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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly long held an interest in Konrad Laimer and they could make their move in this summer’s transfer window.

That’s according to German outlet Sport Bild, who claim that the 24-year-old’s form for RB Leipzig this season has alerted teams in the Premier League, in which Spurs are named as one keen party.

The Austria international has actually been considered by Lilywhites scouts for several years, ever since his involvement in the Bundesliga outfit’s two-legged demolition of the north Londoners in the Champions League in 2020.

Ahead of Laimer entering the final 12 months of his current contract, Spurs could finally strike on their long-time target.

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It’s no surprise to see manager Antonio Conte interested in the £23.4m-rated powerhouse as his playing style has earned quite the praise indeed, even drawing comparisons to the Italian’s former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

The 52-year-old led the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup triumph during his time at Stamford Bridge and the Frenchman was a key signing in that run. Conte could do with a similar player over in N17 now.

‘You’ll be hard-pressed to find a player who harries the opposition quite as intensively as Laimer, who is also a dab hand at shielding the ball, recycling possession and facilitating counter-attacks. ‘Dirty Work’ could be his middle name,’ wrote Bundesliga.com.

Indeed, the 24-year-old – who grew up idolising Steven Gerrard – has earned similar acclaim from others around him.

His former boss Adi Hutter lauded him as “incredibly aggressive on the ball”, whilst former West Ham forward and international compatriot Marko Arnautovic believes he can cover a “crazy” amount of ground and that he has a “huge future”.

At the weekend, Laimer dropped two goals and one assist on Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund to take his total for the season to nine direct goal contributions, so evidently he can add more in the final third than Kante.

That doesn’t take away from his defensive attributes whatsoever, having averaged 4.78 tackles and interceptions per 90 across five seasons at Leipzig, on top of 31.6 pressures per game, only emphasising his impressive and industrious work rate in the engine room, as per FBRef.

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Compared to his positional peers across Europe over the last year, the Austrian machine ranks inside the top 1% for pressures and 4% for non-penalty xG+A (expected goals and assists) too.

In the year that Chelsea won the league title with Kante in midfield in 2017, he averaged 3.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, via WhoScored, so you can instantly see the similarities between the two players.

In Laimer, who is also dubbed an “elite presser”, Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici could well land Conte his next Kante-like monster.

AND in other news, Spurs handed big transfer boost in pursuit of Premier League enforcer…

Is Yoann Gourcuff the man to fill the possible void left by Cesc Fabregas this summer? Well, Wenger certainly thinks so as he prepares to land the Bordeaux midfielder when the window opens.

The Fabregas saga still continues and looks as if it will be progressing throughout the summer. Will the Arsenal captain be staying in North London next season or will the 23-year-old be a Barcelona player next season? Which begs the question, who is the potential replacement for the Spaniard?

Yoann Gourcuff has been heavily touted by Wenger, and appears to be the Frenchman’s main transfer target this summer. The 23-year-old midfielder had a fine season for Bordeaux, managing to appear 39 times for the Ligue 1 side and bagging 8 goals along the way.

Reports this week are suggesting that the Arsenal boss is weighing up a possible bid of approximately £21.8 million for the player’s services should Fabregas decide to leave for Spain this summer.

Gourcuff is a young talented football who has great vision, finesse and grace which would fit well within the Arsenal squad. Gourcuff has been picked by Raymond Domenech to travel to South Africa, and will be heavily relied on as France’s main playmaker during the world cup this summer.

Despite whether or not the player has a good tournament, the French midfielder’s price tag can not be increased due to a get-out clause in his contract (a reported £21.8 million).

Ideally he would be the perfect acquisition for the Gunners this summer if Fabregas does decide to leave. Wenger has a vast knowledge of French players around the world, and has purchased a great number of them over the past. Gourcuff has been so impressive this season that other clubs (Manchester City and Lyon) have expressed their interest as well. Without a doubt it is shaping up to be a messy scrap for the playmaker’s signature this summer. There are other targets that Arsenal could look into bringing in during the summer window.

Yaya Toure has been a name linked with the Gunners over the past several weeks, but does he have the same flair that Gourcuff possesses? Many would think not.

Toure is more of a combative player who likes to tackle and defend rather than attack. However, with that being said, is Toure a possible option, should Gourcuff decide against signing for Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta is another player that Wenger has expressed interest in as a possible replacement for Cesc. Arteta has great ability on and off the ball, and looks to be an older version of Fabregas. However, Everton have insisted that the Spanish playmaker is not for sale at any price.

For his age and the ability he possesses, Yoann Gourcuff looks to be the best option by far. The playmaker has huge potential and with the right guidance (especially under Wenger) the Bordeaux player could become a world-class player period. Wenger has already acquired Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux and will already have a good understanding with Gourcuff. This would make the potential signing of the 23-year-old even more special for Wenger and Arsenal football club.

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Regardless of the outcome involving Cesc Fabregas this summer, Wenger should seriously consider bringing in the man (Yoann Gourcuff) dubbed as ‘the next Zidane’ to Arsenal this summer. If Wenger does decide to acquire the player for the amount specified, then it would make the French midfielder the club’s record signing to date, and an exceptionally good one at that.

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Captain Steven Gerrard has urged England to move on from John Terry's controversial press conference and focus on Wednesday's must-win game against Slovenia.

Terry has apologised to head coach Fabio Capello for the comments he made during Sunday's press conference in Rustenburg.

The Chelsea defender was reported as trying to undermine Capello by calling for him to make changes to his starting line-up and tactics for the game in Port Elizabeth, which England must win following disappointing draws against the United States and Algeria.

Capello claimed Terry made a 'big mistake' in speaking publicly but insists the matter has now been dealt with and skipper Gerrard has joined the chorus of those calling for focus ahead of a crunch game.

"He's gone out and said what he said but I think it's time to move on," he said.

"As captain it's important I switch attention to the game as it's a do-or-die situation.

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"Training was very good and sharp this morning so we need to go out and do the business."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

With the departure of Eduardo to Shakhtar Donetsk earlier in the week, will Arsene Wenger have to obtain yet another striker this summer? Or are the Gunners already adequately equipped in the attacking third this season?

Eduardo completed his reported £6 million move to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk this week, after struggling to find his form at the Emirates Stadium following his horrific leg-break 2 years ago against Birmingham City in 2008.

In his 3 year stint at Arsenal, the 27-year-old striker managed to make a total of 67 appearances for the Gunners (in all competitions) and bagged 22 goals along the way. Although the forward was a firm fan favourite at the North London club, Eduardo seemed to have misplaced his form and confidence, and as a result, sadly had to move on. The Croat signed a four-year deal with the Eastern European club and many Arsenal fans (along with me) will wish him the very best for the remainder of his career.

So what have Arsenal been left with in regards to their attacking options following the leaving of Eduardo this summer? Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and new-boy Marouane Chamakh are the only three realistic front-men within the squad, which will leave a number of fans feeling nervous and on the edge. Although a great player, van Persie has not been able to give the club a full season without an injury occurring. Bendtner has scored some vital goals for the club, but the Danish international still has a question mark over his head, due to hindrance of not finding the net as much as he should be. Marouane Chamakh is evidently not proven within the Premier League, and as such will need time to adapt to the fast paced style of the English game. As well as that, the Moroccan will also need time to gel with his new team-mates, so can Arsenal fans really expect him to deliver from the get-go?

Of course Wenger may not necessarily need to go out into the transfer market this summer and acquire a forward…he may already have one player within his current squad who is able to step up to the role, Theo Walcott. Walcott has been utilized as a Winger for the majority of his Arsenal career, but many Arsenal fans would like to see what the England international is capable of when played as a striker. He seizes all the ability required to become a great forward for the club, but Wenger feels he is better in a wider position because of the pace the 21-year-old attains. This is just an option of course, for all we know Wenger may already have another striker lined up to come in this summer to add more depth to the Arsenal front-line. Nice striker Loic Remy has been heavily touted for a move to the Emirates, but there maybe other options available that you (the Arsenal fans reading this) may like to see added to your clubs squad.

So I ask, who would you guys like to see come in this summer? (If anybody needs to of course). Should Wenger employ Theo Walcott as a striker this season and not waste his cash? Or currently, are Arsenal sufficient enough up-front to mount yet another title challenge this season?

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Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

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Manchester City will finish higher up the Premier League table this season, according to striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

Adebayor scored 14 goals as big-spending City finished a best-ever fifth last season.

Manager Roberto Mancini has since spent around £60million to bring the likes of World Cup trio David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure to Eastlands.

Adebayor, himself a £20million arrival from Arsenal last summer, is confident that City will now finish higher up the final table this season.

Referring to the opening day encounter with Spurs, Adebayor told the club’s official website:“It is a difficult start to the season, but it is good for us in the sense that we can send a message out.

“The start to the season is very important in many ways. If we go to Tottenham and get a good result and then do the same against Liverpool it will be great for the confidence and show the guys that we are title contenders.

“If we are going to win the title we should not be concerned about how the fixtures fall.

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“Fifth place last season was okay, but we want to do better than that this time and we are looking for the top three.”

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Everton talisman Mikel Arteta believes the club could face one of their most difficult challenges in recent times ahead of their Premier League opener at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

With the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City splashing out on new faces during the summer and Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa expected to challenge for continental qualification places at the end of the season, Arteta knows it will be tough to compete at the right end of the table.

Speaking to reporters, he said:"It is a nice pressure to have. We would like to be in that position because we know we can do it.

"I think we have become stronger in the last few years but everyone else has done the same thing.

"This is going to be the toughest season of the last 15 or 20 years, because the teams fighting for the top four, or even the top six, have big potential so we have to be really prepared.

"We know we cannot spend money. We have many other strengths but we don't have someone to put in £100million and say they are going to bring in players of top four quality.

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"But at the same time we have a few young lads coming through and we always find a solution."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Arsenal FC have endorsed a plan to invite their fans to buy shares in the football club at a reduced rate. The so-called Arsenal Fanshare initiative allows supporters to buy portions of shares which currently trade at over £10,000. Accordingly fans will be asked to contribute a minimum of £100 to acquire a fanshare. In return Arsenal fans can expect a voice and a vote, as they will be able to attend the annual general meeting, hold directors to account and democratically decide policy. It is a model which operates in the Bundesliga and La Liga but is it in the long term interests of the club? Can fan power go too far, becoming detrimental to the smooth running of a club?

Passionate fans can easily feel isolated when their beloved club is in the hands of a benevolent oligarch or shadowy elite. This is certainly the view of the Fanshare scheme which was established by the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust five years ago. After witnessing the Green and Gold campaign at Manchester United and the anti-Hicks and Gillett protests at Liverpool, the four shareholders who majority own the north London club have welcomed the idea. The supporters who devised the scheme object to the notion of the club residing with one affluent individual and believe their huge domestic and overseas fanbase will combine to provide a sizeable stake.

It is hoped this scheme will avoid a takeover which would be prompted if Stan Kroenke increases his share in the club to 30%. Through the purchase of fanshares supporters will bolster their influence yet nearly 90% of the shares remain in the hands of the four majority owners who would presumably be reluctant to relinquish their stake. Fans who understandably fear exploitation are arguably being duped into believing that their presence will have a discernable bearing on decision making. Accountability may be weak too, with a membership spread across the world. Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis told the Guardian, “The important thing is that the supporters are valued and nurtured, not exploited.” It was hardly a ringing endorsement for supporters actively leading the way in setting policy. Cynics would additionally argue that despite accusations of ‘kamikaze spending’ at Manchester City there is considerable investment being made in the long-term future of the club. Around £15 million has been ploughed into their youth academy system in the past two years.

Nonetheless when super rich individuals buy football clubs there is inevitably talk of a brand or commodity which can generate income across the globe. These grandiose statements do not find much credence with loyal fans. Investors and owners may come and go but it is the fans who provide a club’s enduring identity. Uefa president Michel Platini who backs the idea of fan ownership, once said of supporters: “They at the end of the day defend the club’s identity. They are always there. They are always watching the games.”

Arsenal’s proposals have been backed by Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and the examples of Barcelona and Real Madrid show that it can work. Both clubs are majority supporter owned and therefore can never be taken over by a passing billionaire. However their structure and extent of democratic participation differ. The model of democracy and means of accountability at Arsenal will have to be debated. Potentially though fans will contribute to setting policy with other stakeholders on issues such as ticket pricing and player transfers. From those who regularly follow the club home and away to those who sell fanzines outside the stadium, there is little evidence to suggest that their opinions would be any less hasty or ill-advised than those of the club’s wealthy investors. The club which has innovated in the last decade in relation to player recruitment, training and diet could now lead the way forward in fan ownership.

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Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping Wayne Rooney can make a quicker than expected return from an ankle injury.

Ferguson revealed in the build-up to Manchester United's Champions League encounter with Valencia on Wednesday night that the England striker would be sidelined for up to three weeks.

He was quick to dismiss suggestions that the ankle problem was linked to the one Rooney suffered in the quarter-finals of last year's Champions League against Bayern Munich.

Since his return from a two-week lay-off in April, Rooney has looked out of sorts for both club and country, having scored just one goal in 13 appearances.

However, Ferguson is keeping his fingers crossed that last season's top scorer and player of the year can make a swift return to action.

"Wayne has done quite well with his recovery from injury in the past," he explained.

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"It is a straightforward ankle injury. And it is not the same one he did in Munich."

Rooney did not travel to Spain for the Champions League clash and he will definitely miss Saturday's league trip to Sunderland and also England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on October 12.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Liverpool's start to the Premier League campaign has been labelled as unacceptable by manager Roy Hodgson.

The Merseysiders crashed to a desperately disappointing 2-1 home loss to Blackpool on Sunday afternoon, a result that rankled with the former Fulham boss.

A Charlie Adam penalty and Luke Varney effort placed the Seasiders in a commanding position at the interval and although Sotirios Kyrgiakos reduced the deficit, Ian Holloway's men held on for a famous victory, much to Hodgson's disgust.

"It is a very bad start to the season, a start we could never have envisaged," he said.

"It is a start we are really unhappy with and we have got to live with it that's the way it is. It is a strange season the way it has gone so far.

"We are very, very unhappy that after four home games and three away we have six points and that is not acceptable.

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"We have a lot of work to turn the situation around.

"I thought first half Blackpool played well, but we were not near anywhere where we should be."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Here are some of the strangest and daftest tweets from the world of football from week just gone.

henrywinter

Van Bommel backs `sweet guy’ De Jong. `He shouldn’t change his game but maybe he should occasionally go into a tackle slightly differently’

Yes perhaps he should.

SkySportsNews

Ben Afra – I’ll be back: Newcastle’s Hatem Ben Arfa has vowed ‘I’ll be back’ as he prepares to undergo surgery.

Somebody warn Sarah Connor.

JacquiOatley

Great video. Hertha Berlin player ‘gropes’ female ref’s breast

Jacqui loves a bit of sexual assault.

guardian_sport

Mirko Vucinic shows his drawers as #Montenegro pull off another win.

The Guardian – the only people in Britain who still use the word ‘drawers’ to refer to boxers / undies.

mrjamieohara

At the chancery court hotel trying to de stress my brother before his big wedding day, I’m gonna cane him in his speech lol

I’m sure he feels much more relaxed now.

danwalkerbbc

Ok #saturdaybreakfastnews I’ve gone full English. Slightly let down by the fact that the hotel has run out of tea!!!!

Four exclamation marks!!!! Dan Walker really likes his tea!!!!

rioferdy5

2nd day a training, good session too! What to do now….fifa, COD, read, ipod, movie, sleep…or tweet…hahaha!

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It’s a hard life isn’t it? Getting £100,000 a week and finishing work at 1 in the afternoon.

DMReporter

Following his call-up to the England squad to face Montenegro, 33-year-old Kevin Davies believes he can be the new Emile Heskey.

Kevin Davies keeps his ambitions low.

Some pretty good tweets this week, what with Jamie O’Hara ribbing his brother and Mark van Bommel getting cosy with de Jong.

This week’s winner (again) is Jacqui Oatley. She was so impressed with a video of sexual assault she had to share it with the world, and I like that.

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