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David Weir, Brighton’s pathway development manager, feels that Albion youngster Max Sanders will have benefitted greatly from his loan spell at AFC Wimbledon last season.

The ex-Rangers and Scotland defender was reflecting on the respective loan spells of those players who had time away from the club in 2019/20 and, speaking to the Seagulls’ official website, he had a clear message for the 21-year-old midfielder.

When talking about Sanders, Weir said: “It was his first loan and he went to a team that were in a bit of a relegation fight, so there is a lot of emphasis on getting points from each game which took Max a little while to adapt to. But after that period of adaptation, he got himself into the team and finished the season really strongly.

“It was a really beneficial loan for him and I think he will have learned lots of lessons and will have definitely improved from that experience. What happens next is up to him.”

Sanders played 22 times during his loan spell at the League One outfit, scoring once and providing two assists. He enjoyed regular game-time with the Londoners, making 18 league starts for Glyn Hodges’ side.

The 21-year-old has accrued plenty of experience at youth and reserve level for Brighton, with six goals and six assists in 48 matches for the under-23s. He has been on the bench for three first team fixtures but is still awaiting a senior debut for the Seagulls (as per TransferMarkt).

During his time with AFC Wimbledon, the midfielder proved to be a steely presence, winning 1.9 tackles per game, while a match average of 1.1 key passes indicated that he can make effective use of the ball when in possession.

In 2019/20, only four players at Brighton had a better tackles per game ratio (2.2 was the joint-highest figure), while just three players surpassed Sanders’ match average for key passes, as per WhoScored. Therefore, the youngster may feel that he could hold his own in Premier League company.

Weir’s assessment of Sanders seems a fair one – the midfielder’s spell at AFC Wimbledon offered him his first taste of senior football and he appears to have acquitted himself well, albeit in the third tier.

The Brighton pathway development manager’s comment that the 21-year-old’s future is in his own hands was also striking – having seen the likes of Tariq Lamptey and Alexis Mac Allister break into the first team at the Amex Stadium, Sanders will realise that there are opportunities for youngsters to get their chance under Graham Potter, if they can earn the manager’s trust.

That should offer him a massive incentive to prove to his boss next season that he can be a worthy addition to the Seagulls’ first team.

Brighton fans, are you hopeful that Sanders will break into the first team over the next few months? Comment below with your views!

With Harry Kane still Tottenham’s sole out-and-out striker, it’s been no surprise to see a whole host of centre-forwards being linked with a move to the north London side in this summer transfer window.

Jose Mourinho’s team suffered without their talisman during the course of last season when he picked up an injury, picking up just three Premier League wins in eight games.

Now, Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio has claimed that Spurs have made an approach to sign Torino marksman Andrea Belotti.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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It’s claimed that the Lilywhites proposed a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of it for the £31.5m-rated star; an offer that was refused by the Serie A outfit.

It’s further added that Torino have made it clear that they will now only sell their main man in cash-only deals.

With 22 goals in 44 games across all competitions, Belotti enjoyed yet another fine campaign in Italian football, and is actually someone who Spurs’ new signing, Joe Hart, is all too familiar with.

The goalkeeper spent some time with Torino a few years ago, and had this to say about the Italy international in 2017: “Andrea is similar to all the great strikers, English and not. It’s hard to compare him to someone else because he’s special. He’s Belotti and that’s it. He has instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player: he’s always focused on his team and plays hard to help it.”

That leadership quality was echoed by Torino’s president, who hailed Belotti as a “real captain” for dragging his side through games.

If Mourinho is looking for someone to add yet more experience, grit and determination, then belotti is undoubtedly the man.

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has revealed that he is having to hold back Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo during pre-season.

The Gers have been impressive so far during their warm-up preparations for the new campaign – they first beat Hamilton 2-1, before travelling to France to beat Lyon and Nice 2-0. Then, after returning home, they defeated Motherwell 4-0 at Ibrox.

Following that latest clash, Gerrard has been talking about how he has needed to manage Aribo and Kamara. He told the Gers’ official website:

“I think people are at different stages, and there are a few individuals within it who certainly look ready to go now.

“Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara were outstanding first-half, and I’ve almost got to pull them back.”

It certainly has been a good pre-season for certain players – Aribo in particular. He has been praised by fans, and his goal against Motherwell, where he displayed his fantastic close control in the box, showed just how good he can be at his best.

As the Gers go in search of a first major trophy since 2011, £900k-valued Aribo and £1.08m-valued Kamara – as per Transfermarkt – will likely play huge roles in their chances of success. Therefore, this should be fantastic news for the supporters as they await the first competitive match of the season against Aberdeen on August 1st.

Let us know what you think below!

Greg Docherty is reportedly on the verge of joining Hull City from Glasgow Rangers.

Steven Gerrard has already confirmed that the player is in talks with the Tigers and it is now up to the 23-year-old himself to decide whether he wants to make the move to the English League One outfit. Signed from Hamilton in 2018 for the fee of £671,000, he managed just 19 appearances at Ibrox, with him now set to be sold for just £400,000.

Docherty managed six assists during his 19 games for the 54-time Scottish champions – far from a poor return – and he did well with both Shrewsbury and Hibernian on loan, managing 13 strikes and 16 assists in 58 matches during those two spells. Therefore, the apparent £400,000 fee seems quite low.

Many ‘Gers supporters are far from happy with the reported fee – one even called it “ridiculously bad” – and they have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below:

‘Gers fans, are you annoyed by the transfer fee for Docherty? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Sergio Aguero has been an incredible servant to the Manchester City badge.

The Argentine forward has already played a total of 354 games for the Citizens and has managed to tally an incredible 244 goals and 71 assists in the process as well.

Needless to say, he has been a huge part of Pep Guardiola’s recent success in Manchester and is still continuing to be a key piece of his extraordinary jigsaw.

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But, unfortunately, he is 31 years old already and not getting any younger. And not to mention that injuries are bound to come more often now that he’s on the wrong side of his 30s. Last season, he suffered two, missing out on eight games in total and he’s currently sidelined by a muscle issue.

Sooner rather than later, Manchester City will have to think about potential heirs to his throne, and yes, they do have Gabriel Jesus, who’s young and talented, but will he be enough to fill the void of such an important player?

Who the heck is that?! Can you name all 25 of these obscure Man City signings…

Luckily for them, it seems that they have now joined the race to sign Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, as per new reports coming from Sky Sports (via Marca) which state it was Guardiola himself who urged them to do so.

The now 22-year-old forward is one of the hottest prospects out in the market, banging in goals for fun in the 2019/20 season.

So far, he has scored 13 goals and assisted three more across all competitions for Inter Milan – including five goals in six Champions League clashes.

But equally impressive as his goals is his link-up play and capacity to bring others into the game. This was evident in the Champions League last week, when he held up the ball just long enough for Romelu Lukaku to squeeze a shot through a crowd of players and level against Barcelona.

Having also averaged 1.2 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game in the Champions League, it’s clear the youngster isn’t just a goalscorer – he’s someone who can create time, space and opportunities when in possession.

That rounded skill set is reminiscent of Aguero’s – in fact, Adriano Seu of Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Semprienter) drew comparisons between Martinez and the Atletico incarnation of Aguero last year – but it’s also vital for City’s system of play which sees the wide players, chiefly Raheem Sterling, contribute a consistent supply of goals.

“For his style of play Lautaro reminds you of Sergio Aguero during his Atletico Madrid days, despite the fact that his greatest idols are Luis Suarez and Radamel Falcao.”

The Nerazzurri’s reported evaluation of around (€111m) £93.8m doesn’t really come as a surprise and Manchester City will definitely have to fork out large sums of money if they want to land his signature.

But it would be worth it as Martinez offers a glimpse future, and who better to develop young, high-potential players than Guardiola himself?

Sounds like a match made in heaven.

In other news, many Spurs fans were discussing their possible encounter with one of their Cup heroes…

Glasgow Rangers have already been busy following the end of the Scottish Premiership season.

The main bit of business is that Ianis Hagi has been signed permanently from Genk. The Romania international joined on loan in January and scored three times in 12 games, which convinced Steven Gerrard and co to part with £3m to take him to Ibrox.

Not only that, six players have also already been released. Wes Foderingham, Jordan Rossiter, Jason Holt, Jon Flanagan, Andy Halliday and Jak Alnwick are those who will soon become free agents.

Now, the 54-time Scottish champions have confirmed that four youngsters have signed new contracts to extend their respective stays at the club. The quartet is made up of Jack Thomson, Brian Kinnear, Robbie Fraser and Alex Lowry.

This news has caught the eyes of the Gers supporters, and it is fair to say that they are delighted with the development, probably because it means that several exciting youngsters are committing their futures to the club. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

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…

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has been quick to have his say on managerial speculation linking him with a move to Everton and West Ham this week.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Cherries’ game with Spurs, he claimed he was flattered to be linked with elsewhere.

What’s he said?

The pressure is firmly on Marco Silva at the moment after the Toffees’ 2-0 defeat against Norwich last time out.

This week has seen a hotbed of rumours encase Everton with people like Mikel Arteta being lined up.

Also in the frame is David Moyes but Howe is another to have tickled Everton’s fancy if you believe reports.

Speaking to the press this week, he said:

“I would say it [managerial speculation] is definitely not distracting for me. I would always shelter myself from any news that isn’t about the team I am preparing to play.

“I always say if I am linked with other clubs and my players are too, then that has to be flattering. I have been spending no time on those things and all week it has been about preparing for Tottenham.”

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Not ruling things out

Howe’s comments are typical of someone who has their mind focused on their own team and it’s completely understandable that he hasn’t completely passed judgement on the entire situation.

However, would he actually be a good appointment for the Toffees if there was an approach and it materialised? It’s hard to tell but history dictates he may not be able to.

Although Howe is still only 42, the only time he’s been away from Bournemouth he’s failed. The job he’s done on the south coast has been nothing short of sensational, guiding them from League One to the Premier League.

Yet, if we focus on his time at Burnley, it wasn’t too impressive. He took charge of 87 games from January 2011 to October 2012 but won the same number of games as he lost, 34. That registers at a win percentage of just 39.08%.

In comparison, he’s got a win rate of 46% at Bournemouth, proving victorious in 137 of the 329 games he’s taken charge of.

It feels like it would be a gamble to bring him in but only time will tell whether he could achieve something away from his current club at the second time of asking.

Meanwhile, check out why one potential new signing would be bad news for Moise Kean…

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…

Paul Robinson has been full of praise for Aston Villa right-back Ahmed Elmohamady, as reported by Football Insider.

What did he say?

The Egypt international has been far from an ever-present in the Villa side, making eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season.

However, he has featured in the last two games, against Chelsea and Leicester City, with the first of those appearances coming due to Frederic Guilbert’s suspension.

This has seen the 32-year-old catch the eye of Paul Robinson, as he explained to Football Insider:

“I mean he is very experienced. He is 32 now and he has played in England for a long time now, he spent a long time at Hull City after a spell Sunderland.

“And he knows English football and with the experience he has you can rely on him.

“Also at the age of 32, he is still a very fit player with good defensive qualities who can get up and down the right-hand side.”

Hard to argue

The Chelsea game, in particular, highlighted how useful an option Elmohamady can be, especially when Guilbert is unavailable.

He provided the assist for Trezeguet’s goal with a pinpoint cross and also executed one block, one interception, one clearance and two tackles.

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

That he was able to produce a performance like this having not started any of the last 12 league matches is a testament to not just his ability, but also his professionalism and character.

This may not be enough to usurp Guilbert to become the club’s main right-back on a permanent basis, but it does display how useful an option the veteran can be.

In other news, Aston Villa fans have discussed Wesley’s performance against Leicester.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Sheffield Wednesday have now played ten matches under the stewardship of Garry Monk as he has them sitting just one point outside of a playoff position in what has been a fiercely competitive Championship season.

The Owls’ defeat at Blackburn Rovers last weekend was just their second league loss with the 40-year-old in charge, and with them facing Swansea City on Saturday, who are four points ahead of them in the table, it will provide a helpful barometer on their promotion hopes.

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Monk has done all of this with a squad that was built by ex-boss Steve Bruce and then caretaker Lee Bullen, so he will only be able to fully implement his ideas after the January transfer window.

And that appears to be the case with Wednesday being linked to Crawley Town striker Bez Lubala this week.

The 21-year-old has netted eight goals in 20 appearances for the League Two club this campaign having made the switch from Championship rivals Birmingham City in the summer, where Monk actually handed him his professional debut in April 2018.

As per this article from Football FanCast, Lubala has been described as having an ability to inject pace and energy into a game, which is something the Owls currently lack in the striking department.

His potential signing could spell the end for Sam Winnall, who has failed to take the chances granted to him since Monk’s arrival – scoring just one goal in four appearances.

The likes of Atdhe Nuhiu, with his colossal height, and Fernando Forestieri, with his ability to play the number ten role, means the 28-year-old is the most likely victim to make way for any additions in the attack.

Former manager Carlos Carvalhal signed Winnall in January 2017, but it just hasn’t worked out for him in south Yorkshire.

He has bagged five goals in 33 appearances and was faced with a loan spell at Derby County less than six months after his arrival.

Time is surely running out for the 5 foot 9 forward as January rapidly approaches.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Manchester United are showing an interest in signing attacking midfielder Matheus Pereira, who has impressed on loan at West Bromwich Albion from Sporting Lisbon this season, as reported by The Mirror.

What’s the story?

Pereira has caught the eye of various Premier League clubs this campaign, having impressed for Slaven Bilic’s Championship table-toppers West Brom.

So far, the 23-year-old has started 11 league games, coming on as a substitute three times, scoring 3 goals and assisting a further 6.

In addition to these telling contributions, the Brazilian midfielder has averaged 1.4 tackles, 2.2 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game.

West Brom have an option to sign Pereira permanently for £8.25m, but that is not said to have put United off moving for him.

Replicating past success

This strategy of looking to recruit a player who has been excelling in the Championship is reminiscent of United’s summer move for Daniel James.

They signed the 22-year-old from Swansea City, following a season in which he scored 4 goals and assisted 7 more in 28 league starts and 5 substitute appearances.

He has been a bit of a revelation since heading to Old Trafford, scoring 3 goals and assisting twice in 11 league starts and 1 appearance off the bench.

The winger has impressed Phil Thompson, who was quoted on Soccer Saturday (via The Express) as saying: “He looks comfortable in the surroundings, normally when you get a young kid going to a big club like Manchester United you’re having a look round the stadium.

“But even when he first comes on as a sub, the first game against Chelsea, it was ‘give me the ball’ and he was racing forward and he seemed to be enjoying it. I just think fair play to the boy, he’s made a big, big statement.”

This can be seen as an early sign of success, considering the £15m price tag that was attached to the Wales international upon his arrival.

If United do eventually sign Pereira, they will be hoping the Brazilian can make as seamless a transition into their team as James has done.