HERE ARE THE good, the bad and unlikely football moves being talked about today.
LYON INSIST STAR striker Alexandre Lacazette is not for sale, after confirming they have turned down a €35 million offer from Arsenal.
The French club released a statement this morning denying claims by French newspaper Le Progres that the bid was €48m.
Club president Jean-Michel Aulas has insisted the 25-year-old France international is staying in his homeland, but it is believed he would be willing to sell if the Gunners up the fee.
Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus, 19, has been dubbed ‘the new Neymar’ and the Brazilian teenager’s agent claims Manchester City are closing in on a deal worth around €32m.
Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are all believed to be admirers.
United boss Jose Mourinho is keen to add another experienced defender and Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci fits the bill, but the 29-year-old looks unlikely to leave the Italian champions.
Having sold Joe Allen to Stoke City yesterday, Liverpool are continuing their clear-out with 22-year-old full-back Brad Smith set to leave for Bournemouth for around €7m.
Meanwhile, reports in Austria suggest Everton are on the verge of agreeing a deal for Stoke City attacker Marko Arnautovic, who has one year left on his contract at the Britannia Stadium.
Retro Deal of the Day
After scoring 30 goals in 37 appearances for Celtic, Leeds United paid the Glasgow club £6 million for Mark Viduka’s services in the summer of 2000.
O’Leary revealed that the Australian striker said he had only been playing “at 70% of his ability” in Scotland, and he went on to find the back of the net 22 times in his first season in the Premier League — including four against Liverpool in a 4-3 win.
Viduka left Elland Road for Middlesbrough after four years with a record of 59 goals in 130 appearances.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Some pure nonsence selections by both your pundits. Out of position or based on one performance. They both need to do their homework if they want to be taken seriously as high quality commentators. Neither Crowley nor Itoje warrent selection in any dream team this season. The English second-row, Martin, gave a real demonstration of the position in his two games against Ireland and France.
I’m particularly surprised at Murray’s nominations
@Des Lamont: Yeah, really surpassed by the selections too not very realistic and not based across the five weekends. Aki, Lowe, Sheehan and Beirne. Martin a definite.
@Des Lamont: Some of those offloads were delicious. Release yourself from the tribal trappings Des! As they say in curling, deliver the stone… lol
@Con Cussed: You can’t really complain about the selections not being based across the 5 games, and then nominate a guy who played only 2
@Des Lamont: be honest you just want to give out about Crowley, rugby pundits probably do abit of homework tbf.
@Con Cussed: You can’t really complain about the selections not being based across the 5 weeks and then say Martin is a definite when he only played in 2 games
@Des Lamont: how is Van Der Merwe not in that team, would have made more sense to accomodate Lowe and himself rather than sticking an italian centre on the wing..
@Owen ODonoghue: 1 game with 3 moments is all he had. He was anonymous for the rest of that game and the championship with the exception of 2 other moments and several defensive lapses. VdM will struggle to make the Lions squad. He definitely won’t make the test match 23.
@Kevin Ryan: He played three games, started two but a fair call Kevin. He’s only 22 years old and 6’6”.
Aki is a little overrated. There are times when he trucks it up when the ball should go wide. His defence is poor. He missed a simple tackle on McDowall on Saturday; his attempted tackle on Earl was abysmal when Earl scored at Twickenham; he was smoked by Fatima-Waboso on 79m 30s down the touchline which should’ve been his friend. If he had nailed that tackle, Ireland win; wrong choice, when Chessum knocked him into touch.
Crowley is media hyped. The only time he needed to kick was v England blitz defence and he didn’t do so once. The odd dink over the top would’ve kept them honest. In every other game, his kicks were either inappropriate, went dead or blocked. His much loaded defence is suspect. He needed to go for the tap tackle for the English 1sr try. He goes high rather than low.
@Brian O’Connor: Wree you even watching?. He did kick over the blitz defense several times and watch again and see some great tackles he made. You’re making so many general statements without a lot to back it up.
@Brian O’Connor: I’m just really worried about the people who read this and decided to give you a thumbs up!!
@John Ludgate: the statistics show that Crowley did not kick once against England. Perhaps influenced by his poor kicking in the previous three games. His attempted tackle for England first try was poor. Look at the game on video again please. He is a brave defender, but his tackling technique needs work.
I referenced three missed tackles by Aki which are fact not general statements. I happen to think that Henshaw and Ringrose are the better partnership. That is a general statement and a matter of opinion.
I still think Aki and Crowley are excellent by the way.
@Brian O’Connor:
@Paul Ennis: I take a passing interest in these articles, and there is a trend with certain BTL commentators. Most are civilised and friendly. This is not Twitter. Some like to provoke. I rarely comment and I certainly never criticise, either directly or by implication. We are all entitled to our opinions. Your name features from time to time in comments, I have nothing to say other it’s probably best to stick to the old adage, if you have nothing good to say, then say nothing.
Tommy Reffell would crush in a better team. Just sayin
@Thesaltyurchin: great shout! Machine of a player…
@Thesaltyurchin: it’s a bit odd that if lions team was picked now we’d not expect to have an Irish man in the starting back row., unless Pete captained them but that’s unlikely
@Ciaran Kennedy: Lol! *fire emoji
Crowley had a great first six nations by he wasn’t the standout 10. That would have to go to Ramos, perhaps Ford in second place. Keenan didn’t see enough game time at 15. Winnett (15) of Wales was one of the few Welsh players to make a difference to the team.
@Con Cussed: Crowley is being seriously underestimated. Some of the tries he created were sublime. His awareness of his support runners. His freeing his hands in contact. Sure he made mistakes but an outstanding playmaker.
@Cu Chulainn: and for he’s first run out in a test level series he was a class act, were blessed to have a 10 like him so soon after sexton.
@Con Cussed: Ramos is way overrated
@Con Cussed: and Ramos only played 2 games at 10. Ford for me
@Con Cussed: Winnet was brutal v Italy, knocked into his 10 trying to catch the ball at one stage
@Con Cussed: keenan- 3 matches as the most outstanding 15 isnt good enough? You would rather insert Winnett and his wooden spoon? Definitely a player for the future but I comparable to Keenan!
@Con Cussed: Ramos played 1 game at 10. I would give him the 15 shirt based on the fact he can cover 10, but he doesn’t deserve the 10 shirt based on 1 game. Crowley had 2 excellent games, 2 good and 1 average. He ranks higher than every other 10.
@Con Cussed: sorry, but you don’t get to play 10 in a team that should have lost to both Italy and Scotland and get to be player of the tournament.
Murray’s back five must be an error. 4. Itoje 5. Beirne 6. Martin 7. Lamaro 8. Earl. Surely one of Itoje or Beirne is meant to be at 6 and Martin as 2nd row.
How George Ford made it in here we’ll never know, i’d say Huw Jones or VDF would have been better shouts