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Aston Villa fans have been voting on a recent transfer rumour, and a resounding majority want Dean Smith to pursue Bulgarian international Kiril Despodov.

The Sunday Mirror, as picked up by HITC, had reported on January 6 that Villa were showing a strong interest in signing the 22-year-old in the mid-season market, but could face opposition from fellow Championship side Middlesbrough and Premier League strugglers Cardiff.

The word was that a deal could be struck at £5million, more than double his TransferMarkt valuation of £1.8m, and would see Smith gain a 19-cap international who has been scoring for fun with CSKA Sofia.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

So far this season, the 5 foot 8 forward has scored ten goals and created a further eleven for his teammates in all competitions, including scoring and assisting two of each in the Europa League during his side’s failed bid to progress through the qualifying rounds.

Despodov’s arrival at Villa Park could create problems for established figures like Ahmed El Mohamady, who would soon go from being a first-team regular to fighting for minutes with the new kid, but that has not stopped the Villa faithful from wanting the 22-year-old brought in.

In a recent Football FanCast poll, a clear majority voted in favour of the £5million purchase, with 87% saying yes and just 13% offering opposition.

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In opting not to make a single signing this past offseason, Tottenham claimed themselves a unique place in Premier League history by becoming the first league side to remain completely inactive in the summer transfer window since it was introduced in 2003. 

The dormant summer failed to snakebite Tottenham’s success in the first half of the season as they shot out to their best ever start in the league, racking up 45 points over the first 19 matches of the campaign.

Now over four months later, with little more than occasional rumblings coming out of North London as the January window has progressed into its final week, Spurs appear poised to exit a second consecutive transfer period without a fresh face joining the club. This time it’s hurting them.

In Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Chelsea, Spurs fell to the Blues without Harry Kane or Dele Alli in the squad, and left Stamford Bridge even further hindered by injuries to Moussa Sissoko and Ben Davies. Eric Dier and Lucas Moura have returned but do not yet appear fully fit, or at the very least match sharp.

With 16 league matches and FA Cup and European competition still ahead, Tottenham are stuck in the most vulnerable state they’ve been in all season. As they find themselves once again short on depth and at yet another midseason impasse, it beckons a familiar question: is the club’s approach to the transfer market truly aligned with the apparent desire for silverware and titles?

Tottenham’s modest approach to the transfer window is not a recent development. Over the past five seasons, while the other Big Six clubs have mounted net spending numbers well into nine figures, Spurs’  has totalled less than £40million according to Transfermarkt. But the complete stagnation of the two most recent windows is new territory, and it’s now clipping the club in the heels.

In October, Daniel Levy insisted that costs related to Tottenham’s new stadium had not had impacted Spurs’ flexibility in the summer transfer window. Yet as stadium delays continue without new additions to the squad, questions surrounding the club’s ability to spend are inevitably growing.

Whether Tottenham’s quiet transfer strategy is tied to a lack of desire, a tighter purse, or an inability to close out deals (the rest of the Big Six seem to have no trouble there), the club’s limited depth and lack of new blood is once again holding them back.

The highly-coveted Mauricio Pochettino will only stick around on such a tight purse so long, as will Kane, Alli Christian Eriksen and the rest of Spurs’ collection of stars. If Tottenham truly aim to contend for trophies with its current core, they must become competitive in the transfer market once again and begin making moves.

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham are ready to hijack Leicester’s loan deal for Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans. 

The 21-year-old was poised to be joining The Foxes this January, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has given the green light for his club to intercept this deal. However, the article does not state whether this is a loan or permanent deal.

The French club are willing to loan the Belgian, or sell him for £20m as well. However, it is imperative that Tottenham sign him permanently.

The Lilywhites have a long and rather embarrassing history of signing substandard players; there are currently some in the squad now, and there have been many in the past. Particularly though, the club have signed a raft of slow starters. There is absolutely no guarantee that Tielemans will acclimatise quickly, in which time, this would be a waste of a loan deal from Spurs.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”367086″ player=”13308″ title=”Tottenham Hotspur”]

On the other hand, a permanent deal means the 21-year-old has time to settle into Tottenham and truly become the successor to Mousa Dembélé. Stylistically, Tielemans has many similarities to his compatriot, while also showing a greater attacking instinct. His powerful shot and ability to chip in with a goal could even make him a greater asset to Tottenham, particularly as central midfielders like Eric Dier, Harry Winks and Victor Wanyama are not famed for their goal-scoring prowess.

Now that Tottenham are out of the FA Cup and League Cup, they do not need quick fixes, particularly in the heart of midfield, they need long-term figures and Tielemans is that man.

According to a recent report from The Daily Mail, West Ham are interested in a move for midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. The 26-year-old currently plays his football at fellow Premier League outfit Watford and has done so since leaving Rennes back in the winter window of 2016, with his impressive exploits in the middle of the park for the Hornets seemingly attracting interest from Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini.

And that’s because a recent report from The Daily Mail suggests that the East London outfit, alongside Marco Silva’s Everton and Thomas Tuchel’s Paris Saint-Germain, are interested in the £22.5 million-rated enforcer (as per Transfermarkt), whose arrival at West Ham, were it to happen, would go some way to giving Declan Rice his perfect midfield partner.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 20-year-old Rice has enjoyed a quite incredible rise in the 12 months or so from being an unproven sensation to one of the key players in Pellegrini’s starting eleven, what with the Republic of Ireland international having appeared 20 times in the Premier League so far this term, including starts in each of their last 19 matches.

And with some mightily impressive displays in that time, most notably against Chelsea and Manchester United at the London Stadium, Rice is very much the next big thing to come out of the West Ham academy, and thus a player the Hammers will do well to keep hold of in the coming years – a new deal last month will aid them in their cause though.

Yet Pellegrini has certainly needed the 20-year-old to step up this term given the lack of sufficient quality and depth in that central midfield department, what with the departure of Cheikhou Kouyate during the summer leaving the Hammers somewhat short in that area of the field.

Mark Noble has again done well in the middle of the park, but niggling injuries for Jack Wilshere and Pedro Obiang and a long-term injury issue for Carlos Sanchez has left Pellegrini with very few options in that midfield area – yet the arrival of Doucoure would finally solve that issue once and for all.

The 26-year-old has proven to be one of the most impressive central midfielders in the Premier League in the last few seasons, be it getting forward into attacking positions to create chances for Watford, or indeed breaking up play and protecting the Hornets backline slightly further back – all in all, he has shown everything needed to succeed in the top-flight.

His display against Chelsea in the Premier League last year, a match in which Javi Gracia’s men won 4-1, was symptomatic of just what Doucoure brings to the Watford midfield – his two assists enabled the front men to get into goal-scoring positions, while his combativeness and tenacity enabled his side to dominate the middle of the pitch.

Clearly, there’s a reason why Ligue 1 champions PSG have reportedly (as per The Daily Mail) been keen on the 26-year-old in recent times – he has got huge ability in the middle of the park, and at the relatively young age of 26, he only looks like getting better.

And alongside Rice, who shares a similar level of ability both on and indeed off the ball, the duo could strike up a seriously formidable partnership in the middle of the West Ham midfield – they both have composure on the ball, but both do their defensive duties adeptly as well.

And that is why a West Ham move for Doucoure is a must, as it would equip Pellegrini with the ideal man to partner Rice in the heart of his Hammers midfield.

West Ham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Leeds United supporters are bound to be hoping for changes this weekend when Marcelo Bielsa takes his promotion-chasing side to the north east to face Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough.

Defeat against Norwich City last weekend made it three defeats from five for a side who have looked more than capable of ending their top-flight exile this season.

Daniel Farke’s exuberant side ran riot at Elland Road, though, evoking fresh concerns amongst the Whites faithful regarding their promotion credentials.

With those concerns in mind, plenty of fans are looking for Bielsa to mix things up when Leeds travel to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, with one player in particular on their radar.

Indeed, Izzy Brown’s form for the development squad in recent weeks has forced some supporters to urge Bielsa to select him this weekend, despite his claim that he will need to play six to eight games before his fitness recovers, as per Yorkshire Evening Post.

Brown has been in electric form in recent weeks, with four goals in four appearances for the development squad hinting that he possesses a killer instinct in front of goal.

Leeds’ downfall against the Canaries may well have been defensively but that has not prevented supporters from suggesting it could be time for Bielsa to include the 22-year-old in the squad.

That the Chelsea loanee is still two appearances short of the six games Bielsa has hinted he needs suggests he’s unlikely to feature, but the Argentine is hardly one to do things by the book.

It would be a shock to select him for such a high-profile clash considering his lengthy absence from senior football, but that has not stopped the fans on Twitter from urging him to make that call.

Here’s what some of the Leeds fans have had to say about a potential call-up for Brown this weekend:

Leeds United fans on Twitter have been reacting to an incredible defensive stat that has emerged this week.

Indeed, Adam Pope tweeted that Leeds are yet to concede a goal from outside the box in the Championship this season, and after 19 games and 77 shots that’s an astonishing stat.

While this information may be impressive, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody as the Whites have conceded just 11 goals in the league so far this term.

A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Understandably, a number of fans were buzzing to see this stat as it further highlights just how good the Yorkshire outfit have been at the back this term as they’ve rarely allowed their opponents the space to have a real sight at goal.

Other supporters weren’t best pleased that the BBC journalist has tweeted the stat out as they believe that he’s now jinxed the Whites ahead of this weekend’s game.

It seems that there are plenty of superstitious members of the United fanbase, and if United do concede a long-range screamer against Huddersfield, one man will have to face the brunt of the blame.

Rather than trying to point the finger at the journalist for what may or may not happen, some fans chose to praise the impact of Kiko Casilla between the sticks.

One fan dubbed him ‘the cat’ due to his incredible reflexes, while another pondered whether or not this record would have stood if ‘biscuit wrists’ was still in goal – referring to Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

In other news, Leeds fans have been blasting one rival boss after some remarks he made about the club.

According to Sky Sports, Carlo Ancelotti has reached an agreement in principle to become the new Everton manager, with an announcement possible on Wednesday.

Sky Sports reported earlier today that the Italian was on Merseyside for talks over the vacant managerial role, with Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright keen on appointing him ever since Marco Silva was relieved of his duties earlier this month.

Now it appears as though big strides have been made with Sky Sports suggesting that a deal is now on the cards following discussions in Liverpool.

Watch Everton vs Burnley Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Bringing the 60-year-old to Goodison Park would have to be seen as a big coup given what the experience he has and what he has achieved during his career as a coach – he has won three Champions Leagues and a top flight title in England, France, Germany and Italy, as per Transfermarkt.

Sky Sports reported earlier today that caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson, who has taken four points from his two Premier League matches at the helm, will remain on the coaching staff.

Everton sacked Marco Silva earlier this month with the Toffees lying in the Premier League relegation zone following what was a disastrous campaign to date.

In other Everton news, The Athletic have dropped a major bombshell about Moise Kean and the Toffees from the summer…

They did it the hard way, but Wolves picked up all three points against Norwich on Saturday.

The Canaries actually went 1-0 up through Todd Cantwell after Jonny Castro’s error, and they went into the break still trailing. Clearly Nuno Espirito Santo gave his players some rousing words at half-time, as they managed to turn it around after the break. First Romain Saiss puled things level, before Raul Jimenez got the job done nine minutes from time.

They got away with it a little, and they can have 87-time Portugal international Rui Patricio to thank for the triumph. The Canaries had seven shots on target overall, but netted just one, and the 31-year-old was instrumental in that.

It was a top display from the former Sporting Lisbon man, as his 7.85 WhoScored rating indicates. Had it not been for his saves, his teammates may not have even had the chance to turn it around in the first place.

For many, such was his showing, he was their clear Man of the Match.

Whilst he certainly put in a brilliant performance, it goes to show just how poor his side were – they had just four shots on target, for example. It is the mark of a good team that can win when they are not at their best, and that is what Nuno can take from this match.

Some fans think he is very much one of the best in his position in the whole league.

Alisson seems to be by far and away the best goalkeeper in the division, as this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings show. However, there are a number of other impressive shot-stoppers behind him such as Ederson, David de Gea, Hugo Lloris and Kepa Arrizabalaga. It would certainly be a hard list to compile.

His performance was fantastic on Saturday, but his boss will be hoping his side don’t have to rely on him too often in the future.

Elsewhere, this man could be the ideal successor for Adama Traore.

According to El Desmarque, Wolverhampton Wanderers are one of several Premier League clubs keen on Real Madrid youngster Vinicius Junior.

What’s the word?

It is thought that Chelsea could make a move for the winger after their transfer ban was lifted with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves all being mentioned too.

It remains to be seen if the La Liga giants will sell, but manager Zinedine Zidane would be able to call upon Eden Hazard and fellow Brazilian Rodrygo in the same role.

Watch Wolves vs Man City Live and Free with Amazon Prime on December 27th

Vinicius has somewhat struggled this season, scoring just two goals in 14 appearances across all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The same website credits his current valuation at £45m while he cost Los Galacticos around £39.6m as a 16-year-old back in 2017.

Traore successor

Adama Traore has been in electric form this season with three goals, three assists and an average of 4.5 successful dribbles per match from his 16 Premier League outings and he now appears to be drawing attention from elsewhere.

Indeed, Football Insider recently reported that Traore was so impressive in his goal-grabbing display against Tottenham last time out that the Spurs players urged Jose Mourinho to pursue the former Boro man’s services after the match.

That could well result in something more formal during the coming transfer windows – whether from Spurs or somewhere else – and ultimately, the aforementioned report is a warning sign that Traore may well be prized from Molineux at some point in the near future.

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

Albeit usually operating from the opposite side of attack, Vinicius represents a promising choice of successor. He has struggled to make an impact at the Bernabeu, managing only five La Liga starts this season, but he does share Traore’s capacity to beat a man with an average of 3.5 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

He lacks Traore’s natural physicality, but that is compensated by enormous potential. The 19-year-old has been dubbed the ‘best young player in the world’ by fellow countryman Dani Alves while ex-Blancos forward Fernando Morientes believes he has the potential to become ‘world class’ in the future.

If Nuno Santo can bring in Vinicius now and start to unlock that potential, when Traore does depart the succession in Wolves’ attack would be a smooth one, with the young Brazilian able to provide a similar speedy and jinking presence.

Whether Wolves can fend off such competition for his signature though, remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Wolves could clinch this ‘Pogba-like’ midfielder in January…

Liverpool are still lagging behind their Premier League rivals in terms of the number of games played in the ongoing 2019/20 campaign.

But even with that the case, the Reds are leading the pack and enjoying their view on top of the mountain in England with a hefty gap between them and the rest of the Premier League – 10 points, to be precise.

Jurgen Klopp’s men will welcome Sheffield United at Anfield on Monday in what promises to be another thrilling contest for the league leaders.

With the game edging ever closer and bearing in mind it will be Liverpool’s first one in 2020, it wasn’t surprising to see some hype and build-up surrounding it.

Liverpool’s official Twitter account posted a throwback video of Steven Gerrard’s brilliant strike against Sheffield United back in the day, and it got many of the fans nostalgic.

Others were also stating how unique Gerrard truly was, calling him England’s best ever midfielder and showering him with compliments such as “one in a billion” and “absolute legend”.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

It seems that their former captain is still very much on their minds and continues to impress them even after his retirement.

Aside from that goal, the fans were also pretty impressed by Gerrard’s first touch, which was seemingly as good as the strike itself.

They didn’t hold back with the compliments here either.

Funnily enough, one fan called him their “next boss” and it will be interesting to see whether Gerrard has what it takes to one day take over the reins at Liverpool.

Currently, he’s coaching Rangers and is gaining the necessary experience to maybe make that step up when the time is right.

We’ll have to wait and see.

Elsewhere, Liverpool fans delivered their harsh verdict on one of their players they simply no longer want in the squad…