Arsenal legend and pundit Ian Wright has told The Sun that in-demand Everton duo Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku should stay at the club for another season.
The Toffees stars have both been linked with moves away from Goodison Park this term and are yet to sign the new deals that they have been offered by the Merseyside outfit.
Ronald Koeman has already warned Barkley that he will be sold this summer if he refuses to commit his future to the club with his current contract due to run out next summer, while Lukaku has turned down the five-year deal he has been offered because he wants to play Champions League football, and has been heavily linked with a return to former club Chelsea.
The 23-year-old pair showed just how key they are to the team in the 4-2 win against Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday, with Barkley putting in a man of the match performance and Lukaku scoring a brace – of which one was a header from a brilliant cross from his teammate – to take his tally for the season to 23 top flight goals.
Britain Football Soccer – Everton v Sunderland – Premier League – Goodison Park – 25/2/17 Everton’s Ross Barkley walks past manager Ronald Koeman as he is substituted Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account represen
While they are showing signs that they are both ready to make the next step, Wright believes that they would have to cope with a different expectancy if they moved to a top club.
Wright wrote in his Sun column: “The pair would cost huge money and with that comes the demand to deliver from the off – every week, with no exceptions.
“I think they would be better advised to stay with the Toffees and hone their talents even more.
“I just hope their advisors see it that way, too, because if they develop the way they’re going then they won’t be short of takers down the line.
“In my opinion the pair of them could potentially play for any of the real top teams but they just need to show a bit of patience.”
Everton will look to continue their push to finish in the Champions League qualification spots – they currently sit seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City – when they host Burnley on Saturday.
Newcastle United secured promotion back to the Premier League on Monday night as they beat Preston North End 4-1 at St James’ Park to guarantee a top two finish in the Championship.
The Magpies were relegated alongside Aston Villa a year ago and while Rafa Benitez’s men have made an immediate return to the top flight, the Midlands outfit will spend another season at this level following an inconsistent campaign.
15 defeats in 44 league matches mean that Steve Bruce’s side lie 12th in the standings and 15 points from the play-off positions, and they will hope to replicate Newcastle when they go against next term.
Villa supporters were quick to have their say on the Toon Army’s return to the Premier League via social media, with some not understanding the so-called rivalry between the two clubs and the obsession that some Newcastle fans seem to have with them, while others believe the two teams could be swapping places again soon.
According to Spanish news publication Sport, via talkSPORT, Barcelona are set to end their interest in appointing Everton boss Ronald Koeman as their new manager this summer after refusing to pay his £6.7m release clause.
The Spanish giants are looking for a new manager after Luis Enrique confirmed earlier this year that he will leave his role at the end of the season, and they had been linked with Koeman, who spent six successful campaigns at the Camp Nou as a player between 1989 and 1995.
However, they have been put off by the reported £6.7m release clause inserted into his contract when he moved to Goodison Park from Southampton last summer.
Everton supporters were quick to have their say on the news regarding the Dutchman, who has led the club to Europa League qualification with four Premier League fixtures still remaining, via social media and they don’t believe it was a move that was ever on the cards anyway.
Celtic’s dominance over Rangers this season perhaps shouldn’t have been a surprise. For all the bluster coming out of Ibrox last summer, Hoops fans were always confident that with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers the season was going to be a memorable one.
Still though, the manner in which the Hoops saw off their city rivals must be applauded. They did it with a style and a swagger that was wonderful to watch across three competitions, not given them an inch to work with along the way.
Stars like Moussa Dembele, Stuart Armstrong and Scott Sinclair made themselves heroes with supporters and the likes of Callum McGregor proved that players can come through the development squads to become huge figures in the fixture.
Five derby victories out of six available, with no defeats, is quite the record and memories have been made for a lifetime for many players and fans.
These photos sum up what has been an incredible journey for Brendan Rodgers’ side in Scottish football’s showpiece fixture this season…
Demolition derby
After last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers, Celtic had a lot to prove in the opening fixture between the two sides this term.
This came at a time when Gers fans were still confident about Mark Warburton and his team. It seems like a lifetime ago now.
Those hopes were quickly dashed by the incredible performance of Moussa Dembele, scoring a hat-trick for the first time in the derby for decades upon decades. He announced his arrival as a wonderful prospect, slaying Rangers with incredibly well taken goals.
Upon scoring the third he wheeled away in celebration and held up three fingers for the three goals, clearly enjoying his day’s work. It’s a photo that’s been re-posted on social media all season and will always be a reminder for fans of a huge 5-1 victory.
Semi-final drama
Britain Soccer Football – Celtic v Rangers – Scottish League Cup Semi Final – Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland – 23/10/16Celtic’s Moussa Dembele celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contac
The two sides next met in the Scottish League Cup final and although the scoreline wouldn’t suggest it, the Hoops were every bit as dominant in the fixture as that first 5-1 game at Celtic Park. Far from looking scared on neutral ground at Hampden, like they did against Waburton’s side last season, the Hoops took the game to the Gers and knocked on the door for 85 minutes without success.
Leigh Griffiths then wriggled away from his marker, chased down a high ball forward and delightfully poked a pass across the box for Moussa Dembele to arrogantly back-hell through two players’ legs and into the net to provide the victory.
It sent the green half of Hampden into pandemonium. Dembele and Griffiths led the celebrations, rejoicing in what they’d done, jumping into the crowd and generally going ballistic. This photo captures that elation perfectly.
New Years’ Eve party
At Ibrox on 31st December, Rangers did the unthinkable and actually went ahead in the fixture, blitzing the Hoops in the first half an hour of the game. Brendan Rodgers’ side, for the first time all season in domestic action, looked a little vulnerable in that period.
However, it was again Moussa Dembele who made his mark on the derby, equalising with a fierce effort into the top corner. From that point on there was only going to be one winner.
Rangers battled hard into the second half but when Scott Sinclair converted from a low cross, six yards out, he sent the Broomloan Stand into a sea of celebration. It gave the Hoops the victory and put the league title pretty much out of sight for Mark Warburton and his side, sparking the beginning of the end of the Englishman’s reign at Ibrox.
The treble is on
Britain Football Soccer – Celtic v Rangers – Scottish Cup Semi Final – Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland – 23/4/17 Celtic’s Callum McGregor celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith Livepic
A brief respite for Rangers in the fixture occurred in March when they salvaged an unlikely 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in league action. The result ultimately meant little but was heralded as a sign that the Gers may be turning things around on their old foes this season.
That illusion was shattered when the two met in their second semi-final of the season at Hampden in the prestigious Scottish Cup. With the Hoops gunning for a treble and Rangers looking for a coveted major honour, Celtic romped to a 2-0 victory that in truth could have been a much heavier scoreline.
Brendan Rodgers’ men made it look like a training exercise in the first half and Callum McGregor’s classy finish early on set the stage for the most comfortable of victories.
It meant that there would be no inspiration at the start of Pedro Caixinha’s time at Ibrox and that the treble was most definitely on for the Hoops. A huge moment in their season.
Demolition Derby II
Despite hammering them in the semi-final just a week prior, nobody really predicted Celtic would be able to be as dominant just six days later when nothing was on the line. However, with the pressure off and a noisy away support to please, Celtic turned on the style to provide the most accomplished derby performance of the entire season.
Five different scorers on the day trounced the Gers as they suffered their second 5-1 defeat at the hands of Celtic this season, one of the biggest ever losses at Ibrox in the fixture.
It truly was party time for Celtic and the fans and when Callum McGregor made it 3-0 early in the second half they all joined together, arm in arm, shoulder to should. You can see in this photo how much it meant.
It is fair to say that emotions were running high at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
John Terry, captain, leader and legend of Chelsea signed off after two decades of service to the club. Despite a comfortable win for the champions and a celebratory crowning moment, many on social media were intrigued by the way the former England man departed the pitch.
During the 26th minute of the game, Sunderland intentionally kicked the ball out of play, allowing John Terry to be substituted and the entire Chelsea team to form a guard of honour for the 36-year-old as he left the pitch.
While some were happy to let the moment pass and considered it a fitting tribute to a man who has served his club superbly, others were bemused and moaned at a lack of professionalism.
Twitter was awash with opinion on Sunday evening from journalists, pundits and fans as to whether the moment was deserved or self-indulgent…
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was singled out for praise by supporters after picking up the Premier League Golden Glove award at the weekend.
The Belgian international beat off Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris, Manchester United star David de Gea, Southampton’s Fraser Forster, Petr Cech of Arsenal and Burnley keeper Tom Heaton.
Courtois’s 16 clean sheets ensured that he finished the season with the award, and it was double joy for the shot-stopper as he and his teammates also lifted the Premier League trophy.
Antonio Conte’s side wrapped up the race with two games to play, and they finally got their hands on the much-coveted piece of silverware after beating Sunderland 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
After the match, Courtois tweeted his joy about the team becoming English champions and himself earning the top goalkeeper award.
As expected, the fans mirrored his delight, and many will be hoping that the 25-year-old remains in West London next season amid rumours of Real Madrid interest.
A recent report in The Telegraph claimed that the Blues have opened talks with the goalkeeper’s camp regarding negotiations over a new contract.
Leeds United and then-manager Garry Monk came five points short of a play-off spot last season, and new head man Thomas Christiansen is tasked with getting Leeds back to the Premier League.
The challenge begins with an away trip to promoted side Bolton before welcoming Preston for the season’s first game at Elland Road.
A huge trip to fellow promotion challengers Sheffield Wednesday, whom the Whites swept last season, comes on September 30th before welcoming new promoted Sheffield United to Leeds on October 28th.
Barnsley and Leeds split a pair of exciting meetings last season and meet up for the first time at Oakwell on November 25th. Christiansen’s first holiday season with Leeds consists of a trip to relegation survivors Burton Albion on Boxing Day followed by a home match against Nottingham Forest on the first day of 2018.
Leeds split the meetings against both sides last season and will be looking to pick up more points as part of their Premier League chase.
The club’s season comes to an end at Elland Road against QPR in a fixture that ended 0-0 last season…
Former Leeds United midfielder Andy Couzens believes that Liam Bridcutt’s time at Elland Road should be up.The 28-year-old has only been at the Championship outfit on a permanent basis for one season after his initial loan spell in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign.It was then-manager Garry Monk who made the temporary deal permanent, and the midfielder was made captain of the side.Injuries hampered Bridcutt’s season as he was restricted to just 25 outings across all competitions, and now Couzens has called for the former Sunderland player to go.In a Twitter conversation, the 42-year-old claimed that the team played better without him last season and when he was on the pitch, their shape was too deep.
This summer is an interesting one for Leeds as new head coach Thomas Christiansen puts his own stamp on the team.
Expectations will be high, though, after the club came close to sealing a spot in the playoffs last season, only to miss out in the last few games.
Everton have announced the signing of Sandro Ramirez from Malaga, and the fans could not be happier.
The Merseyside outfit have been linked to the 21-year-old for some time, but doubt began to creep in after days continued to tick by without an official announcement.
Last month, it was reported by Marca that Real Madrid were muscling in on the transfer, but it seems as though that rumour did not have much foundation as he has sealed a move to Everton.
The club have announced on their official website that Ramirez has penned a four-year contract until the end of June 2021.
Everton are said to have triggered a release clause thought to be worth £5.3m, which takes the club spending to well in excess of £50m.
The Toffees have been one of the busiest Premier League clubs in the transfer window so far, bringing in goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, midfielder Davy Klaassen, young forward Henry Onyekuru and now Ramirez.
As expected, the fans flooded the club’s Twitter page with messages of excitement.
While many Manchester United fans will still be on a high following the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton, others were forced to step back into reality today as it was revealed that the club have missed out on one of their rumoured key transfer targets.
James Rodriguez has been a player surrounded by speculation this summer. Many believed the his most likely destination would be Old Trafford and a reunion with Jose Mourinho. However, in a surprise annoucement on Tuesday morning, Bayern Munich confirmed that the Colombian would in fact be join them on a two-year-deal.
With Bayern paying Madrid €10million for James’ services over two years, many United fans were left wondering why they had been priced out of a deal for the 25-year-old.
In order to vent their frustrations, Manchester United fans took to Twitter asking why their club had missed out on such a talented player…