Manchester City have been linked with Ajax wonderkid Matthijs de Ligt according to Sport via Calciomercato, but do City really need him?

It’s fair to say Guardiola has the strongest squad in England which already includes centre-backs John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Nicolas Otamendi and Vincent Kompany. Looking at that it’s easy to question just why they would need another.

However, when you look closer at City’s options in front of the keeper you see a 32-year-old injury prone Vincent Kompany and 31-year-old Nicolas Otamendi who hasn’t repeated last season’s form this term. Both of those players would be lucky to last two more seasons at the club, and so that only leaves Laporte and Stones.

It’s important City look to replace players before their more experienced men leave. It means the younger players can learn from the old guard like Kompany and avoid having the pressure of being first choice.

Of course, if De Ligt was to come to City he’d have a tough job breaking into Guardiola’s strongest 11, particularly with Laporte and Stones, who champion his philosophy, keeping the defence tight regularly. But City need more than just a starting 11 now they aim to win all four trophies every season, so it would be unreasonable to suggest the Dutchman wouldn’t get game time.

Benjamin Mendy being injured has meant Guardiola has, in simple terms, gone for a 4-3-3 this season. When City have the ball the holding midfielder drops between the centre-halves and the fullbacks tuck in and push forward. When Mendy returns, the Catalonian may use a three-at-the-back system with wing backs and that means another spot for a centre back which could be De Ligt.

Otamendi’s technical ability simply isn’t up to scratch for the manager but the Ajax youngster would fit right into City’s system and make them even more formidable going forward as well as at the back.

City do need another centre-back and particularly one with the abilities De Ligt possesses, but whether City’s hierarchy feel he’s the right man, we’ll have to see. They aren’t thought to currently be leading the transfer chase for one of Europe’s hottest prospects, though those at City need to make themselves the first port of call, in case they really do think he’s worth the money.

Who should City buy to strengthen their backline in summer?

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Central defender Fabian Balbuena has been declared fit for West Ham United’s Premier League clash with Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.

Balbuena has been on the sidelines since picking up a knee injury during his team’s 2-0 home defeat to Watford on December 22.

The South American played 45 minutes for West Ham’s Under-23 side on Monday night, though, and has now been declared fit for the clash with Cardiff this weekend.

It remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old is thrown straight back into the starting XI, but he was impressive for Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the early stages of the campaign.

The defender actually played all but one of West Ham’s 18 Premier League games before picking up his injury, having settled effortlessly into the English game.

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The West Ham fans have been on social media offering their views on Balbuena’s return and a large number are delighted to have ‘The General’ available once again:

كشف أنتي تشاتشيتش المدير الفني لنادي بيراميدز، موقفه من الرحيل عن تدريب الفريق خلال الفترة المقبلة، بعد أنباء تلقيه عروض سعودية وإماراتية.

تشاتشيتش قاد بيراميدز منذ شهر ديسمبر من العام الماضي، ووصل رفقة الفريق إلي نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية، ويسعي لحسم وصافة الدوري المصري هذا الموسم.

وقال تشاتشيتش خلال تصريحات عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس: “لا أحب الحديث في هذه الأمور، وتركيزي مع فريق بيراميدز في الوقت الحالي، وأحاول أحقق طموح الفريق”.

وتابع: “الهدف الرئيسي هو الفوز بالكونفدرالية، وصعب أن أعدك ولكن سنفعل كل شىء لتحقيق هذه البطولة”.

وأضاف: “لا استطيع أن أقيم تجربتي أو عملي في مصر، الناس المتابعين لكرة القدم والدوري هم من يقيموني، وسعيد بطريقة عمل الفريق والأداء في المباريات”.

طالع | فتح الله يتحدث عن ثلاثية بيراميدز أمام الإسماعيلي وعودة عبد لله السعيد

وأتم: “نحاول أن نتحسن من لقاء لآخر، في مسابقة الدوري نحاول المكسب لكي نجمع النقاط، مع الأخذ في الاعتبار هناك كل 3 أيام مباراة، وأتمنى جاهزية الجميع عند اللعب في الكونفدرالية”.

ويحتل بيراميدز المركز الثالث في ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 54 نقطة

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي بيراميدز مع حوريا الغيني خلال شهر أكتوبر المقبل، في نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية، المقرر إقامته في المغرب.

Manchester United are planning to make a world-record £90m move for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly according to The Sun, and he could kickstart a potential Red Devils title challenge from the back.

The 27-year-old has impressed in Serie A and the Champions League since signing from Genk in 2014 and looks like the sort of defender Jose Mourinho was trying to buy in the summer. Ed Woodward refused his request for a major defensive signing and the rest is history, so now it looks like he’s changed his mind.

It’s become clear that United lack an experienced, calm head to control the back four, even when Mourinho’s tactics didn’t leave the back four exposed. Now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is at the helm and playing more attacking football, the back four needs to be as strong as it was under Ferguson.

United may have a new manager come the start of next season, but the situation won’t change. The likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly simply aren’t good enough to command a defence the fans and club are used to. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic would organise the back four to ensure United’s attacking style didn’t have to be compromised to prevent them leaking goals.

Today’s team seems a world away from this, however United’s centre-backs aren’t all that bad. Some defenders aren’t born for that leadership and organisational role and that’s fine, but they must be accompanied by someone who is if the partnership is to work.

Koulibaly has played all but two of Napoli’s Serie A games this season, 21, in a side who still champion the fast-paced, quick-passing playing style that Maurizio Sarri left behind. United aim to play as far up the pitch as possible meaning their defenders must be comfortable on the ball because they will have lots of it, the Napoli man certainly has this quality.

His experience in a well-drilled side playing attacking football could make him the defender who allows United to rekindle their attacking spark without worrying about their defensive stability.

Do you think United should sign the Napoli star?

Everton’s social media are having a tough time of it at the moment.

In fairness, it is never easy to operate an account when the team in question is performing poorly, which is the case for Everton.

Indeed, the Toffees have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions, including their last three in the Premier League.

Marco Silva should surely be getting a lot more out of the group of players.

However, it seems to be more of a collective issue.

Next up for the Merseyside outfit is a trip to Cardiff City on February 26 and a defeat in that game would lead to serious questions being asked.

Everton’s Twitter account attempted to raise the spirits of the fans with a message about Lucas Digne on Monday, but it did not go down very well.

Indeed, not too many of the supporters were pleased with the amount of smiling faces that they saw on the training ground due to the team’s current form.

A selection of the reaction can be seen below:

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Crystal Palace visit Watford this weekend in the FA Cup, where they will be hoping to both bounce back from a disappointing result against Brighton and progress to the semi-finals.

The Selhurst Park faithful will surely expect Roy Hodgson to field a full strength starting XI against the Hornets, and there should be no reason for the former England boss not to oblige.

On the chalkboard

The Eagles struggled to break down their deep-sat opposition on Saturday and Brighton, who made far better use of their time on the ball, capitalised on the two half-opportunities afforded to them to take all three points back to the Amex Stadium.

The intense rivalry between the two might not make much sense to other football fans but for those of Palace and the Seagulls the clash is enormous – for the former, it will surely have felt like losing a cup final at the weekend.

Fortunately for the Eagles fans though, they could have another round the corner if they can progress further in the FA Cup – Hodgson should do everything he can to make it up to them after a terrible performance at the weekend.

No excuses

The 71-year-old has repeatedly stated that securing Premier League survival remains a priority over cup success, but the quarter-final clash with Javi Gracia’s men represents Hodgson with a perfect opportunity to appease Palace fans who are furious about the result last time out.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…

He can make sure his side are in with their best chance of reaching the last four by fielding his strongest possible team, regardless of the risks attached by doing so. Considering that both Manchester clubs are the only two top six sides left in the competition, Palace can certainly go all the way too – it’s well worth the manager giving it everything Palace have got, and it will be a disgrace if he doesn’t.

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Loads of Leeds fans have been reacting to a huge managerial update, as Paul Heckingbottom is all set to become Hibernian manager.

According to Sky Sports, Heckingbottom is in line to take over at the Scottish club, and arrived at their East Lothian training centre to complete the deal on Wednesday.

Hibs have been without a manager since Neil Lennon left last month, and they currently sit eighth in the Scottish Premier League, a whopping 19 points below the big two.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

Needless to say, plenty of Leeds fans have been running the rule over the impending appointment of Heckingbottom, as the ex-Barsnley man was not a popular figure at Elland Road.

After replacing Thomas Christiansen, the 41 year-old won just four league games in charge of Leeds, amassing a win percentage of just 25 per cent.

Of course, the arrival of the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa has completely changed the fortunes at the Yorkshire club, and let’s just say they don’t have much hope for their new friends north of the border.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

علّق ميكيل آرتيتا المدير الفني لفريق آرسنال الإنجليزي، على مفاوضات ناديه مع حسام عوار، لاعب ليون الفرنسي.

ويرتبط الجانرز بالتعاقد مع عوار، لكن لم تحسم المفاوضات مع اقتراب غلق نافذة الانتقالات الجارية.

وتحدث آرتيتا عقب هزيمة فريقه أمام ليفربول في الجولة الثالثة للبريميرليج، بنتيجة (3-1).

ونشر موقع “فوتبول لندن” تصريحاته وبسؤاله: “ما أخبار صفقة عوار؟”، أجاب: “ليس لدينا أي أخبار عن ضم لاعبين جدد أو من قد يغادرون النادي”.

وأضاف: “لم يتبق سوى أسبوع على نافذة الانتقالات، وأعتقد أنه سيكون مزدحمًا حقًا للأندية الأخرى، لأنه لم يتم إنجاز الكثير من الصفقات، لنرِ ما سيحدث”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رئيس ليون يحدد موعدًا نهائيًا لرحيل ديباي وعوار

وبسؤاله مجددًا: “هل سيكون أسبوعًا مزدحمًا بالنسبة لك؟”، رد آرتيتا: “أعتقد أنه سيكون مشغولًا حقًا للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، لا أعرف بالنسبة لنا كيف سيحدث ذلك”.

من جانبه صرّح جان ميشيل أولاس رئيس ليون، بشأن عرض آرسنال لعوار: “كان عرضًا بسيطًا، ولم يجعلنا حتى نفكر في بيعه”.

وبسؤاله: “كم تريد؟ 40 مليون يورو أم 50 مليونا؟”، أجاب: “أكثر من الرقم الأول الذي ذكرته”.

JM Aulas about Aouar #Arsenal deal: “There was a timid offer, it was not an offer that was even susceptible to making us consider a sale”.
How much you want? €40m, €50m?
“More than the first number that you mentioned…”. [@GFFN].#AFC are still in contact with his agent. ⚪️🔴

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 28, 2020

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The North London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal ended all square at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The result marks Spurs’ first draw of the Premier League campaign so far. Aaron Ramsey opened the scoring for the Gunners but a second half Harry Kane penalty rescued a point for the hosts.

However, the story of this match could have been very different had Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang been able to convert his last minute penalty. The spot kick was awarded when Davinson Sanchez was adjudged to have brought down the Arsenal striker.

Had Aubameyang converted it would have been centre-back Sanchez’s second catastrophic error of the game. The 22-year-old was also responsible for Ramsey’s goal as he badly mistimed a header and failed to clear his lines. 

The 17-cap Colombia international had a tough day all round. After the match plenty of Spurs fans took to Twitter to give their verdict on his display…

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Continuing their recovery from a poor run of results, Rangers put five past Hamilton on Sunday, with Jermain Defoe getting on the scoresheet, too. Brian Rice’s side were blown away by Steven Gerrard’s men in terms of the scoreline, but the Accies boss was equally stunned by the outstanding quality of the visitors, drawing some incredible comparisons as he spoke after the defeat.

What did he say?

In a surprisingly upbeat interview considering his side had just been thumped, Rice said:

“I was watching Rangers, their movement, their passes, what everybody was doing and ‘wow, this is great, I love that’.

“I will use that. Now I need to try to get a little bit of that into my club.

“People use Barcelona and Manchester City. What I saw off Rangers yesterday, there are bits of that that I will use. Players need to see that.

“But we need to get to a bit of standard that they have set.

“I need to get my players to believe we can do a bit of that in a short period of time.

“If you sit on the edge of the box and park the bus as they say and lose a goal in the first five minutes, what do you do? You have set your team up to defend.

“We set the team up to try to attack and Rangers were too good for us. They were exceptional.”

Big praise for Gerrard and the Gers

Manchester City and Barcelona, champions of the Premier League and La Liga, respectively, are revered for their slick passing style and Rice thinks that Gerrard has got a bit of that going on at the Ibrox Stadium.

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Indeed, the Liverpool legend has imposed a system and an approach that has limited the use of long-balls unless absolutely necessary and the link-up play against the Accies was glorious, although even Gerrard would surely be surprised to hear the comparisons being drawn between his side and two of the top teams in Europe.