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Phil Parkinson has confirmed Sunderland forward Benjamin Kimpioka is expected to miss four months through a hamstring injury with surgery planned for next week, per the Sunderland Echo.

The 20-year-old has started the season in sublime fashion with six goals for the Black Cats’ Under 23s, leading to his nomination for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month Award for October.

Kimpioka’s brace helped secure Sunderland their first U23s league win of the season in a 4-0 triumph over rivals Newcastle United, before another double in a 5-3 win over Fulham.

Sunderland’s U23s lead coach Elliott Dickman failed to see Kimpioka turn the ball home against Aston Villa, though the talented youngster provided an assist in the 2-0 victory before needing replacing through injury.

Initial assessments suggested the blow would deny Kimpioka any further involvement before the New Year, but further tests have revealed the need for surgery, ruling the academy product out deeper into 2021.

“Benji is going to have an operation on his hamstring next week,” Parkinson said. “Unfortunately, the specialist feels that it needs surgery.

“It’s a real shame for him because he had been playing well and had got goals in the U23s. As you can imagine, he’s pretty down about it, but we’ve just got to make sure he gets the best possible treatment so that he can come back ready to go again in three to four months.”

The blow will deny Kimpioka the chance of featuring in Tuesday night’s Papa John’s Trophy clash with Fleetwood Town, having been in line for his 15th first-team appearance and first of the current campaign.

“He would certainly have figured,” Parkinson added. “That was in our mind, to give him an opportunity. He’s done really well in the U23s, I watched the game against Aston Villa last week and he showed a good understanding of his role.”

Kimpioka’s form came after the talented Sweden U21 international penned a new one-year deal at the Stadium of Light, with an option of a further 12-months, after his previous terms expired in the summer.

Parkinson had hoped to see the 20-year-old kick on with the transfer sage now in the past, having urged the Black Cats product to put his undivided attention into his football.

“He’s got to start showing that he can be a player,” said Parkinson, via quotes by The Northern Echo. “Maybe the people advising him haven’t quite been giving him the right advice, but he’s a decent lad so let’s see if he can start running about and putting the ball in the back of the net.

“I said to him yesterday, there’s been a lot of talk about him – too much, in my view. I want Benji to let his football do the talking now. If he can push his way into the first-team picture, then great. If not, we’ll look to loan him out and do what we did with Jack Diamond last year, where he got that first-team exposure elsewhere.”

Kimpioka had certainly done enough to earn a look into the first-team, but that chance has now faded away through an injury he and Parkinson will hope does not put a dent in his development.

The major blow will come as a marginal bit of relief for veteran forwards Will Grigg and Danny Graham, though, knowing they have less competition for places after slack starts to the season.

AND in other news, Sunderland botched the chase of an “aggressive” £1.5m gem now winning nine duels a game.

Southampton have been willing to allow either Angus Gunn or Fraser Forster to leave the club before the end of the transfer window, but the pair’s wages have been a stumbling block.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has been keen to allow one of his back up goalkeeping options to leave the club, with Alex McCarthy firmly established as the club’s first-choice between the sticks. However, it could be that it will be fourth choice stopper Harry Lewis who is allowed to leave on loan, as per the Daily Mail.

Hasenhuttl facing choice over Saints number two

The Saints have been in talks over the prospect of allowing either of one of their main back up keepers to leave the club before the window shuts, as per the Daily Mail. Forster spent last season out on loan at Celtic helping them pick up their ninth successive league title. Gunn, meanwhile, has seen himself drop down the pecking order despite starting last term as number one.

Southampton were considering making a swoop for Stoke City’s Jack Butland in a move which could have seen Gunn head in the other direction. It now seems unlikely that deal will go ahead with time running out before the window slams shut, as per the Daily Mail.

Although, Gunn could still potentially move to the Potters if Butland’s move to Crystal Palace goes through, as per The Athletic reporter Dan Sheldon.

Forster still has two-years remaining on his £70,000-a-week deal, per Spotrac, and he has been the Saints’ number two behind McCarthy so far this term. Gunn, meanwhile, still has three years left to run on his deal worth around £40,000-a-week, per Spotrac. Those wages have put off some potential suitors.

Gunn and Forster too good to be sitting on the side-lines

Gunn was once called up by England ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while Forster has been capped six times by the Three Lions. That type of pedigree suggests both are too good to be stuck as third or second choices behind McCarthy.

For Gunn in particular after being labelled as a player with a ‘big future’ by Hasenhuttl to be now third choice is a major blow. However, he did concede 2.5 goals per game in the Premier League last term (via Sofascore). The 24-year-old would potentially benefit from a move to Stoke if it can go through before the deadline.

Saints fans, who should be the backup behind McCarthy? Let us know your thoughts below!

Everton made easy work of coming away with victory against Fleetwood Town last night in the Carabao Cup.

The Toffees emerged with a 5-2 win thanks to goals from Richarlison, Alex Iwobi, Bernard and Moise Kean. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have now won all four of their matches so far this season and will be hoping to continue this fine form in their upcoming game against Crystal Palace.

However, not all of Everton’s players involved in the Fleetwood fixture have received praise. Defender Jonjoe Kenny has come under fire from many supporters on Twitter after his performance last night. Despite putting five past the League One side, the Blues conceded two goals and Kenny in particular has been blamed for some defensive errors.

According to Sofascore, the 23-year-old right-back lost possession of the ball a worrying 15 times and was unsuccessful in any of his attempted dribbles or crosses.

Some Evertionians have slammed Kenny for his seemingly weak performance in the defence. One fan in particular has taken aim at the defender, claiming he is ‘woeful’ and ‘nowhere near good enough’.

Read more replies from the Twitter selection here:

Do you think Jonjoe Kenny has a future with Everton? Have your say in the comments below…

The chatter over Kai Havertz potentially joining Chelsea this season still has many fans and professionals glued to the story. 

The move looks set to be announced any day now as a recent Sky Sports report claimed that the German wants to joins the Blues as soon as possible.

Havertz recently agreed terms with Marina Granovskaia, which will see him earn £7.3m per year – a weekly wage of £140,000. Only the final details remain to be confirmed as Chelsea look set to splash a further £90m on a new recruit in this window.

German football expert Raphael Honigstein has given his thoughts on Havertz as a player and what could be waiting in his future once he joins Chelsea.

“He’s in a position where he could dominate the German national team over the next decade, depending on his position,” he said on the Transfer Talk podcast (via Sky Sports). “Will he play in the No. 10 role and become the new Mesut Ozil or will he settle a bit deeper and become the new Toni Kroos? He’s got the ability to play almost anywhere in front of the defence.”

Indeed, Havertz boasts an exceptional goalscoring return so far in his career. The 21-year-old tallied 12 league goals and six assists last term, taking his total so far up to 36 goals and 25 assists in 118 Bundesliga appearances (via Transfermarkt).

Should he be announced over the next few days, he will become Lampard’s sixth senior signing of the summer and join fellow German and new addition Timo Werner in hoping to help the Blues challenge for silverware this season. They will undoubtedly want to build on their fourth-placed Premier League finish and push for the title instead – a goal which could seem more attainable if Havertz arrives at Stamford Bridge and fufils Honigstein’s prophecy.

Do you think Kai Havertz will be a game-changer for Chelsea? Have your say in the comments below!

With Arsenal struggling to pull the finances together to fund a deal for Thomas Partey, they are looking elsewhere and they now know the price they will have to pay if they want to acquire Danilo Pereira from FC Porto.

According to O Jogo (via Daily Mail), the Gunners will have to pay around £27m if they want to buy the 28-year-old. However, this valuation has not gone down well with the north London side, who only want to pay a maximum of £18m for the Portugal international.

Pereira featured 37 times in all competitions last season including in the Champions League and seems to be a solid defensive midfielder as he has managed 1.1 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

Pereira has experience of major competitions at both club and international level – indeed, he was a Euro 2016 winner with Portugal and has two league titles with Porto – which suggests that Arsenal would  get a very strong calibre of player if they were to sign him.

It is understandable, however, with the current financial struggles at the club that Mikel Arteta does not want to spend nearly £30m on Pereira; and despite his quality and experience, the Gunners might have to look for a cheaper alternative so that they have funds to spend on multiple players this transfer window.

They cannot afford to just splash the cash on one player despite winning the FA Cup, as they finished eighth in the Premier League this year and therefore require greater squad depth and quality if they are to push for a return to the Champions League.

Gunners fans, is Porto’s asking price for Pereira excessive or should Arsenal roll the dice and pay it? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has revealed the club already have a couple of deals in the works.

What did he say?

The Magpies of course are still awaiting confirmation of whether their proposed takeover has gone through or not, with the Premier League yet to ratify the Saudi consortium’s bid.

Despite that, Bruce has claimed that the Tyneside club are already working on transfers ahead of the start of the new season in September. He said (as quoted by The Chronicle): “As soon as the window opens, we’ll go to work. Things are not on hold. We need that (takeover) decision to be made, but the only thing I can do, along with Lee (Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director), is to keep planning as best we can, and that obviously includes the transfer market.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…

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“I think, even without the takeover, a lot of clubs will be taking stock of the situation. When I say business as usual, we’ve got one or two irons in the fire right now – let’s hope we can pull them off. We’ve got competition, but I think that’ll be the case right through the summer.”

Good news

Whilst the takeover eventually going through will surely be worth the wait, the fact of the matter is, that Newcastle simply cannot afford to stand still and be passive this summer.

The quick turnaround from the end of this season on Sunday afternoon, and then the restart in early September, means the Magpies will have to be working flat out over these coming weeks to ensure their transfer targets are secured nice and early.

Waiting around for the Premier League to give the green light to the takeover would just waste unnecessary time, and even leave them in limbo. It’s exactly why Bruce’s claim that they have “one or two irons in the fire right now” should make for welcome reading.

This season, the world of football is quite different than we’re used to. Of course, this is all due to circumstances we have absolutely no, or at the very best very little, control of. However, there is good news – football has already returned, with most domestic leagues already done and dusted, and the Champions League will do the same this week.

First, we’ll get the Europa League clashes on Wednesday night, 5 August, with Manchester United taking the centre stage against LASK once again. Of course, it would take a heroic effort from the visitors to overturn Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men’s 5-0 thrashing from the first meeting. But even more importantly, and after almost five months of hiatus, the Champions League will return this Friday, 7 August.

Manchester City will welcome Real Madrid at the Etihad stadium, having previously won their clash at the Santiago Bernabeu with a 2-1 scoreline. Pep Guardiola’s team is primed to take this one and go all the way to the final.

The day after, on Saturday, Chelsea will visit Bayern Munich as Frank Lampard’s troops hope for a miraculous comeback since the first game ended in a 3-0 stomp for the Bavarians.

What are the new rules for the return of the Champions League?

UEFA have indeed introduced a couple of new rules for the Champions League’s grand return this week. First of all, all quarter-finals and semi-finals will now take place as single-leg ties, as opposed to the usual format where teams would have the chance to compete both home and away.

Additionally, seeing how this will be a one-off affair between the clubs, UEFA have decided that all games will take place across two stadiums in Portugal: Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Estadio Jose Alvalade. Of course, the unplayed round of 16 second legs will be held at the club’s home grounds as they normally would, providing the health measures are met.

Teams will also have the possibility of five substitutes, as was the case throughout the domestic leagues after the break, but will also only be allowed to make these changes at three specific points in the game.

Finally, teams will be allowed to bring 23 players for all the games instead of 18, something that is usually exclusively permitted only for the final.

Tottenham are eager to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer, according to Foot Mercato as per @TalkingTHFC.

It is no secret Jose Mourinho wants to sign a new striker, as Harry Kane has only recently recovered from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of a large chunk of the season.

Football journalist Santi Aouna reports Mourinho is “dreaming” of signing Milinkovic Savic in the summer.

The Serbian has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest talents after establishing himself at Lazio, and a move would surely benefit Spurs in the long run.

Milinkovic-Savic is arguably one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world.

The Serb dominates the midfield with his imposing frame, as he stands at 191cm (6’2 feet) tall, and his physicality sets him apart from some of his more notable contemporaries.

After arriving at the Stadio Olimpico from Genk for £16.2m, the 25-year-old has played 27 games in Serie A this season, scoring 5 goals, creating 4 assists, taking 2 shots per game, averaging 1.2 key passes, and completing 1.2 dribbles.

Meanwhile, Tanguy Ndombele has made the headlines for all of the wrong reasons.

The club’s record signing has been embroiled in an ongoing dispute with Mourinho which has shown no signs of stopping anytime soon.

At the moment, all the evidence points towards Ndombele leaving the club in the near future. Barcelona are keeping a close eye on the situation, while Mourinho has never been one to back down from confrontation.

Indeed, the Portuguese famously banished Bastian Schweinsteiger during his time in charge of Manchester United, as the German midfielder caused disruption by leaving the country for surgery multiple times.

If Ndombele ends up leaving, Milinkovic-Savic would surely be the perfect replacement. In fact, the Serbia international has earned a higher WhoScored rating than his French counterpart for his performances this season.

The Biancocelesti are willing to let him leave, but only if the price is right, and he is currently valued at £57.6m via Transfermarkt.

Whether or not Daniel Levy will splash the cash is another matter entirely.

Tottenham fans, should the board sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic before the start of next season? Join the discussion in the comments section…

A recent update into Newcastle United’s prospective takeover has angered many supporters at St James’ Park this week.

The Independent’s chief football writer, Miguel Delaney, wrote an article claiming that a decision could be made in “mid-June” and that the entire process continues to “unsettle many” involved.

And this hasn’t gone down well with sections of the Magpies faithful with some opting to slam the reliable reporter on social media, calling him a “rat” as well as suggesting that he knows very little himself.

Many believe that Delaney has some sort of agenda against the club after he voiced his concerns over Saudi Arabia’s influence.

Other fans were quick to aim their frustrations more generally, rather than at Delaney, as the length of time this has already taken is clearly starting to grate on some.

It’s been over two months since reports first emerged linking Mike Ashley with the sale of the northeast outfit to a Saudi-backed consortium, and since then, there has been a wrath of claims putting doubt on the situation.

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The most recent of which came from the Guardian, who revealed a report from the World Trade Organisation into pirate TV service beoutQ. They claim that the Saudi state is behind the illegal streaming of sports events, including the Premier League, but the public investment fund, who is behind the Magpies’ takeover bid is a different entity to the government.

It’s all a bit complicated, which is why supporters have simply had enough.

In addition to their annoyance has been anxiety and worry. This latest piece from Delaney hasn’t helped matters at all with a couple of fans believing that the deal could be rejected.

If his claims are accurate though, the United fanbase will soon learn their fate.

AND in other news, Newcastle fans react to neutral venues claim…

According to Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold, Tottenham would consider selling Erik Lamela this summer if a “decent bid” came in for him.

What did he say?

The Argentine has struggled with injuries during his time in north London, whilst he has found himself in and out of the starting line-up in the past few games of the Premier League season – since the end of December, Lamela has completed the full 90 minutes just once in the top-flight.

Now, Gold has claimed that with Spurs well-stocked in the attacking positions, there could be a chance a player could be moved on to help raise finances to spend elsewhere. And the journalist has revealed Lamela could be the man on the chopping block.

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He said: “The prime candidate for such a departure would appear to be Erik Lamela. The Argentine has always served Tottenham well when he’s been fit and has impressed Mourinho this season.

“However, getting him out on the pitch regularly has always been the biggest issue and despite Lamela’s love for Spurs, if Tottenham received a decent bid – with Serie A sides always looking at bringing him back to Italy – then Levy would no doubt consider it for the 28-year-old.”

Priorities

The attacking midfield positions just behind the lone striker is an area in which Spurs have plenty of options to choose from, Lamela included.

But with other areas of concern for Jose Mourinho, namely the likes of a centre-forward, full-back and even in goal if Hugo Lloris leaves, Spurs could do with better refining their squad.

Cashing in on Lamela to help fund a move for a proven back-up to Harry Kane would be the kind of astute business that Daniel Levy must pursue in the summer.

Lamela – valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt – may be one of the more high-profile casualties of the upcoming transfer window as Mourinho looks to rebuild and reshape the Spurs squad in his own image.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans reminisce about this former star’s time in north London.