني: أنا أول من هاجمه وأثبت أنني مخطئ

وعبر كامبل عن رأيه في النني خلال حواره مع قناة “Highbury Squad” على “يوتيوب”، وقال: “تألق النني يساعد توماس بارتي في وسط آرسنال، لأن الأخير يمكنه فعل كل شيء، لكنه يحتاج إلى شخص معه يجيد التعامل مع الضغط”.

وأضاف: “لقد رأينا توماس يلعب مع شاكا وسيبايوس، أحيانا ينجح الأمر وأحيانا لا يحدث ذلك، لكن الآن، تواجد بارتي بجانب النني مرتين وكان مستواهما رائعًا”.

وتابع: “ربما يعتبر البعض أن النني لاعبًا في الفريق فقط، لكن لا أحد يستطيع أن يقنعني بأنه لا يستطيع التواجد في المباريات الكبيرة”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “لقد أثبت قيمته الفنية أمام خط وسط مكون من بوجبا بطل العالم، ماتيتش، فريد وبرونو فرنانديز لقد لعب ضدهم ببراعة كذلك أمام ليفربول أثبت أنه جدير بالثقة التي يمنحها له المدرب”.

Reactionary new deal for Manchester City star Leroy Sane may be a reason for concern.

The German still has two years remaining on his current deal at the Etihad, but the club are reportedly interested in making sure his future remains with them by offering a new long-term contract.

The Metro claim that talks between the two parties have been ongoing since March and that the club feel like they had made good progress; enough to feel confident that the player will stay next season.

However, the Sky Blues are said to be a little concerned with the lack of urgency from Sane’s camp to progress talks. The fear being that Sane’s head has been turned by interest from elsewhere.

In his native land of Germany, Bayern Munich were said to be interested in the player when he left Schalke in 2016 and have always considered him a natural long-term replacement for ageing wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, the latter of whom is due to leave at the end of the season.

Sane has found himself on the bench more often than he probably wanted this season, with the exceptional Bernardo Silva preferred by Pep Guardiola. But with so much time left on his contract and so much potential to become a big Premier League star, we cannot help but think that a move away from Manchester City would be a step back for the German. He is currently learning under one of the greatest managers at all time and playing for one of the dominant teams in Europe, who are leading the way in terms of progressive modern football.

Who does he think he is? He’s got everything to win countless trophies so, if his head has been turned, it should infuriate fans. There’s simply nowhere better and he must bide his time.

On paper it is a no-brainer. He must stay.

Man City fans, what do you think of Sane? Think he’s getting above his station, if his head has indeed been turned? Join the discussion by commenting below…

[ad_pod ]Everton fans have taken to Twitter to praise Andre Gomes after his wonderful performance in the 1-0 win over Arsenal.The on-loan Barcelona midfielder has impressed throughout his temporary spell at Goodison Park, but he has really stepped it up a notch in recent weeks.Gomes, a Portugal international, dominated the midfield against Matteo Guendouzi and Mohamed Elneny, oozing class and composure alongside the more combative Idrissa Gueye.In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…The 25-year-old is deceptively strong and dependable in possession, whilst he is proving to be a real difference maker for Marco Silva and for Everton.

Barcelona are reportedly chasing a sum of around £40m for his signature, but on the basis of his performance against the Gunners he definitely looked worth such a figure.

The Toffees have now won their last three league games without conceding a goal, and Everton supporters have singled out Gomes for praise on Twitter after his hugely influential performance against Unai Emery’s men…

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Loads of Celtic fans have been reacting to a club tweet about Chris Sutton, which appears to have highlighted a major flaw that has plagued the Bhoys for over a decade.

As the season draws to a close, the anniversaries of some of Celtic’s finest moments come thick and fast.

Wednesday marked 16 years since Henrik Larsson scored in a 1-1 draw against Boavista in the UEFA Cup semi-final – the Swede of course scored again in the second leg to take the Bhoys through to the final.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

And 24 hours later, the club tweeted out another iconic moment, reminiscing about Sutton’s thumping header in the 2005 Scottish Cup semi-final.

Sutton struck in the third minute against Hearts before Craig Bellamy bagged in the second half to win 2-1, and the Hoops beat Dundee in the final courtesy of Alan Thompson’s goal.

Fans have all noticed the same thing from the clip of Sutton though – they actually scored from a corner.

Set pieces are a huge source of goals for most sides but the Bhoys struggle to bag from them, and loads of fans have been sharing the same complaint.

Have a look at the Twitter reactions down below, where fans are convinced their set pieces have been useless for 14 years…

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According to TEAMtalk, Wolves manager Nuno Santo has no long term plans for Adama Traore. However, he would be making a massive blunder if he was to let the Spaniard leave Molineux.

What’s the word?

It’s fair to say that Traore’s spell at Wolves has been a bit of a disaster. Signed for a club record fee at the time of £18m, he’s been one of the biggest flops this season.

The 23-year-old has scored just once and claimed a solitary assist this term, per WhoScored. It’s an incredibly disappointing return for a player who cost so much. Therefore, it’s arguably not a surprise to see TEAMtalk report that Santo has no long term plans for the player.

Given Wolves play with wing backs, he’s never really had a chance to show what he’s capable of in forward areas, and as such, could find himself leaving the club if there is no room for him in the side.

Transfermarkt rates the player at £16.2m so Wolves could conceivably lose profit on the former Barcelona man should they come to the decision that they want to sell him.

Nuno can’t afford to let Traore leave

There aren’t many reasons to be critical of Wolves this season but one major problem has been a lack of plan B.

The club have been excellent against top six sides, registering 16 points. However, versus smaller opponents they’ve struggled and that’s largely been down to a lack of adaptation.

But in Traore, Wolves have a player capable of giving them a different option. Off the bench he is a crucial player, possessing pace to scare even the best of defenders late in a game. He’s arguably very different to any other player in their ranks.

A Wolves fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the club in the video below…

His numbers for goals and assists simply aren’t good enough, but if the club can find a way to play him further forward, rather than at wing-back then they may finally find someone capable of breaking down teams who aren’t so open.

Because of this, Santo has to keep him in his plans.

It hasn’t been a particularly good time for Chelsea fans this season, but their mood could be about to get even worse. That’s because all signs are pointing towards Eden Hazard leaving the club this summer. With his contract set to expire at the end of next season, the Blues may have their hands tied, and that represents a huge failing on the part of the club.

Sure, you could argue that if Hazard wants to go then the club can’t stand in his way, but the reality is that Chelsea have failed to convince him that Chelsea is the best place for him to be – and the responsibility for that can only fall on the shoulders of the club.

However, despite the obvious failing, there is some light at the end of the tunnel that Hazard looks set to speed through. That’s because, from a monetary point of view, Chelsea are still going to be the big winners in this deal.

According to Transfer Markt, he was signed for £31.5 million from Lille, and that’s a bargain for a player of his quality. It is said that the Blues could sell him for as much as £100 million, and so that would represent a significant profit on the part of the club. They’d be selling him for over three times the price that they paid for him, and that’s clearly a good thing for the club. Sure, they could have got more if he had a longer contract, but that would have been a record fee two or three years ago – and the fact that he’s 28-years-old means that he wouldn’t fetch as much as someone like Neymar when he went to PSG (£199.8 million, as per Transfer Markt).

It goes beyond that, too, though. It’s easy to forget that now, but it’s fair to say that Eden Hazard has already repaid his transfer fee and more to the Blues with his performances on the field. The Belgian has been the club’s main man since he joined from Lille in 2012, and he’s helped them to a number of trophies in that time. At the end of the day, he’s stayed well beyond his original contract when he probably had offers to move on elsewhere.

If you asked most Chelsea fans, they’d be sad that Hazard is leaving – but few would stop him from departing, based on what he’s offered the club. He’s given the Blues everything, and if Real Madrid is his dream, he’s within his right to achieve it. All Chelsea can do is thank him for his service – and count their £100 million-plus with a smile on their face.

Chelsea fans – what do you think? How would you respond to a sale? Let us know below!