Newcastle goalkeeper Matz Sels claims his Magpies’ career is not over, but Newcastle fans have been quick to disagree with the 26 year-old.
It’s been a wonderful couple of months on Tyneside, so much so that players now practically begging not to leave the club!
Matz Sels joined the Magpies in 2016 but made just nine appearances for the club.
The Belgian goalkeeper was loaned out to Anderlecht last summer, and has of course now fallen down the Newcastle pecking order thanks to the remarkable form of loanee Martin Dubravka.
Everything looks in place to make the Dubravka deal a permanent one, but Sels insists his time at Newcastle is not over.
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“I want to know if the club wants to keep me. But I have not closed the chapter on Newcastle. I remain very grateful to Rafael Benitez for hiring me,” Sels told Belgian magazine SportFoot.
I have to wait. I depend on Newcastle’s project, to which I remain bound for several years. I have not had news in a few months but I do not let it get in my head. As soon as the club has ensured their stay in the Premier League, which seems well started, they will contact me.”
Sels has played 22 league games at Anderlecht, shipping 29 goals and keeping eight clean sheets.
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While 29 goals in 22 games isn’t a terrible record, it’s certainly not good, and fans have been quick to say the goalkeeper has no place on Tyneside.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Per The Daily Mail, Newcastle are interested in signing Hull City forward Abel Hernandez when his contract with the Championship club expires at the end of the campaign. It’s been a strange season for the 27-cap Uruguayan. On the one hand, he’s notched up eight goals in as many league starts; on the other, he’s missed the vast majority of it through injury.
And it appears the majority of Newcastle fans share the club’s interest. When we asked them if they’d back a summer deal for Hernandez, 59% of those who took part in our poll voted yes. But does the South American attacker represent a shrewd piece of business for the Magpies, or should they steer well clear? Football FanCast take a look at three potential consequences – some good, some bad – of Newcastle swooping for the Tigers front-man this summer.
Adam Armstrong’s development is stifled
Armstrong’s spent the vast majority of his senior Newcastle career out on loan, but at the age of 21, the young forward needs to make an impact at first-team level for the Magpies sooner rather than later. Ending the season with a solid loan spell at Blackburn Rovers, netting nine times in 16 League One starts, the timing certainly feels right for Armstrong to step up, carrying that confidence and form into next season.
However, starting opportunities will be even more limited on Tyneside than they already are should Hernandez move there this summer. Rafa Benitez could still have Dwight Gayle, Ayoze Perez and Joselu to choose from as well, potentially placing Amstrong at a lowly fifth in the striker pecking order.
Islam Slimani deal isn’t made permanent
Slimani’s loan spell with the Toon has hardly been a resounding success anyway, but any move for Hernandez would suggest Newcastle aren’t interested in signing the Algerian striker permanently – and that will disappoint some Magpies fans. Although his overall influence has been limited, Slimani’s shown glimpses of what he can offer this Newcastle team in terms of physical presence up front, and Leicester’s seeming keenness to sell had thrown up the prospect of a reasonably-priced summer deal.
It’s unlikely Newcastle will want to sign both though; in addition to Slimani’s potential transfer fee, there’s also the wage bill to think about.
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Newcastle rest scoring hopes on injury-prone player
Scoring goals has probably been the biggest problem on Tyneside this season, with only five Premier League teams netting fewer than the Magpies’ 35. That’s obvious why they’re targeting Hernandez, but the Uruguayan striker comes with huge risk in terms of injuries, having made more than 26 league appearances during just one of his four campaigns in England. Even during the current seasonn, Hernandez was sidelined from August until March with a ruptured Achilles.
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It’s taken a huge toll on Hull City’s season, the Championship side only just moving clear of relegation bother, and could have an even more debasing impact on Newcastle’s 2018/19. After all, their survival hopes for next season will take a huge blow if the 27-year-old limps off during the first few games and isn’t seen again until the end of the season. Even if Hernandez’s next injury isn’t quite so severe, Newcastle are still putting a lot of faith in one injury-prone player.
West Ham United are likely to be in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer following a disappointing campaign for Adrian and loanee Joe Hart, but Irons fans on Twitter don’t want their club to sign Southampton’s Fraser Forster.
Just a couple of seasons ago the 30-year-old was rated as one of the best in the Premier League following some impressive performances for the south coast outfit, but that has changed for whatever reason since Ronald Koeman left St Mary’s in 2016, and he is currently number two behind Alex McCarthy.
Meanwhile, both Adrian and Hart have spent time between the sticks for the east London outfit in the top flight this season – and both been dropped for poor displays – with the goalkeeping position becoming a real problem one for David Moyes, and one that the Scot will look to solve this summer if he stays on.
West Ham supporters, who didn’t want Adrian to start against Leicester City before the match on Saturday, were quick to have their say on the potential of signing Forster via social media, and while one said “Southampton hate him”, another said “definitely don’t want Forster”.
Thomas Lemar was one of the big names of the summer transfer window last year due to late interest from Liverpool and Arsenal.
The Monaco midfielder was mentioned as a potential replacement for either Philippe Coutinho at Anfield or Alexis Sanchez at the Emirates.
In the end, though, those two players did not leave their respective clubs until the January window.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds worked hard at trying to get a deal done by offering €90m (£79.3m), but Monaco were holding out for around €100m (£88m).
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It is easy to see why the Frenchman attracted so much attention given that he scored nine goals and created 10 assists in 34 Ligue 1 appearances last season.
In the current campaign, though, the midfielder has been less prolific, nabbing two goals and eight assists in 28 outings.
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In fact, Lemar is struggling to hold down a place in the France national team, which raises concerns over his chances of making the World Cup squad.
Given how things have panned out for the attack-minded star, some Liverpool fans are thankful that a deal to sign him was never agreed.
Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.Comment from discussion We actually bid €90m for Lemar last summer, but Monaco wanted €100m.
Everton supporters in the Transfer Tavern are very much looking forward to the summer transfer window, with many hoping that their team will make key signings in key positions to boost their European chances next season.
The Toffees finished eighth in the Premier League this term with 49 points from their 38 matches, 12 points fewer than they achieved in finishing seventh under Ronald Koeman last time round. Yet that is a disappointing return given the amount of investment there was in the playing squad 12 months ago, with many of our resident Evertonians hoping that their club can buy more sensibly this summer in a bid to challenge the top six next time round.
And with Sam Allardyce no longer the club’s manager, there is some optimism among those Everton fans lining up at the bar, with many intrigued by recent reports linking Willian with a move away from Chelsea this summer.
And while Manchester United are thought to want the £28.8 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), these recent reports should prompt Everton into an audacious move for the forward this summer in a bid to bolster their attacking ranks.
Ultimately, the Toffees struggled for much of the campaign in the final third of the pitch, with Wayne Rooney eventually finishing the season as the club’s top-scorer with just 11 goals to his name.
And while Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun were brought in during the January window to add further quality to the attacking department, neither have so far set the world alight to suggest that they can be the men to take Everton forward next term.
Whereas it’s clear from Willian’s spell at Chelsea that he is exactly the sort of addition they need to challenge for the European spots.
The Brazil international scored 13 goals and laid on 12 assists for the Blues this term in their run to fifth place in the league and indeed the FA Cup title, thus adding to the 12 goals he netted last time round in their Premier League title-winning success.
In fact, the 29-year-old has scored at least ten times in each of his last three seasons at Stamford Bridge to underline his quality in the final third, and with Everton winger Yannick Bolasie struggling to re-discover his best after injury, Willian would no doubt be a better option than him at present.
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And with a willingness to work hard defensively as well, the Brazilian star appears to be exactly the sort of player any manager would want in their squad – there’s a reason Jose Mourinho reportedly wants a reunion with the 29-year-old at United.
Yet Everton should also seek to lure the unhappy star away from Chelsea this summer, as doing so would without doubt enhance their chances of challenging the top six next time round.
Rangers will have to wait until August for Steven Gerrard to secure the loan signing of Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke, according to Goal.
What’s the story?
Dominic Solanke has scored just one Premier League goal in 21 appearances for Liverpool since moving from Chelsea last summer.
Playing behind Mohamed Salah, he has struggled for starts but has been a regular attacking substitute for the team.
Since Steven Gerrard took over as manager of Rangers, a loan move for Solanke has been on the cards, but now it looks like he might have to wait.
According to Goal, Klopp wants sufficient attacking options before agreeing to send the England international out on loan.
Gerrard wants to sort his summer transfer business early, but it now looks like he might have to wait until August to complete the loan deal.
A gamble for Rangers?
While a loan deal does not carry the same risks as a transfer, Rangers would still be taking a gamble on a striker who has so far struggled to score goals at the top level.
However, it could provide the England player with the confidence he needs if he can secure regular starts away from the shadow of the player of the year, Salah.
Under the guidance of Liverpool legend Gerrard, Solanke could flourish and make good on the promise he showed as a youngster.
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With Liverpool rumoured to be in the hunt for Nabil Fekir, Solanke could struggle again for minutes at Anfield should he stay, so any move where he could secure regular first team football would be beneficial.
West Bromwich Albion are set to rebuff a £25m offer from Burnley for Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez, according to the Express & Star.
What’s the word?
Whenever a club gets relegated from the Premier League, attention turns to the playing squad and possible departures.
The Baggies are in that current situation, and it seems that Burnley are trying to test their resolve with bids for Dawson and Rodriguez.
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The Express & Star claims that West Brom will turn down an offer worth £25m as they have no plans to sell the pair.
In today’s market, the bid is relatively low considering that Dawson still has two years left on his contract and Rodriguez’s terms do not expire until 2021.
In fact, the publication states that the club would be after between £12m and £15m for the defender and more than £20m for the ex-Southampton attacker.
How should West Brom handle this?
The biggest problem that the Baggies face is trying to convince their key men to remain at The Hawthorns for the Championship campaign.
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If a Premier League club comes calling, it is understandable that a player will get his head turned, but West Brom need to be careful.
Manager Darren Moore is already without a defender having allowed Jonny Evans to join Leicester City, so it is imperative that the club do not weaken that area of the pitch even more.
Southampton fans and neutrals alike may have expected the south coast outfit to be active in the summer transfer market having only narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship last month, but it hasn’t been the case.Saints took their time to bring in Mark Hughes on a permanent basis after he kept them up in the final eight matches of the campaign, and there have been no major ins or outs since that moment even though some of their Premier League rivals have been busy both being linked with new additions and bringing them in.The Daily Echo reported on Wednesday that the club has only just started looking at potential new additions this summer, and perhaps they feel that it would have been difficult for them to get any deals done before the World Cup with some of their targets also potentially featuring in Russia.[ad_pod ]Those Southampton supporters who have been moaning on Twitter and expecting to see and overhaul and five or six new faces arrive should trust in the club and Hughes though, because if they keep the majority of their squad together it doesn’t actually need too much work.
While the south coast outfit, who should hijack Brighton’s £22m bid to sign an attacker with 36 goals and assists in 2017/18, were really poor under Mauricio Pellegrino, it perhaps had something to do with how bad the manager was rather than the team as a whole not being good enough.
Those players certainly showed in the closing stages of the 2017/18 campaign that they do have the quality in the locker if they have a boss that organises them and keeps their fitness levels high – which is what Hughes did – and with a couple of tweaks they could be a force again.
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Towards the end of Pellegrino’s reign, fans may have been expecting Cedric Soares, Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic, Mario Lemina and Manolo Gabbiadini to leave St Mary’s whichever division they found themselves in come what May. However, the situation and mentality of those players may well have changed under the tutelage of Hughes, and those individuals who looked almost certain to be on their way out may now stay for at least another year.
Sofiane Boufal is one name that could be on his way out however after he fell out with his Welsh boss following the defeat against Chelsea in April, before being excluded from first-team training and their final few Premier League fixtures.
If Saints manage to keep hold of Bertrand, Cedric, Tadic and Lemina in particular – who may not attract too many admiring glances from other clubs considering they were involved in a relegation battle last term – then they don’t need too many signings.
As things stand, they have a good goalkeeper, two decent full-backs, strong central midfield options and strength in depth when it comes to strikers.
The areas where they do perhaps need some strengthening are at centre-back and on the wings, where they lacked experience and quality and pace, respectively.
While a priority must surely be to bring in an experienced centre-half and leader to help the likes of Wesley Hoedt, Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek with Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk sometimes sorely missed in 2018, a wide forward who can score and create is also a must – something Southampton haven’t really had since they sold Sadio Mane with Boufal and Nathan Redmond often struggling.
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Yes, Southampton do need a couple of quality additions to push on next season, but the St Mary’s faithful shouldn’t be panicking or getting too downhearted about their lack of business just yet.
The World Cup is usually the showpiece for relatively unknown talents to come to the fore, but it has the power to remind us of players previously tipped for greatness as well. Fabian Schar certainly falls into that category; after a fantastic 2013/14 Champions League campaign at FC Basel, the Switzerland international was linked with a number of clubs including Tottenham Hotspur.
While Schar’s club career has since taken a serious downturn, last term suffering relegation from La Liga with Deportivo, his opening performance for Switzerland at Russia 2018 highlighted exactly why the Lilywhites were once so keen on securing his services – playing an instrumental role in quelling the offensive influence of Willian, Neymar and Philippe Coutinho in a 1-1 draw with Brazil.
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With that in mind and Tottenham likely in need of a replacement for Toby Alderweireld this summer, his contract situation still awaiting resolution, we asked Spurs fans earlier this week whether Mauricio Pochettino should revive his reported interest in the 26-year-old from summer 2014.
And according to our poll, 54% of Tottenham supporters would back a swoop for Schar this summer. Are there any other former targets who have impressed you at the World Cup, Spurs fans? Let us know by commenting below…
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Shane Harwood’s career could be over due to a serious shoulder injury but the Victoria fast bowler has not given up hope of returning to state cricket next summer
Cricinfo staff16-Nov-2009Shane Harwood’s career could be over due to a serious shoulder injury but the Victoria fast bowler has not given up hope of returning to state cricket next summer. Harwood, 35, needs a shoulder reconstruction, which means his 2009-10 season is over and it will be an uphill battle to regain his place in the Victoria team.It was only seven months ago that Harwood became Australia’s third oldest ODI debutant of all time when he collected 2 for 57 against South Africa in Port Elizabeth. He has always been a late starter, having made his first-class debut at 28, and he hopes his age won’t be held against him in Victoria’s future plans.However, the Bushrangers have significant depth in their fast-bowling stocks with younger men such as Clint McKay, Peter Siddle, John Hastings, Steve Gilmour and Darren Pattinson likely to lead the attack in the future. Even the other veterans Damien Wright and Dirk Nannes are younger than Harwood.”I’m still a bit optimistic I’ll get back, to be honest,” Harwood told the . “The thing that I’m positive about is I’m still bowling in the 140s. I still think that’s achievable.”I know a lot of people will put my age factor next to the reconstruction and have doubts. But if I can have a fair crack – I’ve got to do rehab until the end of the season anyway – I suppose we’ll assess it at the end of that.”Harwood has had the injury for years, but due to his age and the prospect of losing his place in a strong side, he has until now opted not to have a reconstruction. The decision has now been taken out of his hands after he aggravated the problem in a one-dayer against Tasmania earlier this month.”I had a clean-out before I went to the Champions League and battled through that while I was away,” he said. “Then the last game I felt a bit of a pain go down my back when I attempted a yorker. Then I tried a slower ball and it hurt more. I finished my spell, but the next day I felt horrible. I knew I was in trouble.”I damaged my shoulder about four years ago and I probably should have had a reconstruction then, but sort of subject to age and only having one-year contracts I avoided it. I didn’t want to take that risk. If I was 26 I would have just gone and got it fixed like Sids [Peter Siddle] and Macca [Andrew McDonald] and these guys have. So I’ve hung with it.”Harwood will face a six- to 12-month rehabilitation and he will be 36 by the time he is ready to play again. He has played 44 first-class games and has always been injury prone, which will only add to the hard decisions that he and Victoria will need to make over the next year.