Arsenal fans put rivalry aside to praise Rose’s frank and honest interview

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have one of the fiercest rivalries in English football, but there are times when it pales into significance.

On Wednesday, Tottenham left-back Danny Rose spoke openly about his battle with depression.

While speaking to reporters at England’s St George’s Park training base ahead of the World Cup, the 27-year-old admitted that a series of issues affected his mental health.

Rose revealed that a long-term knee injury that kept him out for the majority of last season took its toll.

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During his time on the sidelines, his uncle committed suicide, his mother suffered racial abuse and his brother was shot at inside the family home.

The Guardian quotes Rose as saying:

“It’s no secret that I’ve been through a testing time at Tottenham this season. It led to me seeing a psychologist and I was diagnosed with depression, which nobody knows about. I had to get away from Tottenham.

“I’m lucky that England gave me that opportunity to get away, refresh my mind and I’ll always be grateful to them. I was on medication for a few months – nobody knows about that apart from my agent – but I’m off the medication now, I’m good again and looking forward to how far we can go in Russia.”

Rose’s frank honesty has prompted even the most ardent of Arsenal supporters to praise the left-back, who has been linked with a move away from Tottenham this summer.

On social media channels Reddit and Twitter, Arsenal fans posted respectful messages about the England international, who started just nine Premier League games last season.

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Newcastle United fans hate the idea of signing Nicolai Jorgensen after Denmark display

Newcastle United fans are not keen on signing Denmark forward Nicolai Jorgensen this summer, after watching him in action against Peru on Saturday in the World Cup.

The Feyenoord attacker has been linked with a move to St James’ Park in recent weeks, with a fee of £20m mentioned, which would break the Magpies’ incoming transfer record.

He failed to make much of an impact against the South American side in the Russia tournament however, leaving Newcastle fans scratching their heads and pondering what he could offer the Premier League outfit.

The player had a decent season at club level last term, netting 13 times in all competitions for Feyenoord, including two in the UEFA Champions League against Shakthar Donetsek and Napoli.

Is he a viable alternative to the likes of Joselu and Aleksandar Mitrovic, or should Rafa Benitez look elsewhere?

Newcastle fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his Saturday performance…

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Spurs fans react to Manchester United’s interest in Ndombele

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race for Tottenham target Tanguy Ndombele, and Spurs fans are fearing the worst about the midfield wonderkid.

According to French reports, Manchester United are chasing Ndombele, as Jose Mourinho looks to build a squad capable of challenging Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable Manchester City.

Ndombele has been heavily linked with Spurs in recent months as Mousa Dembele’s potential replacement, as the Belgian nears an exit from North London.

Fans wanted reinforcements in midfield this summer whether Dembele leaves or not, and the 21 year-old Ndombele has all the tools to be an excellent piece of Pochettino’s puzzle.

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Blessed with wiry strength and agility, the young Frenchman can wriggle his way out of pressure and nearly always looks for a forward pass.

He also brings lots of defensive help, averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game last season in Ligue 1.

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Besides from just having a similar name, the young midfielder seems an almost perfect fit to replace Dembele, and fans have been reacting to the news that Manchester United have joined the race.

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

HYS: Should Newcastle hijack Cardiff’s move for Grujic?

Newcastle are reportedly on the hunt for another central midfielder this summer, so should they hijack Cardiff’s move for Marko Grujic?

With Mikel Merino being linked with a move away from Newcastle and Mo Diame turning 31, it is no surprise that Rafael Benitez wants another centre mid this summer.

The Magpies have already been linked with countless players to compete with Diame and Jonjo Shelvey for those midfield positions in Benitez’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Stoke’s Badou Ndiaye seems a good fit to take over from Diame, while Jack Wilshere’s departure from Arsenal has got the rumour mill churning in full swing.

If Benitez wants a direct replacement for Merino though, he should be looking at Liverpool’s Grujic.

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The 22 year-old Serbian international spent the second half of last season on loan with Cardiff, and has been strongly linked with a return to the Welsh side.

The towering youngster was an absolute beast for the Bluebirds, winning an incredible 4.8 aerial duels per game, and making nearly two tackles and two interceptions per game.

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Grujic doesn’t have the same eye for a pass that the likes of Merino and Shelvey have, but he would add depth and steel to that Magpies midfield, and a loan move could be perfect for all parties.

So, Newcastle fans, would you like to see Benitez go for Grujic? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Wolves loanee Jesus Vallejo is set to be recalled by Real Madrid

Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Jesus Vallejo will be recalled by Real Madrid in January, as reported by Sky Sports.

What’s the story?

It is suggested that Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed the defender, who is rated at £9m by Transfermarkt, will be heading out of Molineux.

The 22-year-old is expected to be loaned straight back out by the Spanish giants in a bid to get him further game time, with 18 months left on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Part of the thinking behind the decision to recall him is Willy Boly’s recuperation from injury, as he is already back in light training, having fractured his ankle in October.

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Out of the shadows

Leaving Wolves will put an end to what will surely be considered a nightmare spell for Vallejo, as he spent most of the time in the shadows rather than getting the game time he travelled to England for.

The defender has made just one Premier League start and another substitute appearance, adding four more starts across the Carabao Cup and Europa League.

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For somebody who will soon need to prove that he is worthy of a new contract at Real Madrid, that is simply not enough time out on the pitch.

Across his 162 minutes in the league, the Spaniard made a total of 1 tackle, 2 interceptions, 7 clearances and 3 blocks.

However, he has evidently not done enough to prove to Santo that he should be in the Portuguese manager’s team, as he has not got a single minute in any of the last 12 league games – failing to even make the bench in six of those matches.

With the points above considered, it seems pretty pointless for Vallejo to stick around from the viewpoints of the player and both clubs involved, so it is only right that the Spaniard’s nightmare spell is being put to an end.

In other news, Wolves are in talks to sign a South American striker.

Five Man United stars who could be set for a last-minute exit

We may only be five days away from the official closing of the summer transfer window but there’s still plenty of business to be done in the Premier League. Chelsea appear hell-bent on acquiring Everton’s John Stones and Juventus star Paul Pogba, for example, whilst Arsenal fans are desperate for Arsene Wenger to sign a new striker.

Of course, we all prefer the glamour of a multi-million new arrival of the Memphis Depay variety but a number of Premier League managers will be looking to offload some of their deadwood too before the summer window slams shut at 6pm on September 1st.

So with that in mind, Football Fancast have decided to take a look at FIVE Manchester United stars who might be set for a last-minute exit from Old Trafford.

Will Louis van Gaal be issuing some of these FIVE their marching orders before the summer window closes next Tuesday?

DAVID DE GEA

At the end of last season, David De Gea’s move to Real Madrid seemed set in stone. But three games into the new Premier League campaign and he’s still a Manchester United player – albeit one barred from first team action by Louis van Gaal.

The concern is that the Red Devils may not have very long at all to find a replacement for their PFA Player of the Year nominee, with the Spaniard by no means the only goalie expected to head out of Old Trafford before September 1st – more on that later.

But with just a year remaining on his contract, United don’t have much of a choice if the right offer comes along. And according to reports from The Daily Mail this morning, Real Madrid are about to make a final take-it-or-leave-it £33million bid.

It’s likely the Red Devils will accept. After all, that sum would make De Gea the most expensive goalkeeper of all time – not bad considering United have already kept two Premier League clean sheets without him this season.

VICTOR VALDES

Another supremely talented Spanish goalkeeper heading out of the Old Trafford exit door. The Red Devils snapped up Victor Valdes on a free transfer only last January but he’s already fallen afoul of Louis van Gaal, who revealed in July his intentions to sell the former Barcelona No.1 after refusing to play for the U21 squad.

As a consequence, the 33 year-old has been a regular figure in the Old Trafford stands this season, often sitting alongside David De Gea and Andreas Lindegaard.

But it appears Valdes has finally been offered an escape route from his torrid time at Carrington; according to The Guardian, he’s set to join Besiktas on a free transfer.

JESSE LINGARD

Many suspect a cameo role for Jesse Lingard at Manchester United this season after impressing for the England U21s at the European Championship and for the Red Devils during their pre-season tour of the USA.

That still might be the case; after all, Bristol City’s rumoured £2.5million bid for the winger-forward earlier this month appeared to fall on deaf ears at Carrington and he signed a contract extension until 2018 just a matter of months ago.

But Lingard is yet to make it onto a United bench this season and there are plenty more clubs willing to take the 22 year-old off the Red Devils’ hands. Newcastle boss Steve McClaren is apparently interested, for example, having been impressed with his performances on loan at Derby County last season.

Resultantly, a loan move for the season is certainly plausible – especially considering United already have more than enough youth in the attacking third through Adnan Januzaj and £30million signing Memphis Depay.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ

It seemed Manchester United’s abundant lack of striking options would allow Javier Hernandez a stay of execution at Old Trafford until his contract expired next summer, with Louis van Gaal hinting in the off-season that the Mexico international would be given another chance in the United squad following his occasionally spectacular if rather inconsistent loan spell at Real Madrid last season.

That was until yesterday evening and a frankly horrendous performance against FC Brugge in the Champions League play-off. Chicarito not only missed a five-yard sitter but also slipped when trying to take a penalty and ultimately missed, leading to a rather telling glance between van Gaal and assistant Ryan Giggs.

It seems the 26 year-old is still at Old Trafford due to necessity rather than any fondness on the Iron Tulip’s part, and last night’s performance may have just convinced him that it’s time to sell.

Hernandez has plenty of admirers from the Premier League and yonder. Tottenham and West Ham have both been linked with him throughout the summer and are still searching for added striking options, so they could launch late bids.

Leaving only Wayne Rooney and James Wilson behind, however, Little Pea’s departure may depend on United signing another striker first.

JONNY EVANS

Manchester United may be short of top quality at centre-half but that doesn’t appear to have improved Jonny Evans’ chances of prolonging his Old Trafford stay past the end of the transfer window.

Indeed, the Northern Ireland international managed just 14 Premier League appearances under Louis van Gaal last season – his second-worst campaign haul since becoming a United regular in 2008 – and he’s now seemingly at the bottom of a pecking order that includes Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind.

Evans’ contract entering its final twelve months only provides further incentive for van Gaal to scrap the 27 year-old and there are already quite a few interested parties.

Everton are known to be considering a move for the 6 foot 2 centre-half but speculation this morning suggests West Bromwich Albion has become a likelier destination. A ballpark figure of £10million has been mooted.

The main reason David De Gea will play again soon for Man United

Following an eleventh-hour standoff, David De Gea’s proposed transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid fell through, with the subsequent blame game dominating the European press.

The Spanish goalkeeper’s desire to return to his homeland has been apparent for some time now, with the fact that he was unwilling to extend his contract at Old Trafford testament to this wish.

With less than 12 months left on his current deal with Louis van Gaal’s men, there is still an inevitability that De Gea will end up at the Santiago Bernabeu sooner rather than later, whether it be in January or next summer.

While the transfer saga has unfolded over recent times, United have made a relatively underwhelming start to the new campaign, with the wantaway keeper watching on from the sidelines.

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Van Gaal has removed De Gea from competitive action following a mistake in pre-season against Paris Saint-Germain, with the Spanish custodian’s mental frame not in the right place for him to perform to his mercurial best.

However, despite the popular goalkeeper missing the first four Premier League games of the new season, the likelihood is that De Gea will be back between the sticks for United in the not too distant future.

Quite simply, it suits all parties.

There is no doubting that the player wanted a move to Madrid and will be disappointed and annoyed that his wish did not come to fruition.

However, with the prospect of many months watching football rather than playing it, De Gea will get over any feelings of hurt pretty quickly and will be refocussing on getting a starting berth for the club.

Although he will not want to miss out on prolonged periods of club football, De Gea also has international recognition to consider.

With Euro 2016 on the horizon in France next summer, the Spain international will not want to risk missing out on potential participation by sulking at Old Trafford.

From United’s perspective, if and when De Gea is ready to focus and commit 100 per cent to the campaign ahead, it will not be long before Van Gaal selects him.

Quite simply, the Spaniard is one of the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League and was a key facet in the Red Devils finishing in the top four last season.

De Gea’s brilliance saved the club points on countless occasions and his presence in the side will lift everyone in the team.

His replacement Sergio Romero kept a couple of clean sheets in his first games in a United goal, but in the pressurised arena of the Liberty Stadium last weekend, did not cover himself in glory.

The Argentina international is certainly an able stopper, with an excellent record for his country.

However, with little experience of playing for a big club and clearly not as naturally gifted as De Gea, it will be an easy choice for Van Gaal when both are available.

The transfer saga has ended without a transfer, with business as usual in the United goal set to resume in the very near future.

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Is this Liverpool star the real deal or just massively overrated?

Philippe Coutinho. To some Liverpool fans, the club’s most important player. To some tabloids, an apparent target of European champions Barcelona. To myself, one of the Premier League’s most overrated stars whose popularity hinges upon the abbreviated and superficial nature of Match of the Day.

No doubt, Coutinho is a talented footballer, especially considering he’s still just 23 years of age. Last season he earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year and since August 2014 has been called upon regularly – eleven times to be precise – by Brazil coach Dunga, yet his talents lay in his ability to entertain rather than to win football matches.

That’s not to say the attacking midfielder has never single-handedly won a football match for Liverpool. His Goal of the Month for August claimed all three points in the dying embers of an otherwise scoreless affair with Stoke City on the opening day of the season, but that in itself illustrates the argument I’m making.

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The midfielder’s strike possessed all the quality and imagination you’d expect of a Selacao star, ripping through the air past a helpless Jack Butland, but that one worldie has come at the expense of 42 other opportunities wasted through more futile efforts; the second-most attempts at goal of any player in the Premier League and less than half of which have actually been on target.

Most fall into the category of high, wide and unhandsome and if you let virtually any Premier League player – be they Yaya Toure or John Terry – have 43 attempts from the edge of the box, one will inevitably find its way into the corner of the net and look particularly special whilst doing so. If you give a thousand monkeys a thousand typewriters, you eventually get a masterpiece.

Coutinho’s game isn’t all about scoring goals but that approach to finding the net does typify the Brazilian’s continual protrusion of style over substance. He relentlessly attempts the killer pass, the killer shot or the killer skill, seemingly failing to take into account the inevitable wastage when trying to pull off the spectacular every time he receives the ball.

Manchester City’s David Silva is the best No.10 in the Premier League because he makes goals without losing the ball. After all, that is the ultimate job of a No.10. Liverpool’s No.10, on the other hand, gifts the ball back to the opposition goalkeeper at least four times per match, is dispossessed whilst carrying 2.4 times per match and misses nearly 20% of his passes. That’s around 15 times per match he’s squandered possession this term and 135 times overall, which is hardly justified by a return of one goal and two assists.

Of course, you don’t see much of that on Match of the Day, which is why Coutinho continues to be such a popular figure with the Premier League audience. The highlights always show his moments of mild brilliance but rarely the ordinary football leading up to it. When you watch Coutinho over a full ninety minutes, however, more often than not he’s irritatingly wasteful and tends to only influence games in short bursts. He’s only actually created nine chances in nine appearances so far this season and averaged 42 passes per match. Nine Liverpool players have averaged more.

No question, Coutinho has the potential to make me eat my words at some point over the next few years. Aaron Ramsey, Ross Barkley and Christian Eriksen have all been accused of overcomplicated games in the past but are now amongst the top attacking midfielders in the division. The Premier League is particularly obsessed with dynamic match-winners possessing a knack for the occasional sublime and should the South American’s goal tally venture into double figures, many would argue the countless wild strikes into the Anfield stands are an acceptable compromise.

But right now, Coutinho isn’t producing to anywhere near that level. Match-winning displays are continually juxtaposed by underwhelming ones, just as every worldie is juxtaposed by countless shots of considerable mediocrity, so if the tabloids are accurate in claiming Barcelona will launch a bid for the 23 year-old in January, Liverpool would be well advised to bite their hand off.

Although any potential replacement might lack Coutinho’s streak of the fleeting spectacular, the chances are that they’ll be far more consistent in helping Liverpool to victory.

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Arsenal eye Real Madrid star following Sanchez injury blow

Arsenal are exploring the possibility of luring Jese Rodriguez to north London from Real Madrid in January following Alexis Sanchez’s hamstring injury, according to reports from Don Balon.

Arsene Wenger’s decision to risk his Chilean superstar against Norwich on Sunday backfired when the ex-Barcelona man limped off in the second half and it’s expected that he’ll be out of action for at least the rest of the year.

This has come as a real blow for the Gunners, who are also without Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck, and reports claim that the club are eager to boost their options with a move for Jese when the looming transfer window opens.

The 22-year-old is seen as a back-up option at the Bernabeu, which may tempt him to move on either on loan or permanently, with regular playing time likely to open up the outside chance of making Spain’s EURO 2016 squad.

Jese can play on either flank, as a ‘No.10’ or as a striker.

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Should Man United look to this £50m January man to solve LVG’s woes?

Let’s face it – despite the many millions of pounds that have been spent down at Old Trafford in recent transfer windows, the 2015/16 campaign has so far proven a somewhat thankless task for Louis van Gaal, with his team’s distinct inability to do the business in front of goal a worry.

Memphis Depay seemingly hasn’t settled as quickly as some Manchester United fans may have initially been expecting him to, the talents of Anthony Martial have become somewhat wasted under LVG’s recent tactics and although the current Red Devils skipper remains side-lined from the first team fold at Old Trafford at the moment – Wayne Rooney simply fails to resemble the player he once was for the prestigious Premier League club.

So then, with the January transfer window fast approaching, are Manchester United really ready sign Everton’s Romelu Lukaku to address their concerns as certain reports have recently made out?

Well, whilst the majority of Toffees fans would likely want their club to hold onto their marque centre-forward whatever the Red Devils may be offering this January, Lukaku would certainly help turn United into a potent attacking force once again.

The Belgium international has already scored 12 league goals this season, clearly proving Jose Mourinho and Chelsea wrong for wanting rid of his services just a few short seasons ago. Although his overall game still has some way to go at the age of 22, the former Blues front-man already goes down as one of the Premier League’s very best strikers – which could even be a feat replicated on the European footballing scene if his current progress is to offer anything to go by.

Although it would be wrong to over-sensationalise the current situation regarding the Red Devils in 2015/16, Van Gaal’s side ultimately need a little help in the striking department, which could be obtained in the January transfer window. If they eventually fail to receive any, United risk falling behind the rest of their Premier League opposition for good… or at least a while.

However, the major stumbling block involving any potential deal linking Lukaku with a move to Old Trafford this January would obviously be the price. Yes, the Red Devils’ hierarchy certainly haven’t shied away from splashing the cash rather carelessly in the past, but the reported £50m asking price for the Belgian’s signature could nonetheless prevent this move from happening.

United have seemingly backed themselves into corner when it comes to financial negotiations this season. After spending way over the odds on the likes of Martial, Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw and Fellaini recently, Everton are well within their rights to demand another small fortune for Lukaku. Such is the way modern day football seems to be heading.

So then, should the Red Devils eventually decide to part ways with such a hefty transfer fee this January, Everton would likely have to concede defeat one way or another. Despite Lukaku remaining a massive prospect at Goodison Park heading into the future, that £50m could easily be spent across the rest of Roberto Martinez’ side and eventually turn the Toffees into an all-round superior outfit.

Manchester United would nonetheless paint themselves out in a pretty desperate light should any such deal take place, however, as the Old Trafford faithful need something to boost their spirits in 2015/16, perhaps Romelu Lukaku could ultimately find himself departing Everton far sooner than most fans expected…

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