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Chelsea have made a number of players available on the transfer market this summer, including senior left-back Marcos Alonso. 

Frank Lampard is looking to completely revamp his team as he leads them into what promises to be a thrilling 2020/21 season. FCInterNews have reported that both Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are eyeing up a potential move for the Spaniard (via Sport Witness).

Chelsea are eager to bolster their backline as well as their options in goal. Last campaign saw them concede the most goals out of the top 10 in the Premier League, with a worrying 54. However, Lampard has acknowledged these issues and wants to make the appropriate changes, starting with a left-back and a goalkeeper.

Ben Chilwell is one of the club’s main priorities this transfer window, with talks ongoing over whether they will land a deal for the England international. However, Leicester aren’t willing to let him go on the cheap and reportedly value him higher than record outgoing Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United for a staggering £80m last year (via BBC Sport).

The report claims that Chelsea will only recruit a new left-back if either Alonso or Emerson Palmieri leave the club this summer. Fortunately for the Blues, they may be in luck as Emerson could depart for Inter Milan in the coming weeks.

According to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the two parties have agreed on a five-year contract but no transfer fee has been decided. However, a move could be likely, with the Italian defender appearing just 16 times in the Premier League last term (via Transfermarkt).

If Alonso is also moved on in this transfer window, Lampard will be free in his mission to sign Chilwell. With Roman Abramovich providing a £120m budget, the Blues certainly have enough in the bank to tempt Leicester into selling their left-back.

Would you sell Marcos Alonso in order to sign Ben Chilwell? Join the discussion in the comments below…

An unnamed club has made an offer for Rotherham United striker and Sunderland transfer target Jerry Yates, according to Sunderland Echo.

With the League One season ending prematurely, Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson will be looking to bring in some new faces after failing to gain promotion to the Championship. Interest in former Swindon striker Yates has re-emerged, with an unnamed club said to have made an offer in the last few days.

The 23-year-old scored 13 goals in 31 games on loan with the Robins in League Two during the 2019/20 season before returning to parent club Rotherham.

Swindon are also said to be looking at pursuing a permanent move for Yates, with their manager Richie Wellens having spoken about an offer that he believed would be submitted in the next 48 hours.

With the striker’s future now being heavily discussed, Sunderland Echo have claimed that the unnamed club to have submitted an offer are Blackpool and not the Wearsiders.

Yates was expected to leave Rotherham this summer due to his contract expiry but the newly-promoted Championship club chose to activate the option to extend by a further year, thus allowing them to sell him on.

It looks like Sunderland could miss out on Yates if indeed it is Blackpool who have just tabled a bid for him, although missing out on him might not be disastrous for the Wearsiders.

Yates has done well in League Two but, having scored just once in 18 League One games, the step up to England’s third tier could be a lofty one for him, so Sunderland ought to just turn to other targets instead.

Do you think Sunderland should make a bid for Yates? Let us know in the comments section below…

Key information about Bramall Lane

Bramall Lane was built in 1855 and is now the home of Sheffield United. The stadium is located in South Yorkshire and remains one of the oldest grounds in football history that’s still used for professional football matches.

Its current capacity is 32,702 and has a pitch size of 112m x 72m. The field doesn’t have a running track and is covered with a hybrid surface that’s part natural grass and part artificial fibre.

The record attendance of 68,287 was set at an FA Cup clash between Sheffield United and Leeds United on 15 February 1936.

A history of Bramall Lane

Being one of the oldest stadiums in the world that is still used for professional football, it doesn’t surprise that Bramall Lane has a rich history. It was built in 1855 on a Sheffield road named after the Bramall family. Interestingly, however, the ground was initially built for cricket, not football, and has been used for both sports over the years.

In the 19th century, Bramall Lane was used by both Sheffield F.C. and Sheffield Wednesday, but since 1889 and the club’s inception, it has become the home of Sheffield United, which is true to this day. The first football match to be played there was actually the clash between Sheffield F.C. and Hallam F.C on 29 December 1862, seven years after it was first built.

Intriguingly, that was possibly the first charity match in football history as the game was used to raise money for the ‘Lancashire Mills Distress Fund’. And what’s even more interesting is that the match lasted for three hours and finished in a 0-0 draw.

But Bramall Lane continued being the first in many things and in October 1878, it registered the first official floodlit match in football. Of course, they wouldn’t stop there either as the ground is only one of two on the planet to host an England football international match, an England cricket test match and an FA Cup Final. Needless to say, it drips with history and significance in the world of sports.

The 1890s and 1900s were when the stadium went through a series of improvements as they got two new stands, a roof and also an increase in capacity, eventually recording its highest ever attendance in 1936 when 68,287 spectators watched the FA Cup clash between hosts Sheffield United and the visitors Leeds.

In 1975 they added the South Stand, in 1991 the Kop and in 1994, the stadium became an all-seater. There were more developments over the following years and Bramall Lane also got expanded on two occasions after the turn of the new millennium, once in 2001 and once in 2006.

Bramall Lane is a football and cricket stadium first and foremost, which also gives it a unique shape, but it’s been a host to many different sports such as cycling, rugby, basketball, baseball, tennis, archery, crown green bowling, skating, athletics and boxing too.

Tickets to watch Sheffield United at Bramall Lane

All the tickets to watch Sheffield United at Bramall Lane can be found on the club’s official website. They offer different categories of tickets but the average adult ticket costs around £40.

Sheffield United also have season tickets and memberships that can give you significant discounts over a larger number of games played throughout the season.

Related links

https://www.sufc.co.uk/ – Official website of Sheffield United

https://tickets.sufc.co.uk/ – Sheffield United Ticket Office

It’s fair to say Odsonne Edouard has enjoyed a very impressive campaign at Celtic this season.

The Frenchman has been leading the charge for Neil Lennon’s side, as they chase yet ano

ther league title in Scotland. As per Transfermarkt, he has bagged 27 goals in just 45 games across all competitions, including setting up another 19 too.

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Such has been the striker’s form, that Premier League side Arsenal have been touted with making a move for him this summer as a potential replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Whether Edouard stays at the club remains to be seen, but the club announced via their official Twitter account that he has been nominated for the Player of the Year award at Celtic.

Fans of the Hoops flocked to the replies section to share their thoughts on Edouard and him potentially taking home the award.

A couple of fans even urged for Edouard to be given a new contract to go along with potentially taking home the award.

It’s no surprise that many Celtic fans are pushing for Edouard to win the Player of the Year award.

The Frenchman has more than replaced former Hoops striker Moussa Dembele, and the interest from Arsenal really goes to show how his performances have gone up a level this campaign.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

David Sullivan has thrown his support behind West Ham United Manuel Pellegrini in a period where the manager needs to turn things around, as reported by Football Insider.

The report suggests that there have been no moves to line up a replacement manager for the Chilean, with it also being claimed that he will definitely be in charge against Chelsea.

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There is currently plenty of frustration being aimed towards him and the decisions he has made, but keeping Pellegrini in the hot seat is the correct decision for the club – for now at least.

One of the biggest problems facing the club at the moment is their goalkeeper situation, as Roberto has been calamitous since coming in for Lukasz Fabianski, conceding 16 goals in eight games.

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No managerial change is going to impact the fact that the goalkeeper is performing below par, so anybody coming in would have exactly the same big issue as Pellegrini.

The most they could do in this regard is use David Martin or Joseph Anang instead, though that would still not be ideal for an incoming boss.

This may not be the only issue facing the men in claret and blue, with another example being how Sebastien Haller has been isolated, with football.london claiming this is a problem that has got progressively worse.

However, Pellegrini should be given the opportunity to turn things around with Fabianski in goal, especially after he was given so much backing during the summer transfer window.

If nothing else, waiting until the Poland international is back between the sticks would give the next manager the best conditions to get a positive start, which would give them a better chance of building some momentum.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Andriy Yarmolenko started up-front for Ukraine against Serbia on Sunday, and proved that he can be effective playing through the middle.

On the chalkboard

The 27-year-old naturally plays right-wing and he has started to prove his effectiveness there for the Hammers, though recent poor results have seen the whole squad suffer somewhat.

That means he hasn’t scored for his club since September, but if given a different role it could freshen up the squad and allow the Ukrainian to rediscover some of his best form.

It is unlikely that he would play up-front due to the form of Sebastien Haller, but operating in the number 10 role, close to the Frenchman, could allow his best attributes to shine.

Given the injury to Manuel Lanzini and the lack of form of Pablo Fornals, who is still without a league goal or assist, attacking midfield is somewhat of a problem position for West Ham, and with Michail Antonio set to return from injury at some stage it makes sense to move the Ukranian into the middle.

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Suited to attacking midfield

Considering Yarmolenko is not all used to playing as a forward, his performance for his country on Sunday was an impressive one.

He made three key passes and three long balls, which shows how useful he could be for his club in the final third, as the Hammers have lacked players who can provide that cutting edge in attack, with no player averaging more than two key passes per game.

That is one of the reasons why Pellegrini’s side have scored just 14 goals in 12 league games, and why Haller has often been isolated in the lone striker role, with Yarmolenko often too busy helping out in defence.

The midfielder has shown he has an eye for goal too, and by playing in the middle he may be more likely to get onto the end of chances, as Robert Snodgrass’ recent goals attest too.

Against Serbia Yarmolenko also managed a pass accuracy of 88%, while the fact he won a tackle and took part in 15 total duels shows how hardworking he is, and that could come into great effect for West Ham in defending from the front.

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

According to the new report coming from Corriere dello Sport, Juventus are planning on bidding for Valencia’s youngster Ferran Torres as they are looking to add more young players into their squad. Interestingly, the 19-year-old, who has also been linked with Premier League side Liverpool in recent weeks, could actually solve the problem they have with their ageing flanks.

What’s the word, then?

Torres is one of the players the Bianconeri have been scouting for a while.

As per the same source the last time they’ve seen him in action was during his international display vs Macedonia, and they seem to like what the youngster has to offer.

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Of course, with his release clause set to €100m (£86m), he might not be a cheap option for the Italian giants.

That is especially apparent considering that both Liverpool and Barcelona have been prowling around the Spanish winger themselves, according to SportBild (via SportWitness) and Juventus might face some stern competition along the way.

But looking at what the talent can do and what the Bianconeri actually need, he might be worth the hassle after all.

Refreshing the squad

We’ve already discussed how targeting players like Tahith Chong would not really be beneficial for Juventus as they need to maximise their veterans’ last years at the top in order to finally make that push for European glory.

But this case is a bit different even though we’re talking about players of similar age who play in similar positions.

Torres is very much one of the next big things in the world of football and more developed than his Manchester United counterpart.

At the age of just 19, he has already played a total of 67 games for Valencia, bagging five goals and five assists in the process, and was the only Spanish player to be named in the 20-player shortlist for the Golden Boy award.

But even if we go beyond that, Juventus have an ageing problem with their flanks.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo – when he plays there – Douglas Costa and Juan Cuadrado are not getting any younger and Marko Pjaca and Federico Bernardeschi are not really of the calibre to successfully take over the mantle, at least not yet.

Torres is young but already has what it takes to play at the top level, which was evident from his stint with Valencia so far, and even has Champions League experience, scoring once in the two games he’s played in Europe in 2019/20.

His price tag and the competition by Liverpool and Barcelona might make it more difficult for Sarri to land his target, but he’s very much worth the trouble.

Which is exactly why the interest from the Reds, or the Blaugrana for that matter, doesn’t really come as a surprise.

Jurgen Klopp’s troops have an abundance of attacking firepower in their Mane – Firmino – Salah forward line, but even though it’s fairly early to make any big assumptions Torres very much looks like a player capable of providing competition – and perhaps even taking over the mantle – should he rock up at Anfield.

Despite their strength they don’t have a plethora of options or depth in attack, with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Adam Lallana and Divock Origi the main back-up players should one of the brilliant trio of starting XI regulars miss out.

And with Torres’ rapid development and big-stage experience already in the bag he could be a welcoming addition to their squad, even at this point in his career, as his profile seems to match Klopp’s requirements – at least if we compare him to his current wingers who both possess pace and the finishing product.

On paper, Liverpool just might be an even better choice than Turin for a surname the fans will have fond memories of having seen Fernando score 81 goals in 142 games for them previously, but we’ll have to wait and see who ends up sealing the deal should the Reds and Juve both make their move.

It was a good weekend in the end for Manchester City, coming back from 1-0 down against a resolute Southampton to nick the game just a few minutes from added time, though now there’s some more bad injury news. 

The Sky Blues fell behind early in the first period when Ederson’s fumble resulted in James Ward-Prowse poaching the ball in from close range with a striker’s instinct.

From then on, City threw the kitchen sink, implementing wave after wave of attacks before finally getting the breakthrough when Kyle Walker set up Sergio Aguero to nutmeg keeper Alex McCarthy from close range.

With all the momentum heading into a nervy last third, Walker put those nerves to rest when he netted Angelino’s cross five minutes from added time – keeping crucial pressure on league leaders Liverpool.

However, it has now been revealed that City legend David Silva suffered a muscular injury in the first half of their Saints encounter – with Pep Guardiola throwing on Gabriel Jesus in place of the Spaniard – in what looked like a tactical substitution at the time.

The news, confirmed by Guardiola, comes as a hammer blow for the Sky Blues’ Anfield preparations, as they are set to be without a number of first team stars.

Here’s how the fans reacted to their ridiculously bad luck with player fitness.

Loads of Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react after The Sun linked Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud with a move to Selhurst Park.

The report states that Giroud – who has 94 caps for France – is unhappy with his lack of playing time under Frank Lampard so far this term.

Tammy Abraham’s brilliance in attack – he is the joint-top Premier League scorer with eight goals – has seen the former Arsenal man’s game time limited, with another Palace target in Michy Batshuayi usually the preferred option off the bench.

Giroud, 33, has started just one game this season – against Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup. Impressively, he did manage to score in his one and only start this term, although it appears that he is after regular game time rather than a few minutes here and there.

Intriguingly, the report says that the former Montpellier forward would only cost the Eagles £3m, which would see the Blues record a huge loss on the £18m they spent on him in January 2018 – he has also earned £110k-a-week since signing.

Let’s take a look at what the Palace fans on Twitter have said about the rumours…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Real Madrid had a mixed season so far in their 2019/20 campaign.

After quite a rocky start Los Blancos finally gathered some pace and managed to propel themselves to the top of La Liga, where they’re currently enjoying the view from the summit.

But things are not looking as rosy in Europe.

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After two fixtures played, Real Madrid have a 3-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain and a 2-2 draw against Club Brugge at the Santiago Bernabeu under their belts.

By all means, not really a dreamy start.

For that reason, and especially with the recent injury to one of their talismans, Toni Kroos, Zinedine Zidane will need a new leader to give the Galacticos a little push.

The German midfielder has been doing exactly that with his recent performances, dropping masterclasses left, right and centre, but now, in his absence, Luka Modric might have to step up.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

His recent display for his national team, however, might prove he is definitely up for the task.

The 34-year-old veteran scored one of the goals for Croatia against Hungary but did a lot more than just that. He also tallied two key passes, 93 touches on the night and five accurate long balls while maintaining 91% passing accuracy as a whole.

This should prove to Zidane that Modric has still got it and should not be discarded just yet.

Of course, with recent whispers of Real Madrid potentially going for Christian Eriksen in the near future, the Croat’s position and role in the team might come under threat.

But if performances like the one against Hungary are any indication, then Modric should still surely have a part to play in the upcoming campaign.

He is, however, already 34 and the question of his longevity on the pitch should be brought up sooner rather than later.

Let’s see how long Real Madrid feel their midfield talisman can keep going.

Only time will tell.