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Scott McTominay has signed a new deal at Manchester United, the club have announced.

The midfielder has extended his contract until 2023, with the option for a further year, after making his breakthrough under Jose Mourinho last season.

McTominay was named Mourinho’s Player of the Season in the 2017/18 campaign despite only making 13 appearances for the club.

He has struggled for starts this season, however, playing 90 minutes on just two occasions in the Premier League – in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham and the 2-2 draw with Southampton.

He has been included in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad just once since his appointment as United caretaker manager, and he played a single minute in the recent 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.

Nevertheless, the academy graduate, who has been at the club since the age of five, has now extended his stay.

Fans, though, are split on the news. Some claim he does not have what it takes to cut it at United, while others believe he deserves a shot in the first-team as he looks to prove himself.

Not everyone was pleased with Mourinho’s sacking. Check out American Soccer Fan’s hilarious take on it in the video below…

Just as the January transfer window was beginning to draw to a predictably flat and uninspiring conclusion, Newcastle United have suddenly sparked into life both on and off the field.Â

The Magpies faithful had to rub their eyes a little and check various news outlets before starting to believe the reports but it appears that their long-standing transfer record will be broken before Thursday’s deadline.

This is not a drill; the BBC and plenty of respectable outlets have claimed that Newcastle have reached an agreement with Atlanta United over a deal worth £20 million for Miguel Almiron, with the 24-year-old due on Tyneside imminently to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms.

It’s a deal which will naturally have the supporters in dreamland, breathing a sight of relief while simultaneously watching highlight reels of Almiron’s best moments in the MLS.

But a recent report from Sky SportsÂon Tuesday claimed that Newcastle were also in the race for Youri Tielemans alongside West Ham, Arsenal and Leicester City, however, a Twitter update from John Percy, midlands reporter for the Daily Telegraph, seems to confirm that the Foxes have won the race for his signature.

The 21-year-old midfielder has emerged as a coveted talent amongst a handful of Premier League clubs for very good reason: he is technically gifted, devastating when shooting from long-range, an incisive passer, a keen dribbler and already has 19 caps for the Belgium national side.

That Monaco paid £21.63 million to sign him from Anderlecht speaks volumes about how highly rated the midfield technician is. During his time in Belgium he scored 35 goals and provided 31 assists from 185 appearances for Anderlecht – a record which vindicates his reputation as one of the most promising creative midfielders in Europe.

If Newcastle had managed to fend off competition to secure his signature there is no doubt it would have represented a massive coup for the club. His presence on the field would have stimulated improvement in those around him who have struggled without a creative outlet this season.

It is no surprise that Newcastle have missed out on Tielemans considering Mike Ashley looks set to part with £20 million for Almiron, but a successful loan bid for the Belgium prodigy could have been a game-changer in the context of their survival bid.

Newcastle fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Sunderland failed to secure all three points against Oxford United earlier on today, as Jack Ross’ side threw yet another promising position away. 

The Black Cats remain in a rather promising position in the League One promotion race, with games in hand over the sides around them, but improvements are definitely required.

Interestingly, it appears as if Jack Ross is already eyeing a possible summer transfer window swoop, as according to the Daily Record, Sunderland scouted Motherwell’s Jake Hastie on Wednesday night.

Indeed, the 20-year-old has established himself as one of the most promising players in Scotland in the current campaign, with an impressive three goals and one assist to his name in the Scottish Premiership. And, he managed to provide a number of valuable contributions during his loan spell at Scottish Championship side Alloa Athletic.

He operates as a winger and his main attributes are his pace, dribbling and finishing ability, as well as being able to create for teammates.

Sunderland recently waved goodbye to one of their most promising talents Josh Maja, so Hastie could be drafted in as the next prospect to potentially take the Stadium of Light by storm.

However, the likes of Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City and Swansea City all watched the youngster in action on Wednesday night, and it’s understood that the attacker could be available for a cut price development fee at the end of the current campaign.

So, the Black Cats could make a huge statement by getting the better of a number of clubs higher up the Football League ladder to secure Hastie in what could be a bargain deal, as he looks to be a special talent.

Sunderland fans – thoughts on potentially signing Hastie?

Chelsea’s season is already threatening to be derailed somewhat, as the Blues struggle to find any sort of consistency in their game.

Mauro Sarri seems to have lost the will of some of his squad, and he needs to get things back on track in a big way if the club are to cement a top four spot.

There’s plenty to think about off the field too, with the futures of a number of players up for debate, especially that of Eden Hazard, who looks more and more like he could be on his way.

With that, the club need to be planning replacements, and here in the Tavern, we feel there a number of players out there who could fill the Belgian’s boots.

We took a look then at TWO players who Chelsea should be eyeing to replace the brilliant Hazard…

Philippe Coutinho

The Brazilian has struggled to hit the heights of his Liverpool days since making the move to Barcelona, and a move back to England is not out of the question.

Coutinho is a world class talent on his day and would be a big coup for the club if they do indeed lose Hazard.

Skilful, clever, and capable of the spectacular, we think Coutinho would be ideal.

Nabil Fekir

The French winger has been in fine form once again for Lyon, and he is bound to be linked with a move away come the summer.

Fekir would fit the bill at the Bridge, with his speed, capability to play across the front four, and age, all playing into Chelsea’s hands.

A superb player, Fekir would have a big impact in the Premier League if given the chance.

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

According to The Daily Mirror, Liverpool are interested in signing RB Salzburg’s Takumi Minamino in January.

What’s the story?

The 24-year-old has played twice against the Reds already this season, and even scored at Anfield earlier in the campaign.

Now, it is being said that the Merseyside outfit’s hierarchy are pursuing the Japan international. Apparently, he has a release clause of just £7.75m in his contract.

Firmino successor

Minamino has been in fantastic form so far this season. In 22 games in all competitions, he has nine goals and 11 assists, and he has played just one game up front during that time. As part of a young and vibrant Salzburg side, he has arguably been one of their stand-out players.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

In Europe, he has played most of his games in attacking midfield, just as he did against Liverpool. In that position, he has picked up a WhoScored rating of 7.31, which is not to be sniffed at. That has allowed him to pick up one goal and two assists as well.

In Salzburg’s 4-3-1-2 formation which we saw against the Reds, Minamino almost took up a deep-lying centre-forward role as part of an attacking trio, as you can see in the heat-map below. Much like Roberto Firmino does at Liverpool, as a matter of fact.

The similarities between the two do not stop there, either. Both provide more for their teammates than they score themselves – the Brazil international has just four goals but has provided nine assists this term, whilst also contributing 1.8 key passes per match in the continental competition – and, perhaps most importantly, they are both defensive forces as part of their respective teams.

Minamino has 1.2 tackles per match, which is clearly more than both Erling Haaland and Hwang Hee-Chan, whilst Firmino has made 1.7 himself. Yes, that may be less than Sadio Mane’s 1.8, but in his case, we are talking about a player who finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings – he is something of an anomaly.

As we saw on Tuesday in the Red Bull Arena, Minamino works incredibly hard, which is something the former Hoffenheim man has been praised for. Liverpool currently have Divock Origi as the back-up option for Firmino and, although he has done well, scoring five times this term, he is not the same kind of player as the 28-year-old. For just £7.75m, Minamino would represent a bargain that could slot seamlessly into Klopp’s XI.

In other news, this 24-year-old could be the man Liverpool fans wanted Georginio Wijnaldum to be.

Jonjo Shelvey suffered an injury which kept him out of the Burnley defeat but there are positive signs that he could be back in contention to play against Crystal Palace.

What’s the latest?

The midfielder missed out in the previous game with a calf strain, despite his protestations to the medical staff that he felt fit enough to play.

However, he has admitted that he is grateful his claims fell on deaf ears as it prevented the risk of him worsening his injury, which means he has missed one game as opposed to several.

Shelvey aims to be back in full training on Thursday and should he get through those sessions without his injury flaring up, then he may be in line to start against Crystal Palace on Saturday, and the Magpies could certainly do with his return.

Much-needed quality

Shelvey’s omission against the Clarets was understandable given Steve Bruce requires a lot of movement and hard work from his players, particularly against a high-intensity and physical team like Burnley.

The fact the 27-year-old didn’t take part in training in the early part of this week also indicates that he was far from being match fit, and therefore it was the correct decision to leave him out, especially with the festive period coming up.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

Newcastle were a lot worse without him, though, and returned to the form they showed a few weeks prior when they were struggling to score goals.

Dwight Gayle should have struck a late equaliser but there was a noticeable lack of creativity throughout, with the Magpies also showing less quality from set-pieces with Shelvey’s absence.

Sean Longstaff was a like-for-like replacement but his abysmal return of 67% pass accuracy and zero key passes underlined why Newcastle’s performance took such a dip.

He also didn’t provide the goal threat that Shelvey has possessed in recent weeks, and therefore a return against Crystal Palace this weekend should increase his side’s attacking threat, and thus their chances of getting back to winning ways.

Meanwhile, Gayle’s miss means Steve Bruce should seriously consider his future at the club…

Pedro Neto has had an indifferent start to life in Wolverhampton but that doesn’t stop him from being an exciting young talent.

The 19-year-old arrived from Braga in the summer as Wolves attempted to bolster their squad depth. It was a rather understated signing and his return so far suggests as much.

He’s scored just once but has claimed four assists in all competitions.

Neto hasn’t yet settled on a singular position, playing out wide and in a central area according to games tracked by Transfermarkt.

It’s hard to get an overall gauge of where he’s best given a lack of starts, however, in cameo roles at Lazio on loan he appeared predominantly in a central role.

Featuring just behind the striker could be where his future lies, but not if Wolves snap up a teenage sensation from Belgium.

18-year-old Yari Verschaeren was linked with the club a few months ago but Calciomercato provided an update during the festive period touting him with a move to either Wolves, Aston Villa or Leicester.

The attacking midfielder, who also has the ability to play on the flanks like Neto, is already capped at international level and has earned a glowing review from Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez.

Speaking in August he commented: “He is very mature and still radiates peace when he is on the ball. He reminds me of Youri Tielemans.”

It’s easy to see why if you consider they’ve played in comparable roles and both emerged in the Anderlecht senior side at a similar age.

If you analyse Martinez’s comments, the way he radiates peace on the ball is arguably the greatest similarity with Tielemans.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

The Leicester midfielder, who has featured in a deeper role but also in more attacking areas, has a pass success accuracy of 82%. Verschaeren, meanwhile, achieved a similar rate at the U21 European Championships, albeit from substitute roles alone.

Scoring two goals this term, he hardly finds the net on a regular basis but neither does Neto, who has considerably fewer senior matches under his belt.

Verschaeren has played 42 times for Anderlecht and is also capped on three occasions by Belgium. The versatile Wolves man, however, tallies 28 senior outings despite being older.

With the pair possessing the ability to play in similar roles, Neto’s development in the side could well be in danger if the Midlands outfit pulls off this move.

In other news, Wolves are targetting a promising defender from the Championship…

Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to pile the praise on James Ward-Prowse, following the 1-0 win over Tottenham at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day.

The surprise win over Jose Mourinho’s side saw the Saints rise to 12th in the Premier League table on 25 points, and means that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have now taken ten points from a possible 12 from their last four games, picking up wins over Aston Villa, Chelsea and Spurs and a draw against Crystal Palace.

Instrumental to their latest victory was Ward-Prowse, who enjoyed an excellent afternoon against the north Londoners on New Year’s Day.

The 25-year-old made two key passes and won three aerial duels against Tottenham, while also putting in an exquisite shift from a defensive aspect.

Southampton’s academy graduate and No.16 successfully registered a huge nine tackles against Mourinho’s side, which was more than any other player on the pitch managed to make – Ward-Prowse also made one clearance and delivered two successful crosses.

It represents an impressive turnaround for the Englishman on a personal level, as he was someone who had been heavily criticised by the Southampton supporters on Twitter for a below-par display against Chelsea, while these fans were also unhappy with his performance in a 2-1 defeat to Everton.

However, they are singing a different tune now.

This fan named Lucy said that Ward-Prowse has been a massive part of the Saints’ recent upturn, stating that his turnaround in form is a testament to his intelligence and professionalism, as well as Hasenhuttl’s coaching skills.

Elsewhere, this supporter replied to that comment by saying that the midfielder has been “unreal to watch” in the past month, calling him a “true box-to-box midfielder”.

Furthermore, these two supporters both mentioned one particularly interesting thing.

Both Mark and Lee stated that Ward-Prowse seems to have rediscovered an edge to his game, with the former describing it as having “that little bit of nasty back” while the latter supporter opted to say that he has the “bite” to his game again.

Lastly, these two fans continued the adoration for Ward-Prowse.

Julian said that the Englishman has “turned his form around massively” before making the point that he is back to the “storming player” that he was in the previous campaign.

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

Stephen then went on to say that Ward-Prowse’s performances are all the more impressive when you consider that he’s doing it in a midfield two and not a three – certainly an interesting point to make.

In other news, Hasenhuttl must be kicking himself for not landing this Championship star back in the summer…

Arsenal fans have taken to Twitter to react after Calciomercato revealed that Hakim Ziyech can leave Ajax in January, and that the Gunners are strongly interested in the player who is valued at €50m (£42.6m).

The Morocco international enjoyed a superb 2018/19 campaign with the Eredivisie giants, scoring 21 goals and recording 24 assists in all competitions.

So far this season, Ziyech has scored eight goals and grabbed a whopping 21 assists in just 28 appearances – the playmaker appears to be an end-product machine in the final third of the pitch.

The 26-year-old was available for just €30m (£25.6m) before Ajax offered him a new contract which saw that relatively low clause removed from his terms, according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.

It would seem like quite a foolish decision for Arsenal to spend a lot of cash on Ziyech, given their issues in defence – the north Londoners have just lost Calum Chambers for up to nine months, while Kieran Tierney was ruled out for three months after picking up an injury in the 3-1 win over West Ham on December 9th.

Nevertheless, it would be an exciting addition for the Gunners if Ziyech arrived at The Emirates, so let’s see how the Arsenal fans on Twitter reacted to the news…

This supporter said that Ziyech and “the Arsenal Arteta is trying to build” are a match made in heaven, before asking Raúl Sanllehí to sign the Moroccan up.

Elsewhere, this fan also begged Sanllehí, as well as Technical Director Edu, to secure a deal for the Ajax playmaker.

Furthermore, this supporter with the username ‘Shash’ echoed our earlier point about Arsenal’s need for defenders above any other position, saying “please not now” in regards to the interest in Ziyech.

Additionally, this fan said that Ziyech and Nicolas Pepe on the wings would be “deadly” – it’s hard to argue against the fact that the Ivory Coast international and the Moroccan wouldn’t be a tasty pairing.

Another supporter said that the former FC Twente man would be a “perfect Ozil replacement” before stating that the north Londoners should get Ziyech before any other club does.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?

Lastly, another fan urged Arsenal to sign him now before another club swoops in, saying that they’d take Ziyech “without even thinking twice”.

In other news, Arsenal would be securing a major coup if they signed this centre-back who has taken inspiration from David Luiz…

It is not just off the pitch where Liverpool are looking healthy.

They are also looking good from a financial point of view, as well. The Deloitte Money league list that was recently released still puts them at seventh place, but it sees their total revenue increase by the significant sum of £77.9m. There are a number of reasons for this, including their victory in the Champions League last time out, as well as hosting concerts at Anfield – their commercial growth is up £34.6m.

The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield?

Most interestingly, though, they have closed the gap to the big Manchester clubs. They are now under £100m off United, and are just £5.2m behind Manchester City. That is a big difference from last year, where they were around £50m away from the Citizens and well over £100m behind the Red Devils.

United have led the way in England ever since the Money League was started in the 1996/97 season and, although they have dropped off in terms of their quality on the pitch in recent seasons – they haven’t won a league title since 2013, their longest drought since they lifted the trophy for the first time in 26 years in 1993 – they have been generally unrivalled at the top of the English financial rankings.

This latest list shows there could potentially be a shift in power for the long-term in English football. United’s commercial power has long been the reason why they continue to arguably be regarded as this country’s biggest club, but this shows that that could not be the case in a few years.

Watch Liverpool Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

This is also another win for FSG. Just 10 years ago, the Merseyside outfit were in danger of falling in to administration, and now are number seven on the whole planet in terms of their revenue. The work that John Henry and Co have done to put Liverpool back where they belong has been nothing short of miraculous, and with a net transfer spend of just £109.12m over the last five years – well behind City’s £601.78m and United’s £437.61m – they have not spent beyond their means either to achieve such success. As Klopp continues to be applauded on the pitch, those in the boardroom deserve similar adulation.

In other news, even Liverpool fans don’t agree with Neil Warnock’s praise for Jurgen Klopp.