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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Troy Parrott could be a part of his first-team squad next season, per the London Evening Standard.

What’s he said?

Parrott made his debut for the club in the pre-season friendly against Juventus on Sunday, playing 45 minutes in a game that Spurs won 3-2.

A 17-year-old striker, he has been prolific for the club’s Under-18 team, scoring 15 goals in 13 games.

Parrott has also won caps for the Republic of Ireland at youth level and Pochettino says that he could be utilised as back-up to Harry Kane in the 2019/20 campaign after both Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen left the club.

He said: “Today, yes [he could be included in the squad], tomorrow, I don’t know.

“He’s still so young but we’ll see what happens at the end of the transfer window. If we have the squad that we have today, of course he’s going to have the possibility to be with the first team.”

Kane all over again?

We’ve seen this before.

It seems too early to make any predictions about the Irishman but fans will surely cast their minds back to the debut of Harry Kane.

He came into the team at a time when Roberto Soldado was struggling and Emmanuel Adebayor was sulking and became an instant hit.

He has become a genuinely prolific forward during his time in north London and is perhaps one of the best in the world – he has scored 164 goals for the club.

Parrott now finds himself in a similar situation following the departures of Llorente and Janssen. Yes, Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura can operate as central strikers if necessary, but the youngster is now technically Spurs’ second-best centre-forward specialist.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Parrott has huge boots to fill if he fancies following in the England captain’s footsteps, but Pochettino’s faith in youth will be exciting for supporters.

It was not the Argentine who handed Kane his debut but he has seen the likes of Dele Alli, Harry Winks and Juan Foyth thrive under his management.

Kane walked through the open door and made the striker position his own and the circumstances are now there for Parrott to do the same.

With both Janssen and Llorente gone, the club have just one senior striker; Parrott could become the deputy the squad so desperately needs.

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Having joined the club from Nice in 2014, David Ospina’s career at Arsenal has been wildly inconsistent. 70 appearances, the man in between the sticks for the 2017 FA Cup final win, but never really the side’s number one.

The Colombian shot-stopper spent his last couple of seasons at the Emirates behind Petr Cech in the pecking order, and following the arrival of Bernd Leno last summer, found himself out on loan at Napoli.

Now, the Gunners have confirmed that Ospina has completed a permanent move to the Serie A giants. After hearing the news, fans of the north London side took to Twitter and many were left frustrated at the amount of money they would be receiving for the 30-year-old.

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Reports had suggested Unai Emery’s side would be receiving just £3.6m for the Colombian and many supporters questioned how it was possible that an international goalkeeper could command such a small fee.

Indeed, a few fans expressed their anger at how Ospina’s sale would have a limited effect on the club’s overall transfer budget and wondered how it would help with their pursuits of targets like Wilfried Zaha and Kieran Tierney.

Check out some of the disappointed reaction of Arsenal fans below:

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According to the Liverpool Echo, Huddersfield Town are looking to sign Kieran Dowell as they prepare to return to the Championship.

The midfielder has been gaining a lot of experience in the second division over the past couple of years as he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United.

Championship star

When he is at his best, the attacking midfielder is almost unplayable in this division.

His first few months on loan at Nottingham Forest were electric, but since then he hasn’t been able to recapture that type of form.

Dowell has the potential to be one of the Championship’s best players, but he needs to get back to the level he showed in late 2017.

He hasn’t been bad by any means since that point, though. His loan spell at Sheffield United ended in the Blades being promoted, and they want to re-sign him for their upcoming campaign.

Adjusted policy

Huddersfield were promoted in 2017 with a core of young players loaned in from Premier League clubs.

Aaron Mooy, Izzy Brown, Kasey Palmer and Danny Ward were all vital in the Terriers’ promotion campaign, and it seems that the Yorkshire outfit want to follow the same model but adjust it slightly.

Due to their two years in the top flight and the parachute payments they will be receiving for the next few years, Huddersfield are in a much better position financially than they were a few years ago.

This means that rather than loaning these men, they can get them on permanent deals and develop them to play in a way that suits the team.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he often received racist abuse after North London Derbies – Check out the video below…

Using this slightly adjusted policy of signing young Premier League players rather than loaning them will benefit the club massively as they will be able to keep their most important players if they are promoted to the Premier League again.

It is no secret that West Ham United need an out-and-out goalscorer to spearhead their attack.

David Gold and David Sullivan, for as much as they have tried to do so, have failed so far to find an individual that is capable of being able to find the back of the net on a regular basis. Trust us, they have had 45 different men come to the club to try and do it and no-one has really been able to be as successful as intended.

However, another summer transfer window is upon us and with Manuel Pellegrini at the helm of the club for another season and Mario Husillos leading the recruitment drive, just maybe the co-owners will be able to get it right this time around.

And, if rumoured reports are to be taken with some belief, then they have identified one attacker who could be perfect for the Hammers moving forward.

The Newcastle Chronicle are claiming West Ham are interested in securing the services of Wesley Moraes this summer; as are Newcastle United (although you probably would have guessed that because of the source) and SS Lazio.

The Brazilian forward has been impressive with Belgian outfit Club Brugge for the last three years, however, his stock significantly rose in the most recent campaign.

Still only 22-years-old, the attacker has been involved in 27 goals this season for the Jupiler League Pro outfit, scoring 17 and providing 10 assists for his team-mates; although that was not enough to help them win the championship.

Yeah, there are doubts whether the South American can translate that form into the Premier League. That’s a given. However, he does appear to have all the attributes to give one a promising impression.

Standing at 6ft 3in tall and possessing all the physical traits to make himself a nightmare for defenders in the box, Moraes could be an exceptional addition to Pellegrini’s side and one that can thrive in the system that the Chilean likes to deploy at the London Stadium.

The striker has admitted that he will be leaving Club Brugge this summer and would like to give the Premier League a crack (Newcastle Chronicle); West Ham should be the side to give him his opportunity.

West Ham fans, what do you think? Can Moraes finally solve your striking woes? Let us know below!

Celtic fans haven’t seen as much from Tom Rogic as they’d have liked to this season. The 26-year-old has managed just five goals and six assists in his 34 games and with those stats, seeing another #10 linked is no surprise, as Voetbal international have claimed, via Ninety Minutes Online, that the Bhoys want Mark Diemers this summer.

The chances are, you won’t have heard of Mark Diemers, so let us help you fill in the blanks. The Dutch midfielder is currently plying his trade in the Eredivisie with Fortuna Sittard. The midfielder is one year younger than Rogic yet his numbers have been much more impressive. Having started every single game for the Eredivisie club in the domestic league he’s returned seven goals and seven assists.

Those numbers are impressive in themselves, but considering this is the Diemers debut season for Fortuna Sittard having moved to Sittard from De Graafschap last summer it makes his minutes and goal involvement all the more incredible. Just 12 months on from his move to Sittard, though, he could be on the move again, this time potentially swapping The Netherlands for Scotland.

Rogic may have had a tough season as both injuries and spells away with the Australian national team have held him back, but in truth, it looks like his time at the club may be coming to an end soon. Despite contributing 11 goals and assists this season, he just hasn’t looked himself, and if you were to remove his influence on the Bhoys season they would sacrifice just two points and still complete the treble.

With Diemers, it’s been very different. The Dutchman has helped to earn his side a number of valuable points in a season where they narrowly avoided having to partake in a relegation play-off by just one point. It looks like Diemar could be ready to trade relegation scrapping to title-winning, though, and what better place to do it than at Parkhead with the serial winners Celtic?

Do you want to sign Mark Diemers, Celtic fans? Let us know, comment below!

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Speaking to the South London Press, Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Danny Higginbotham has helped highlight the key Lee Bowyer decision that could decide Charlton Athletic’s play-off tie against Doncaster Rovers on Friday night.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Addicks go into the second leg of the semi-final clash at The Valley with a narrow aggregate lead following their 2-1 win in Yorkshire last weekend.

The south London outfit used a system deploying wing-backs to great effect at the Keepmoat Stadium, and it was something that clearly didn’t go unnoticed by Higginbotham.

He told the South London Press: “The wing-backs were excellent.”

Higginbotham is right too as Ben Purrington and Anfernee Dijksteel were both outstanding against Grant McCann’s men.

The fact that the formation worked so well against Rovers may well have provided manager Bowyer with quite the conundrum ahead of the big clash on Friday.

Vital decision

While the wing-back system worked so well against Doncaster on Saturday, Bowyer would have good reason to switch things up for the second leg.

Charlton have enjoyed great success using a 4-4-2 diamond formation on their own patch in League One this term, with it helping them pick up 53 points from a possible 69 available at The Valley.

Bowyer must make up his mind whether to go with the system that served him so well at Doncaster or revert back to his old faithful on Friday.

Lionel Messis have been spotted at The Valley, Boundary Park and even in Wales in the video below…

It is easily a decision that could decide the tie given the game is still firmly on a knife-edge, and the 42-year-old needs to make the correct call.

Given he has already told the players who will be playing on Thursday, the wait is on to see whether he decides to stick or twist when the team is announced at 6:45pm.

كشف علاء وحيد المتحدث الرسمي لنادي الإسماعيلى، حقيقة رحيل مدافع الفريق باهر المحمدي ودخوله في صفقة تبادلية مع أحد أندية الدوري المصري، خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وقال وحيد خلال تصريحات للموقع الرسمي للإسماعيلي: “لا صحة لما تردد حول الدخول فى صفقة تبادلية مع أحد الأندية تشمل انتقال باهر المحمدي مدافع الفريق الدولى للفريق المنافس”.

وأضاف: “مجلس الإدارة برئاسة إبراهيم عثمان لن يستغني عن أعمدته الرئيسية سواء بالبيع أو بصفقات تبادلية لا سيما أن النادي يقوم الآن بإبرام تعاقدات مع لاعبين متميزين مع الحفاظ على قوام الفريق الأساسي، فليس من المعقول أن يتم الاستغناء عن أبرز لاعبيه وهو يدعم الفريق”.

طالع | الإسماعيلي يرد على أنباء التفاوض مع أليو بادجي

وتابع: “لا صحة للأنباء التي ترددت عن تحديد أسماء بعينها سيستغني عنهم الفريق هذا الموسم، وأود أن أطمئن جماهير الدراويش بأن لجنة التعاقدات ومجلس الإدارة يسابقان الزمن لإنهاء تعاقدات متميزة جدا ولم يتبق سوى رتوش بسيطة حتى يتم الإعلان عن صفقات تليق باسم وجماهيرية النادى”.

وأتم: “هدفنا عودة الإسماعيلي لمكانته الطبيعية للمنافسة وحصد الألقاب من خلال التعاقدات المميزة”.

يذكر أن الإسماعيلي، أبرم 3 صفقات جديدة في الفترة الحالية، أحمد مصطفى القادم من جنيت البليجيكي بالإضافة إلى الأنجولي آري بابل، والجزائري رضوان شريفي.

Leeds United have been a level above pretty much everyone in the Championship this season but they’ve failed to secure the right result in key games, which has halted their promotion pursuit. 

The Whites have the perfect opportunity to redeem themselves against Millwall at Elland Road tomorrow, with three points piling the pressure on the likes of Norwich City and Sheffield United who both face tough sides.

Although, with promotion on the line it appears as if Marcelo Bielsa is already eyeing a possible summer transfer window move, as according to Tuttomercatoweb (via HITC), Leeds are interested in Nahitan Nandez.

And, according to a more recent report from Tuttomercatoweb (via HITC), Leeds have received a boost in their pursuit of the midfielder, as his agent has shared that he wants to leave this summer.

However, the one factor that could affect a potential move for the Uruguay international is the hefty price tag that Boca Juniors have slapped on him, which stands at €20 million (£17 million).

Leeds could definitely do with bringing in another central midfielder if they manage to secure promotion to the Premier League as Adam Forshaw doesn’t look good enough to make the step up, while the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Mateusz Klich could attract transfer interest in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, Leeds have been linked with a move for Ander Iturraspe (as per AS, via Sport Witness), but Nandez has more life left in him and all the attacking qualities to cause problems in the Premier League if the Whites were to taste promotion, so Bielsa should forget about the Spaniard.

So, Andrea Radrizzani must pay the hefty price to sign the midfielder as he could turn out to be an Elland Road hero if his performances in recent years are anything to go by. He’s quick on the ball, can create in the final third and he has a knack for finding the back of the net, so he could be a force in attacking areas, as well as in the defensive third.

The Whites would make a huge statement by bringing the midfield star to Elland Road as they would have pipped the likes of Roma, Cagliari and Newcastle to the signing, which would speak volumes as Roma can offer European football and the Magpies are a guaranteed top-flight club. Also, the Leeds owner would highlight the club’s ambition by spending a large fee on the Uruguayan, as you have to pay the price if you want to bring in top players.

Leeds United fans, do you think Radrizzani should splash the cash on Nandez this summer? Join the discussion by commenting down below!

Not everything went according to plan for Manchester United in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game as permanent manager. Yes, while they did scrape through a win, Watford were the much better side for chunks of the match.

The Red Devils were left to be second-best by Javi Gracia’s side. While United eventually won the war, the midfield battle was thoroughly won by the Hornets and that’s certainly a worrying sign. Indeed, despite facing such a stern challenge, Abdoulaye Doucoure led Watford’s midfield amicably and showed fearlessness in midfield.

While he didn’t contribute much on the defensive end, often leaving his side vulnerable to counter-attacks, Doucoure’s work controlling possession and driving his side forward was inspiring, especially on the biggest stage in English football. He was unmoved by the likes of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic ahead of him, often breezing past them and winning the ball off them.

That’s exactly the kind of addition United need to make in their engine room. Someone not afraid to take the game by the scruff of the neck and it’s easy to see why he’s previously been linked with the Red Devils (as per the Daily Mirror in 2018) and why Paul Merson backed him as their ideal signing.

Impressively, he maintained an 87% passing accuracy while providing 2 accurate long balls and a key pass through on goal (stats via Fotmob) as well. He often took swipes at goal, but his crowning moment came late when he danced past the entire United defence to score his fourth of the season.

If that didn’t catch Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s eye, nothing will.

With United surely set for a summer overhaul and Ander Herrera potentially on the way out, Ed Woodward should shell out on Doucoure. He’s quick, assertive, inventive and has the drive the Red Devils lack right now. Furthermore, he can create a unique French connection with fellow countryman Pogba, creating a perfect blend of technique, steel, wit and drive to make United a nightmare to defend against.

United fans, would you like Doucoure’s potential addition in the summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

It was the perfect opportunity for West Ham United to pick up points on the road and, after being in fairly solid form in recent weeks, it should’ve been a rather easy task at hand for Manuel Pellegrini’s men to see off Cardiff City on Saturday.

But, instead, Neil Warnock’s men caused a bit of an upset in the Premier League by beating the Hammers 2-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Despite dominating the possession and passing stats, West Ham failed to create any worthy chances of finding the back of the net, while they also failed to convert the rare the opportunities they did in fact have.

It is not often you witness a team enjoy 71% of the ball but only manage two shots on target, while the opposing team takes a total of 16 shots at goal with seven of them being on target.

The problem, ultimately, came down to the West Ham attackers who failed to really trouble the Cardiff City defence with Javier Hernandez, in particular, finding it tough to get clear cut chances at goal.

In the midfield, Pellegrini’s charges lacked a lot of creativity and never really got the ball in good spaces to feed the likes of Hernandez and Felipe Anderson.

West Ham were far from the composed team they were a week ago when they easily saw off Newcastle United at the London Stadium but the defeat to Cardiff City again emphasised the consistency problem they’ve had the whole season.

Just when it looks as if the club is finally starting to get some momentum going they deliver a disappointing performance like that when they were in a prime position to secure a victory.

The result all but means West Ham won’t finish high enough in the Premier League to play in the Europa League next season and they will now have to challenge Watford for seventh spot. It’s one step forward and two steps back.

West Ham fans, just how frustrated have you been at your club’s lack of consistency this season? Join the discussion by commenting below…