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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie has suggested that Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Danny Ings are very alike.

Ings, who is currently being linked with a move to Manchester City, could be brought into the Etihad this summer to replace Aguero.

The 33-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the season and, according to Sky Sports, the Citizens have identified the Southampton No.9 as a potential successor.

Ings was in brilliant form last term, finishing the 2019/20 Premier League campaign with 22 goals, and Hendrie believes going to Manchester City would be a fabulous move for him as he drew comparisons between the England international and the man he could be replacing.

Discussing the speculation surrounding Ings’ future with FFC, Hendrie said:

“I think this is where Man City are sort of looking at. You compare him to Aguero and there’s a lot of likeness between them. They score goals, creativity. I’ve seen Danny Ings this season and he’s dropped into areas where, you know, he’s almost been in the 10 at times and gone into wide areas, sort of like a free role with [Che] Adams. It’d be a fabulous move for him.”

On the same topic, the former Aston Villa player added:

“Man City, it would be a fabulous signing and obviously for Ings it would be. But, again, it’s just whether he’d get as much game time as what he was getting at Southampton, and that’d be my only question mark.”

Should Aguero indeed leave Manchester City in the summer, one possible destination could be Chelsea. According to the MailOnline, the Blues, as well as Barcelona, are weighing up a move for the Argentina international.

Many Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to a further update linking Burnley boss Sean Dyche with a move to Selhurst Park.

The Daily Mail reported Palace’s interest in Dyche on Monday evening, revealing Chris Wilder is a contender to replace the 49-year-old, should he leave Turf Moor.

And now, according to an exclusive report from 90min on Tuesday afternoon, the Burnley boss is now the leading candidate to take over from Roy Hodgson, should the latter leave the Eagles this summer.

90min claim that discussions between chairman Steve Parish, sporting director Dougie Freedman and Hodgson are ongoing.

Hodgson’s contract in the capital expires at the end of June and the 73-year-old has publicly admitted in recent months that his Palace remains ‘undecided’.

It seems as if Dyche is the leading contender to come in ahead of the 2021/22 season if Hodgson leaves the club, which, again, has had plenty of Palace supporters talking.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared 90min’s report on Wednesday evening. This is what some had to say, with many split over the idea of Dyche taking over.

“I am on my knees please let this happen”

Credit: @CalumCPFC

“I hope so. I like him”

Credit: @benh199225

“Replacing 442 with 442. Great. Can’t wait”

Credit: @BRL__18

““If Roy Hodgson does not stay on this summer” scares me”

Credit: @palace_tommy

“this would be a massive mistake”

Credit: @danofthesouth_

“Not another boring manager”

Credit: @owen79miller

In other news: Eagles eye Championship centre-back who has four international caps, find out more here. 

Celtic are thought to be looking at former Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre as an alternative to Eddie Howe.

That’s according to an exclusive report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a Hoops source that the 63-year-old is a real contender for the vacant post, should Howe snub a Parkhead move.

Celtic’s Howe fear

There are fears Howe is having second thoughts over becoming Neil Lennon’s long-term successor, resulting in the Hoops drawing up an alternative shortlist.

Favre has been out of work since December and has held eight managerial positions over the last 30 years.

Transfer Tavern take

Favre averaged over two points per game during his time in charge of Dortmund and boasts a wealth of experience across Europe. He’s also managed in France and Switzerland, however, in regards to the long-term, we think Howe is the smarter option.

Financially, Favre picked up €4.5 million a year with Dortmund, whereas Howe was thought to be closing in on a deal worth £2 million a year at Parkhead. Howe is also 20 years Favre’s junior, so his outlook could be beneficial in the long run.

It remains to be seen how strong Celtic’s interest in Favre is, but it seems as if their eggs aren’t all in Howe’s basket just yet.

In other news: Premier League side set to bid for Celtic midfielder, find out more here. 

Manchester United could be set to complete a shock reunion this summer with interest in West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

According to The Sun, the Red Devils have been keeping tabs on the 28-year-old throughout the campaign and could be set to make a move should either Dean Henderson or David De Gea leave Old Trafford.

Whilst Johnstone has impressed in a poor Baggies’ side this season, United would be making a mistake in bringing him back to the club and should instead just keep both of their current keepers.

Rated at £5.4m, Johnstone has claimed just five clean sheets so far and conceded a huge 57 goals at a rate of two goals per game in the league.

The majority of those are of course not his fault, with the Baggies’ leaky defence instead shouldering the majority of the blame.

Nevertheless, he has not covered himself in glory. So far throughout the season, Johnstone has already made two errors leading to shots according to SofaScore.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-man-united-transfer-rumours-and-news-old-trafford-macheda-solskjaer-lingard-ousmane-dembele-anthony-martial-injury-rabiot-van-de-beek” title=” The latest Man United transfer rumours and news from Old Trafford…”]

Meanwhile, Johnstone simply seems no better than Henderson, who is currently United’s first-choice keeper in the league.

He has saved just 68% of the shots he has faced, with the former Sheffield United loanee hugely improved at 82%. Even De Gea, who is enduring a difficult personal season compared to his usually high standards, is only marginally lower than Johnstone at a save percentage of 65%.

The one benefit however of Johnstone returning to Old Trafford would be the immense affordability of any potential deal.

At the current time, the Baggies goalkeeper has just one year remaining on his £32k per-week so it could be thought that a deal would not be the most expensive in the world. Considering he would be acting as just a back-up to either Henderson or De Gea, an affordable deal would certainly be welcome.

Nevertheless, it seems more logical for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to keep his current options at the club instead of swooping for Johnstone.

AND in more news, take a closer look at Victor Lindelof’s tricky afternoon against Tottenham Hotspur…

Many fans of West Ham United have been reacting to a post on Twitter which relayed Pedro Almeida’s claim that Dynamo Kyiv are interested in a summer move for Andriy Yarmolenko.

According to Almeida, the Ukrainian giants are extremely keen on bringing Yarmolenko back to his native country this summer, with the Premier Liga side already thought to be in negotiations with West Ham regarding the transfer of the 31-year-old.

Since joining West Ham from Borussia Dortmund in an £18m deal three years ago, the winger has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Hammers’ starting XI, featuring just 53 times for the club in all competitions – something which has largely been down to the Ukraine international picking up a number of different injuries.

After one West Ham fan account relayed Almeida’s claim regarding Yarmolenko on Twitter, many fans of the Irons flocked to have their say on the matter, with plenty seemingly delighted at the prospect of the £100,000-per-week man – who has taken his share of criticism during his time at the club – leaving east London at the end of the season.

So, what did these West Ham United fans have to say in reaction to the claim regarding Andriy Yarmolenko?

“Scenes when they give us £20m.”

@whumako

“Yesssssssssss.”

@joelitt78828048

“Buzzing with that.”

@__chowellWH6

“Can have him for free.”

@fflynnnn

“Sell him.”

@Thehammerone1

“The stepover merchant is finally leaving.”

@ScoutSoucek

In other news: West Ham make approach for £12.6m-rated ace; GSB could get him for nothing this summer – find out more here!

Manchester City man Fergal Harkin is the number one target to become Celtic’s new Director of Football.

And reliable reporter Alan Nixon has spoken out on the Hoops’ interest in the Irishman, admitting it is ‘alive and kicking’.

Celtic sources, as reported by Football Insider, suggested that the club are ‘committed’ to get a deal for Harkin over the line, even if it means defying top managerial target Eddie Howe.

One Celtic fan quizzed Nixon, who writes for The Sun, about Harkin and a move to Parkhead on social media, to which he replied:

“Been saying that for nearly two months … but does seem to be alive and kicking.”

Transfer Tavern take

It seems as if a potential swoop for Harkin is really gathering pace, with multiple reporters aware of Celtic’s interest in the ‘massive’ Hoops fan.

The 44-year-old has been at the Etihad for 11 years, with Celtic impressed by his experience and knowledge built up at City.

There could still be scope for Howe to take over from Neil Lennon ahead of the 2021/22 season – the Englishman wanted to bring his former Bournemouth colleague Richard Hughes with him to Glasgow.

Howe wanted the assurance of having Hughes with him at Celtic Park, and with head of football operations Nick Hammond resigning and recruitment chief Gary Penrice also set for an exit, maybe Hughes could fill one of those roles to work alongside Harkin and Howe.

In other news: Celtic open to landing £57k-p/w international in deal for Odsonne Edouard, find out more here. 

Many Aston Villa fans have been discussing Jack Grealish’s latest tweet, which has elicited a glowing response on the social media platform.

The 25-year-old recently relayed a tweet from the official club account after Aston Villa had posted a video involving actor David Bradley, who was talking about the club and it’s rise and fall through the years. The title of the video was – “They say you don’t choose Aston Villa, it chooses you.”

Bradley was talking about the beauty of fans and how so many Villa fans are connected to the club. The video included footage of the Villans’ greatest moments over the decades.

Grealish shared his admiration for the video, retweeting it with the added comment of: “What a video man ❤️💙 the way I can’t wait to have fans back!! @bradders_david you legend! 🙌🏻”

This came after the European Super League was announced amidst widespread vehement outcry. Even during Leeds’ Premier League against Liverpool, the Whites’ players wore training jerseys in protests of the ESL, while protests were held outside Elland Road (BBC Sport).

Liverpool are among the six English clubs to have signed up to the Super League, while Gary Neville launched a scathing attack on the concept of the ESL.

Grealish’s tweet drew the attention of many Aston Villa fans, who loved the response from the 25-year-old, whose local status and love for the club has often been apparent.

What did Aston Villa fans make of Grealish’s tweet?

“100% accurate, I know cause it hit me when I was 5 years old and now I’m 49 and still as strong as ever.”

Credit: @Simon1874Villa

“Who needs a Super League when we’ve got Super Jack!”Credit: @Gareth32Gareth”Love you forever and always.”Credit: @LawsAVFC”We are, without any shadow of a doubt, a truly great club… if not the greatest in the country.”Credit: @skippyjackson”You’re never leaving are you hahahahaha love you.”Credit: @AVFCOlly_”Goosebumps, passion, pride, yes we are Aston Villa!”Credit: @TonyV1llaIn other news, “The last thing you want to see” – Exclusive: Lee Hendrie reacts as big Aston Villa blow emerges

Manchester United could not find a way past Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday, the clash in Yorkshire ending 0-0.

Chances were certainly at a premium and here is how we rated the Red Devils throughout the game:

Starting XI

Henderson – 6/10: It was not an extraordinarily busy afternoon for the United stopper, only being forced into three saves according to WhoScored. His distribution was impressive though.

Wan-Bissaka – 7/10: Probably the most reliable of United’s defensive options, the former Crystal Palace man provided five tackles and two clearances as he dealt with the threat of the ever-dangerous Jack Harrison relatively well.

Maguire – 6/10: Again, not the busiest afternoon for the Red Devils’ captain, Leeds being restricted to just three shots. He was dominant in the air throughout the game but really should have scored with a free header in the first half and he was also booked.

Lindelof – 6/10: Not tested all too much, the Swede was solid if unspectacular. He produced three clearances as the hosts were kept at arms’ length throughout the majority of the game.

Shaw – 7/10: Like his fellow full-back, Shaw impressed at Elland Road. He was very effective going forwards, racking up one of the highest pass completion rates in the visitors’ side, whilst contributing a fantastic five key passes.

Fred – 7/10: Far better defensively than going forwards, Fred was instrumental in keeping Marcelo Bielsa’s troops quiet. The former Shakhtar man contributed three tackles, three interceptions and three clearances. He was also a reliable presence on the ball.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-man-united-transfer-rumours-and-news-from-old-trafford-fofana-solskjaer-van-de-beek-wwodward” title=”The latest Man United transfer rumours and news from Old Trafford…”]

McTominay – 6/10: After scoring twice and notching an assist in the reverse fixture this season, the Scot would certainly have been wanting to rack up a similar contribution in Yorkshire. That was simply not possible though, completing just 30 passes throughout the match.

Fernandes – 6/10: Arguably one of Fernandes’ worst performances for the club since joining last January. He had five shots throughout the clash but did not get any of those on target – an aspect that was somewhat synonymous with the majority of United’s attack play.

James – 5/10: Playing at a stadium where he could have potentially have been an employee, the young winger could barely get involved. He did not have a single shot and when presented with a chance to score in the second half, he dallied for too long before he was tackled by Ezgjan Alioski.

Greenwood – 7/10: The United academy graduate was probably the brightest spark for the visitors at Elland Road. On numerous occasions, he looked the biggest threat for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men but was regularly denied by Illan Meslier.

Rashford  – 6/10: Whilst still clearly finding his way back to full fitness, Rashford looked off the pace against Leeds. He struggled to find any room to work in and accumulated the worst pass accuracy rate of the Manchester United starting XI at just 69.2% before eventually being replaced.

Substitutes

Pogba – 6/10: Replaced Daniel James with just under 15 minutes of regular time remaining but did not really affect the game all too much.

Cavani – 6/10: The Uruguayan replaced Rashford towards the end of the tie but like Pogba, did not get involved too much.

Van de Beek – N/A: Introduced for Fred with just one minute remaining, the Dutchman was not on the pitch for long enough to earn a score.

Tottenham Hotspur have their sights set on signing Andrea Belotti this summer amid fresh reports from Italy this week…

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Spurs are among the clubs interested in the Torino captain, and with him entering the final year of his contract next season, the Serie A outfit will be under pressure to cash in while they still can.

It is claimed that he will not be lacking offers as fellow Italian outfits AS Roma and AC Milan, as well as Premier League side Manchester United, are keen on him. The 27-year-old reportedly wants a move to a bigger club with more ambition, as he does not want to be regularly involved in a relegation battle in  Turin.

Bye-bye Kane?

You’d imagine that moving for a player of Belotti’s calibre will surely spell trouble for Spurs’ chances of keeping hold of their own talisman in Harry Kane.

His immediate future in north London was once again in the spotlight this week after he reaffirmed his desire to win trophies, something which may not be possible at Spurs after they choked in another final, losing to Man City in the Carabao Cup showpiece last Sunday.

Speaking to Sky Sports after being named as the Premier League player of the year at the London Football Awards, the 27-year-old England skipper said (via The Guardian):

“Individual awards are great, they are fantastic achievements. When I look back at the end of my career, these are the things I will go over and take in more but the goal right now as a player is to win team trophies. I want to be winning the biggest prizes there is to offer and we are not quite doing that.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-managerial-update-transfer-rumours-levy-mourinho-sacked-gossip” title= “Read the latest Spurs manager updates, transfer news, gossip and more!”]

Earlier this month, The Independent’s Miguel Delaney reported that Paris Saint-Germain and both Manchester clubs would battle in a bid to secure his signature from Spurs, whilst Sky Sports believe that Kane will ask to leave Spurs if they do not qualify for the Champions League – a very likely prospect at this stage.

At a similar age to Kane, 27-year-old Belotti won’t want to come to north London to sit behind another striker. He’ll want to be the main man as he’s in the prime of his career, and he has every reason to demand as such given his record and attitude.

The £36m-rated marksman has bagged 12 goals this term, making it six straight seasons in which he has hit ten or more in the Italian top-flight, with a career-best of 26 coming during 2016/17, as per Transfermarkt.

Current Spurs goalkeeper Joe Hart enjoyed a stint with Belotti at Torino and has waxed lyrical over his ability, as he told Gianluca Di Marzio: “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.”

Whilst the 32-cap Italy international could also help fill that leadership void Kane would leave behind should he depart. “He’s a real captain,” explained Il Toro president Urbano Cairo.

All in all, any move for Belotti would surely spell the end for Kane at Spurs, but as hard as the England captain would be to replace, the Torino frontman seems the perfect candidate to do so.

AND in other news, Levy could seal Spurs their next Dembele in bargain swoop for “explosive” 22 y/o beast…

Tottenham technical performance director Steve Hitchen has suggested that Graham Potter as a potential candidate to take over the vacant manager’s position at the club.

Hitchen suggests Potter

Jose Mourinho was sacked two weeks ago and Ryan Mason has since taken over on an interim basis. However, it seems unlikely that he will be given the job permanently.

According to the Daily Mail journalist Ian Ladyman, Hitchen has suggested to chairman Daniel Levy that Potter be considered for the role.

Left-field

Potter would seem to be a left-field appointment if Tottenham plump for him. Spurs have been linked with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Hansi Flick (The Telegraph), Erik Ten Hag (The Guardian) and Rafael Benitez – managers who have coached in, and occasionally won, the Champions League.

The Brighton boss does not match that profile, his European pedigree limited to a Europa League round of 32 run with Ostersunds three years ago.

Having said that, Potter has earned plaudits from the likes of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for the way he has his Brighton team playing (The Football Faithful). The Seagulls may not have always managed to get the right results this season, but only six top-flight teams have had more shots on target per match, while they have averaged over 50% possession (WhoScored).

At Tottenham, he would have a better squad and a bigger budget than at the Amex Stadium, while he should also come a lot cheaper than the other options being mooted. Potter is certainly someone who should at least be considered as Mourinho’s long-term successor.

In other news, this man reportedly fancies the Tottenham managerial position.