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Leicester have made some huge transfer blunders in recent years. Signing Islam Slimani for a club record £29m and Kelechi Iheanacho for £25m are both right up there.

However, they also made a questionable call in selling Andrej Kramaric, which judging by the striker’s form for Hoffenheim this season, appears to be coming back to bite them.

At the moment he’d represent the perfect man to take some of the heat off Jamie Vardy, but unfortunately for the Foxes, he no longer belongs to the Midlands outfit.

After an article surfaced on The Leicester Mercury, the King Power faithful reflected upon what now looks like an awful call to get rid of him.

One fan went as far as describing it as potentially one of the biggest mistakes in Leicester’s history whilst another claimed he’d take the Croatian back tomorrow.

A further supporter suggested the 27-year-old should now be playing up front with Vardy. Another member of the Leicester fanbase labelled him better than Iheanacho.

Kramaric has been in fine goalscoring form in Germany this season, scoring 22 times in all competitions at club level. That included five strikes in the Champions League. Last term he found the net on 13 occasions in the Bundesliga.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

Whisper it quietly but Barnsley are now within touching distance of securing an instant return to the Championship.

A stunning transformation in fortunes since the arrival of Daniel Stendel last summer has seen their style of play completely change with one player, in particular, proving to be irrepressible in his midfield role.

Having joined the Tykes in January 2017, Alex Mowatt initially struggled to adapt to life at Oakwell with a number of under-par performances resulting him being loaned out to Oxford United last season. In his absence, Barnsley experienced a dismal campaign which culminated in the Yorkshire-based outfit being relegated from the second tier.

With uncertainties surrounding his future at the club, Mowatt benefited from a change in management as he was brought in from the cold by Siewert, a decision which has turned out to be a masterstroke by the German.

An outstanding level of consistency has seen the 24-year-old thrive in Barnsley’s system as not only has he been able to dictate the play alongside Cameron McGeehan but he has also produced valuable contributions in the final third.

Having scored in both of the club’s Easter weekend fixtures, the former Leeds United star has taken his tally to eight for the season which is a superb total for a deep-lying midfielder.

Although Cauley Woodrow may be grabbing all the headlines for Barnsley for his goal-scoring escapades, it could be argued that without the domineering presence of Mowatt, the club would not be in the position that they currently find themselves in.

Therefore, regardless of what division they are in next season, the Tykes simply cannot afford to let the £450,000-rated (according to Transfermarkt) hero leave in the summer. With a bright future ahead of him, Mowatt could become a modern-hero at the club over the coming years if he continues to develop as a player under the guidance of Siewert.

Given just how well he has played this season, it would not be at all surprising if he is subject to interest from elsewhere and so it is imperative that Barnsley resist any temptation to sell him when the transfer window opens in July.

What do you think Tykes fans? How important is it to keep Mowatt at Oakwell for the foreseeable future? Are you concerned about losing him in the summer? Get in touch below.

أعلن مهاجم روما إيدين دجيكو، إصابته بفيروس كورونا (كوفيد 19)، عبر حسابه الرسمي على “إنستجرام”.

قدم لاعب البوسنة الدولي بعض الأخبار السيئة إلى باولو فونسيكا، المدير الفني لروما، بعد أن أكد أنه كان إيجابيًا في الجولة الأخيرة من المسحات التي أجريت في ملعب الجيلاوروسي.

وكتب دجيكو على “إنستجرام”: “مرحبًا بالجميع، للأسف أنا إيجابي لـ فيروس كورونا، وكما تعلموا، يجب أن أحترم فترة الحجر الصحي”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لويس ألبرتو يكشف نتيجة مسحة كورونا قبل مواجهة يوفنتوس ولاتسيو

وأضاف: “أريد أن أطمئن كل من يعرفني، لحسن الحظ أنه ليس لدي أعراض معينة، لبضعة أيام سأضطر إلى الابتعاد عن زملائي في الفريق، ولكن بعقلي وقلبي سأبقى معهم، ابتداء من يوم الأحد، فوزرا روما”.

وسيغيب دجيكو عن مباراة جنوى قبل فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة ولن يتمكن من السفر لقيادة منتخب بلده هذا الشهر.

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Ciao a tutti, purtroppo sono positivo al Covid19 e come sapete dovrò rispettare il periodo di quarantena. Voglio tranquillizzare tutti quelli che mi conoscono, fortunatamente non ho sintomi particolari. Per alcuni giorni sarò costretto a rimanere distante dai miei compagni, ma con la mente e con il cuore starò con loro, a cominciare da domenica: daje ragazzi. Forza Roma 💛❤️

A post shared by Edin Dzeko (@ed_dzeko) on Nov 6, 2020 at 8:02am PST

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Crystal Palace’s game-plan at Spurs seemed to just be to not lose and it eventually failed, despite a battling first half in which the Eagles fought valiantly to keep the scores level – they were somewhat indebted to the efforts of James Tomkins and Vicente Guaita though.

Unfortunately for Roy Hodgson and Co, Spurs’ sustained pressure finally paid off as they capitalised on a Luka Milivojevic mistake and scored via Heung-min Son and a sizeable deflection. The Serbian was dispossessed on the edge of his own box, allowing the Spurs number 7 to drive towards goal and get a shot off – one which finally broke Palace’s resolve.

The Eagles captain is usually a reliable figure at the base of midfield, with his penchant for penalties, work-rate and passing abilities all huge assets to his side, although he was caught out on Wednesday – and not for the first time.

The number 4 all too frequently takes far too long on the ball when the best decision would just be to hit it forward and that has cost his side on a couple of occasions – he gave away a silly free-kick, from which Granit Xhaka scored, against Arsenal at Selhurst Park having messed about too much.

The enforcer’s display was otherwise solid – he completed a match-high six interceptions and three tackles as he worked tirelessly in the middle of the park, although a temporary lapse in concentration undid all of that hard work.

Ever willing to get on the ball and control the game when his side were afforded possession, the 6 ft 1 former Olympiacos man also took 63 touches and completed one key pass, although none were impactful – the Eagles were wasteful with their chances and the performance, overall, was poor.

Has this guy found the worst stadium in English football? Decide for yourself by watching the video below…

Milivojevic is one of Palace’s most indispensable players but soon other teams will figure out that, once they get touch tight and put him under pressure, they can force a mistake which they can take advantage of. This is something that the 27-year-old cannot allow to remain in his game as he will soon become a liability.

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Sky Sports have claimed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United are one of three Premier League clubs vying for the signature of Paul Mitchell.

What’s the word, then?

United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all on the lookout for a new Director of Football and desire Mitchell, the current RB Leipzig Head of Player Recruitment, to fill that role.

The former defender enjoyed a ten-year playing career mostly in the Football League before retiring to become Chief Scout at MK Dons, later working his way up to the Premier League with Southampton before following Mauricio Pochettino to Spurs and leaving for Leipzig in early 2017.

But Ed Woodward may have to look elsewhere for now as the 37-year-old could sign a new and improved deal until 2025 in Germany, per the original report.

This appointment would let the Solskjaer effect continue

It appears that by offering Mitchell an improved role and contract, RB know what they have – one of the best talent spotters in world football.

The lure of a return to the Premier League is probably going to be a tempting one for the Englishman, but Man United is a different story altogether.

The sought-after recruiter was born in the Manchester suburb of Denton, living out his childhood with the club almost on his doorstep.

Not only would the move to bring Mitchell in be sentimental for the Mancunian, it would also mean a lot for the Red Devils and Solskjaer.

It has become incredibly apparent since Solskjaer’s return to Old Trafford that appointing someone who knows the team and the city so well in a huge role is vital.

Making a similar addition upstairs makes all the sense in the world and would let the Solskjaer effect continue and run from the pitch towards the boardroom.

Then there’s the fact that Mitchell clearly possesses an incredible skill for spotting talent, whether that be Sadio Mane with the Saints or Dele Alli with the Lilywhites. To put it bluntly, Man United’s Director of Football needs to be Mitchell.

It looks like Yohan Benalouane could be on his way out of Nottingham Forest, so the club need to find a replacement for their promotion challenge next season. They don’t have to look far though because Joe Worrall looks like just the man to step in.

Footmercato have linked Benalouane to West Ham, Leeds and Cardiff, but now they’ve got the option to keep Joe Worrall, they won’t have to worry as much as they would have done otherwise. He’s been a revelation in Scotland and they’ll hope to embed him at the City Ground next campaign.

He’s played 19 times for Rangers this season and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet at centre-back. Steven Gerrard reportedly (via the Express) fancies taking him to Glasgow on a permanent basis, but unless Worrall forces that move, Forest will be very keen to make him their Benalouane replacement.

Indeed, club legend Kenny Burns even spoke on how the enforcer will return to Nottingham a much better player, so it’s hard to see him being allowed to leave on a permanent basis.

He’s just 22-years-old and now has the game time under his belt, performing at a club where the fans have similarly high expectations as those at Forest do. The club crave to be back in the Premier League and Worrall could provide the solid back-line leadership required to earn promotion.

He’s a Nottingham lad so the fans will have much more patience with him than they would do with a player brought in for a big fee. It’ll also send the right message to the club’s academy players, signifying that if you bide your time and perform well on loan, you’ll get your chance in the first team.

He has one year left on his contract, so if Benalouane leaves, it’s time to call back Worrall, see what he’s made of in the first team and then offer him a contract that will hopefully see Forest back into the Premier League.

Forest fans, who do you think should replace Yohan Benalouane if he leaves? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Loads of Sunderland fans have been revelling in the aftermath of their Checkatrade Trophy semi-final win over Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, and they think Grant Leadbitter’s impressive form has gone under the radar.

After a run of bore draws in the league, Jack Ross’ side have returned to their top form at the best possible time, and have now won four games on the spin in all competitions.

The Black Cats were dangerously close to watching their promising season dissipate into nothing, but they are now just two points off an automatic promotion place with one trip to Wembley already secured.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

That came courtesy of a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, for which fans heaped praise on the performances of first team stars like Jimmy Dunne and Max Power.

Power’s lovely pass provided Will Grigg with the opener, while Dunne was an absolute brick wall at the back.

One man who never seems to receive many plaudits though is Leadbitter, who has been quietly but efficiently keeping things ticking over in midfield for the Black Cats.

The 33 year-old may not pose the goalscoring threat that Power and even Lee Cattermole have at times this season, but he is surely now one of the first names on the team sheet, and Ross’ move to sign the former Black Cat in January is looking like a stroke of genius from the boss.

The club didn’t even include him on their man of the match poll after Tuesday’s win though, and fans were quick to leap to the defence of the veteran midfielder. You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Loads of Aston Villa fans have been running the rule over Saturday’s fantastic win against Derby, and they’re practically running out of superlatives for Jack Grealish.

The Villans got back to winning ways on Saturday, thumping Frank Lampard’s Derby 4-0 to move within six points of the play-off places.

It is of course no coincidence that the side’s return to form coincided with the return of Grealish, who has been missing since early December with a shin problem.

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

The feisty youngster went straight back into the starting XI against the Rams, and his side were 1-0 up after just nine minutes courtesy of Conor Hourihane.

Hourihane grabbed a second after Tammy Abraham had doubled the lead, and Grealish then marked his return with what is surely the early favourite for goal of the season.

The 23 year-old, who registered four shots in the match and completed an impressive 95 per cent of his passes, met a Glenn Whelan corner with a first-time volley that flew like a rocket past Scott Carson.

Grealish’s quality was there for all to see throughout his 70 minutes on the pitch, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Liverpool currently sit at the top of the Premier League table but a glaring absence of electricity and fluidity in Mo Salah’s performances of late are lending reason to believe that the momentum is firmly with Manchester City.

One point separates the Reds from current champions Man City, and the injury sustained by Roberto Firmino against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon could have plunged them into an uncomfortable situation, although it remains unclear how long he will be sidelined for – if he misses any action at all.

Liverpool are struggling for goals as it is and, with Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge the only natural alternatives at centre-forward, it’s fair to say the inspiration is going to need to come from elsewhere.

During the peak of Liverpool’s form, Salah has been a reliable goal machine and chief tormentor for the opposition’s defensive unit, but a flat performance on Sunday proved the worst fears of the supporters: the Egyptian is a shadow of the player he was last season.

Enough is enough – Salah must grab the proverbial bull by the horns

That Salah has underachieved this season has been an opinion which has bubbled beneath the surface for the entirety of the campaign. Even when he has been finding the net on a regular basis, legitimate questions have been asked of his form.

What is most alarming about his form this season is that his most mediocre performances have arrived in the big games – the same fixtures in which he often thrived on his maiden campaign.

When Liverpool needed a moment of inspiration last season, Salah was there to provide it. One of his more memorable moments of divine inspiration arrived away at Manchester City in the Champions League, when he dinked the ball over Nicolas Otamendi to effectively seal their place in the semi-final.

His finish was taken with a level of sumptuous composure which had shades of Lionel Messi about it, and his ice-cool celebration in front of the travelling Liverpool supporters saw him transmit his insatiable appetite for the big occasion through his dead-eyed gaze.

Who has the loudest fans in Europe? PSG certainly state their claim in the video below…

That particular mentality seems to have eluded him somewhat this season. Perhaps the tactical tweaks implemented by Klopp are to blame, but the top players in world football allow no excuse to justify a dip in form; they stand up to the pressure and prove their worth.

If Liverpool are to finally break their Premier League duck by finishing in top spot this season, Salah must take responsibility for his own form and single-handedly breathe life back into Liverpool’s club’s title challenge.

Failure to do so will pave the way for Pep Guardiola’s city slickers to retain their crown.

With the last 16 already behind us, GOAL runs the rule over the remaining eight teams who are competing to become champions of the world

With all the shocks, the twists and turns and the drama the 2023 Women's World Cup has given us so far, it's been increasingly tough to call just who will win this tournament at its end. But one thing is now for certain – after the U.S. women's national team's incredible penalty shootout defeat to Sweden in the last 16, the champions of the last two editions will relinquish their crown.

The USWNT has not been the only scalp either. After New Zealand became the first hosts of a Women's World Cup ever to crash out in the group stages, Canada followed suit as the first reigning Olympic champion ever to do so and then Brazil crashed out in incredible fashion, too. Just when it seemed like that would be it for the chaos, Germany topped it all, failing to make the knockout stages for the first time ever. It might be the biggest shock in Women's World Cup history.

So, as we gear up for the quarter-finals, who is looking likely to be there in Sydney hoping to lift the title on August 20? Let GOAL's Power Rankings take you through all of the nations that remain in contention…

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It hasn't been pretty from Sweden in this tournament so far but they won all three group games and dispatched of the United States, the world champions, in the last 16. Their confidence is sky high.

Peter Gerhardsson's team will need to improve as we get to the latter stages, though. Bar spells in the 5-0 thrashing of Italy, which was a victory largely inspired by set pieces, they've not looked fluid and consistently threatening going forward.

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After grinding out 1-0 wins in their opening two games, England sent a message to the rest of the tournament with an emphatic 6-1 victory over China, the Asian champions, on Tuesday.

But then a massively underwhelming goalless draw and subsequent penalty shoot-out win over Nigeria left many pondering just what the Lionesses' chances of winning this tournament are. It's been a mixed bag so far, with plenty of room for improvement.

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There were so many questions around Spain going into this tournament. How would the players returning from their protest settle into the wider group? Would everything click right away? Would it take time?

In three of their four games, La Roja have answered all of those questions emphatically. However, a 4-0 defeat to Japan in their final group game highlighted a number of flaws that top-class opposition can expose. It'll be extremely interesting to see how they fare against the Netherlands in the last eight, then, after dispatching of Switzerland in the last 16 with ease.

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Colombia caused the shock of the tournament so far when they defeated Germany in Sydney on Sunday, scoring a 97th-minute winner to do so. The South American side look defensively solid, clever in how they use the ball and dangerous going forward.

They did struggle to come back from that incredible high in their third game, losing to Morocco, but still topped Group H and managed to score against a Jamaica side that hadn't conceded all tournament in their 1-0 last-16 win. They look strong in all areas.