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According to a recent report from The Independent, Leicester City are interested in bringing Danny Drinkwater back to the King Power Stadium. The 28-year-old only made the move to Chelsea from the Midlands outfit 12 months ago but has simply been unable to command regular football at Stamford Bridge, thus throwing up the possibility of a move away before this evening’s 5pm transfer deadline.

And Claude Puel’s Leicester are one side reportedly keen on the £18 million-rated star (as per Transfermarkt), in a deal which would round off an excellent summer of business by the Foxes.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Puel’s men deserve great credit from moving away from the Premier League’s relegation zone to eventually finish ninth in the division last term, although their poor form in 2018 suggests that there is still huge room for improvement this time round.

And Puel has gone about trying to improve the fortunes of his side by seeking to bolster areas of his squad seemingly in need of strengthening, with James Maddison set to give him a genuine option as a number ten, while Ricardo Pereira will offer genuine competition to right back Danny Simpson.

Add in the arrival of Danny Ward as cover for Kasper Schmeichel, and Rachid Ghezzal to try and begin filling the void left by Riyad Mahrez, and Leicester have embarked upon a fine summer thus far – Drinkwater’s arrival would round it off brilliantly.

The 28-year-old may have struggled to nail down a regular starting place under Antonio Conte at Chelsea last season, but one mustn’t forget that the midfielder was excellent for Leicester during his five-year spell at the King Power Stadium.

The England international played a key part in their Championship promotion-winning campaign of 2013/14 before helping them stave off relegation in incredible circumstances the season after – not to mention the huge role he played in their Premier League title-winning success of 2015/16.

Thus, it’s clear the Drinkwater has played some of the best football of his career at the Midlands outfit, and it was there where he ultimately earned his three England caps and indeed a move to Chelsea – he may need a return to familiar surroundings to reignite his career.

And having Drinkwater back at the King Power Stadium would give Puel another excellent option in the middle of the park ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League season, which for the Foxes gets underway at Old Trafford on Friday night.

Thus, Puel would certainly round off an excellent summer of business were he to seal a deal for the 28-year-old before this evening’s deadline.

Leicester fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Leeds are eyeing loan moves for another midfielder before the transfer window closes, and they could do a lot worse than enquiring about Tottenham sensation Luke Amos.

What’s the story?

According to a recent report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Marcelo Bielsa wants to add to the spine of his team this summer.

The new Leeds boss has already made some excellent additions with the like of Barry Douglas and Patrick Bamford, but a couple of injuries in midfield could be devastating.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has spoken in the past about his admiration for Bielsa, calling him one of the best managers in the world.

Amos had an excellent pre-season for Spurs, but despite coming on in the closing stages of their win at Newcastle he is unlikely to get regular minutes in the first team this season.

A loan move to Elland Road would be perfect for all parties, so it might be time for Bielsa to call in a favour.

Would he be a good signing?

Bielsa’s 4-1-4-1 formation has brought the best out of plenty of players already at Elland Road, but without doubt the biggest transformation has been in the midfield.

Kalvin Phillips looks like a completely different player in the deeper role, and the combination of energy, creativity and versatility in the duo of Mateusz Klich and Samuel Saiz has been incredible.

Amos might not dislodge any of this trio immediately, but the youngster could play in any of their places, so he would certainly get plenty of use as the season wears on and Bielsa’s high-octane pressing takes its toll.

The 21 year-old emerged on Spurs’ pre-season tour of America, starring in his first start against Roma in that deeper Phillips role. He then strutted his stuff further forward in his next start against Barcelona, helping set up a goal and just generally dictating play from midfield.

He is a good passer, has excellent composure on the ball for such a young player, and he’s not afraid to get stuck in either. His versatility, athleticism and eye for a pass means he could easily slot into any of those three midfield positions at Leeds, and a Championship loan spell seems the next logical step after his successful stint with Stevenage in League Two last season.

So, Leeds fans, would you like to see a loan move for Amos? Or should you be seeking more experience in midfield? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

James Collins will not be re-joining West Ham United this summer despite training with the club, and Leeds United should be looking to pounce to sign the 35-year-old.

What’s the word, then?

Collins left West Ham at the end of last season, but it had recently been suggested that the centre-back could return to the Hammers on a short-term deal.

Such speculation has been addressed by West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini, however, who revealed that his team would not be offering Collins a contract.

A number of clubs are believed to be closely monitoring developments surrounding the central defender, and there is no question that he will soon have a new club.

At the age of 35, Collins is not a long-term option by any means, but there is no doubting that he is good enough to play a season or two at Championship level.

And Leeds really should be considering an approach for the former Wales international as they look to secure a return to the Premier League in Marcelo Bielsa’s first season at the helm.

Why would Collins be a good signing?

There is simply no substitute for experience, and bringing Collins to Elland Road at this stage of the season would be a huge boost for Leeds.

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The Whites have started the 2018-19 campaign in terrific fashion – collecting 10 points from their four Championship matches to sit top of the table.

Centre-back Liam Cooper is facing a period on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, however, and there is no question that the Whites could do with another player in that area of the field.

Rather than seek a loan deal from a Premier League club, Leeds should be looking at a player who has made 279 Premier League appearances during a very strong career.

Collins has been there and done it, and the 6ft 2in defender would be a towering presence for Bielsa’s side if a deal was to take place.

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been giving their verdict on the upcoming clash with Brighton, and plenty are calling for Daniel Sturridge to start.

Going into the summer transfer window, many Liverpool fans felt the club needed a new back up striker to support Roberto Firmino.

The Brazilian played a ridiculous amount of games last season, and the struggling Divock Origi and Dominic Solanke just aren’t going to cut it.

However, Sturridge looks like a completely different player just a few months after his awful loan spell with West Brom, and the England international was excellent in pre-season.

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Fans are now calling for Jürgen Klopp to start Sturridge against Brighton on Saturday, thus giving Firmino the rest he needs to get up to full fitness.

Firmino rushed back to start the first game after his World Cup exertions with Brazil, and he just hasn’t quite been at his best.

The Reds shouldn’t have too many problems when Brighton come to Anfield, so it could be the perfect chance to rest Firmino and get Sturridge firing again.

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

According to The Sun, Tottenham star Érik Lamela pulled out before Tottenham’s match against Man United with a hamstring injury.   

Although the severity of the injury is not clear as of yet, it appears to be another setback in a catalogue of injuries that have marred the Argentinian’s career.

His side went on to emphatically win 3-0 at Old Trafford, with Luke Amos replacing him on the bench. However, manager Mauricio Pochettino’s patience must slowly be growing thin with Tottenham’s once most expensive player.

Since joining from Roma in 2013, Lamela (valued at £18m on Transfermarkt.co.uk) has missed 85 games for Tottenham, and has struggled to string games together, meaning he has failed in securing a starting berth.

While Lamela himself, as well as Pochettino, must be growing tired with the number of injuries, Tottenham are certainly coping. The emergence of Lucas Moura will knock Lamela further down the pecking order while he is injured. Likewise, Son Heung-min has also grown into a important figure at the club, not to mention the mainstays in the team in Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen.

Lamela appears to be at a crossroads in his career; constantly plagued by injuries, it seems as though he is forever going to struggle to consistently feature for The Lilywhites. Whether this injury only puts him out a day, a week, or a month, it must become very discouraging for fans, the player and the manager to constantly have these setbacks. Pochettino would obviously like to give his countryman as much time as possible, but he must be running out of patience.

Mousa Dembele has been one of Mauricio Pochettino’s most important players over the years at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the rigours of the Premier League seem to be taking a toll on the midfielder due to the injury woes that he has experienced.

At the age of 31, Dembele still has plenty of years left in him in his career but his display against Watford at the weekend should be seen as a warning to Tottenham.

The Belgian international – valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt – cannot be relied upon to carry out stellar performances week by week in the engine room.

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One of the aspects of his game that he prides himself on is the ability to hold on to the ball, but during the 2-1 defeat to Watford, he struggled in possession.

Even though his passing wasn’t terrible, Dembele only managed 79% accuracy, and his defensive attributes were lacking with zero interceptions and tackles.

The midfielder also played a hand in Watford’s two goals as he gave away the free kick that led to Troy Deeney’s equaliser and lost Craig Cathcart for the winner.

With Dembele’s contract due to expire at the end of the season, it may be best for Spurs to part ways and begin looking for a replacement who can keep the team ticking week by week.

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Everton look set to face West Ham this weekend without any of their veteran defenders, so who should be the Toffees’ captain going forward?

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Everton have been spoiled for captain choices recently, with Phil Jagielka, Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines all boasting a wealth of experience and passion for the club.

The popular trio are set to miss the clash against West Ham though, as Baines has lost his place to new signing Lucas Digne, Jagielka has picked up a slight knock, and Coleman suffered a serious foot injury on international duty.

That said, who should be the Toffees’ captain going forward? It’s probably safe to rule out any new signings, so could Marco Silva stun fans by handing Tom Davies the armband?

The 20 year-old splits opinion amongst fans, but his passion can never be questioned, and the responsibility of the armband might just add that leadership and discipline he needs, as it did for Jamaal Lascelles at Newcastle.

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The other candidates are probably Jordan Pickford and Gylfi Sigurdsson, both of whom have shown a great connection with the fans since moving to Merseyside.

However, handing the local lad the armband could be just what he needs to find his form on a consistent basis, and could be Silva’s best decision yet.

So, Everton fans, what do you think? Who gets the armband? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 for a then-club record fee of around £42.5 million. Ozil provided an assist for Olivier Giroud on his debut for the Gunners, and it looked like a sign of the things to come.

In terms of assists, the German playmaker has lived up to his reputation. He holds the record for being the fastest player to register fifty assists in Premier League history. However, there are aspects of the 29-year-old’s game that have attracted persistent criticism. 

Ozil has been accused of laziness, a poor attitude and a lack of defensive diligence that has cost his team. Not only that, in January he signed a contract that made him the highest-paid player in Arsenal history, but his form since then has not justified this investment.

Now, in his sixth season at the Emirates Stadium, Ozil still divides opinion. In fact, only 51% of these polled Arsenal fans consider him to have been a successful signing. See the full results below.

Manchester United are set to take on reigning Swiss champions Young Boys on Wednesday and will be expecting to return back to Old Trafford with three points in tow.

As the heavy favourites for this fixture, Jose Mourinho may see the match as an opportunity to rotate his squad a little. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Sergio Romero, Scott McTominay, Matteo Darmian and Andreas Pereira could all be in line for inclusion from the off.

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Another vying for a space in the starting XI is Anthony Martial. Following a summer of intense speculation upon his future, the Frenchman ultimately remained with the Red Devils. However, he has only started one game so far in this new campaign and appears to have fallen down the manager’s pecking order, with Mourinho ultimately failing him given the ability and potential he clearly has.

A player of Martial’s quality needs to be playing regular football, especially if he is to stand any chance of breaking back into the French international set up. Equally, Mourinho can’t afford to have such a talented player failing to deliver. 

The boss must give Martial his chance to shine and prove his quality today against Young Boys. 81% of the United fans we polled agreed. See the full results below.

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Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of three consecutive defeats in all competitions by beating Brighton 2-1 at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side entered that game on the back of defeats against Watford, Liverpool and Inter Milan, raising the pressure on the North London side as their slip allowed the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal to close the gap in the Premier League.

A return to winning ways was, therefore, a relief for Pochettino and his team, with the Argentine boss deserving credit for the changes he made ahead of the game – one of which saw Paulo Gazzaniga replace Michel Vorm in goal.

Pochettino, in his own assessment of the match, identified Gazzaniga has his Man of the Match following the win and he now faces a big decision as to who he keeps between the sticks for next weekend’s clash with Huddersfield Town.

Hugo Lloris remains unavailable and Pochettino must stick with Gazzaniga after his fine performance, especially as the last three games with Vorm between the posts have resulted in defeat for the North London side.

Do you agree Spurs fans? Who should be selected as your goalkeeper against Huddersfield? Let us know your thoughts in our poll below…

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