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Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has urged fellow Russian and Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin to join him at the Royals.

Arshavin has been frozen out of the last few Russia squads and has struggled to consistently hold down a place in the Arsenal starting line-up, being limited to cameo appearances this season.

Pogrebnyak is looking to re-ignite the partnership he has had with the Gunners ace when they both played for Zenit St Petersburg and the national team.

The Royals owner Anton Zingarevich is believed to have expressed a clear interest in trying to lure Arshavin to the Berkshire club.

Zingarevich is known to be a Zenit St Petersburg fan and the Russian hopes he can lure his fellow compatriot to the Madejski stadium.

Pogrebnyak was aware of the interest from his employer and was delighted at the prospect of the deal coming off and went on to laud Arshavin.

He said to rg.ru. “It’s Arshavin who has to make the decision. Anton Zingarevich knows him well enough without listening to my opinion, as he is from St Petersburg.

“Andrey is a master and there is no doubt that it would be great to see him at Reading.”

The Royals are believed to be keen to reinforce their ranks in January and the owner is thought to be willing to bankroll as many as 11 new signings in the next window, in a bid beat to beat the Premier League drop.

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Reading welcome Everton to the Madejski this weekend as they look to secure their first Premier League win of the season.

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According to Turkish media outlet Milliyet, Wolverhampton Wanderers are considering making a bid for Fenerbahce midfielder Josef de Souza this summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Milliyet report that the Turkish giants are ready to listen to offers for the 29-year-old Brazilian, who has one year remaining on his contract, and Wolves are interested but could face competition from arch-rivals West Bromwich Albion for his signature.

Milliyet report that the Premier League new boys are ready to launch a €12.5m (£11m) offer for de Souza, and they could be in pole position to get him seeing as their local neighbours suffered relegation to the Championship.

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How did de Souza do during the 2017/18 campaign?

The 6ft 2in defensively-minded player was a regular for Fenerbahce last season, making 41 appearances in all competitions.

As well as scoring four goals and providing a further two assists, the Brazilian showed his ability on the ball with a passing accuracy of 87.3% in 33 Super Lig outings, as per WhoScored.com, while he also won 106 tackles and made 73 interceptions, as well as 50 blocks.

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Would he be a good Wolves signing?

He certainly would be.

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The 29-year-old is experienced and has played at the highest level with Fenerbahce in the Super Lig and in European competition, and he would add some real quality in the middle of the park alongside Romain Saiss and Ruben Neves.

In fact, the addition of the Brazilian would suggest that manager Nuno Santo, who is also eyeing a move for another midfielder who once had Paulo Dybala in his pocket, is ready to make a big formation change ahead of the club’s return to the Premier League given Neves and Saiss were so key for them last season, perhaps opting for a 3-5-2 system rather than his preferred 3-4-2-1/3-4-3 one last term.

As reported by The Daily Mirror, Manchester United are considering making a big money move for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

What’s the story?

While the Red Devils managed to put together a statement performance against Chelsea on Sunday, driven by their excellent midfield display, question marks have lingered about the direction of their midfield all season.

With Michael Carrick set to retire and Marouane Fellaini on the brink of a summer exit, Jose Mourinho could do with another stellar signing in the middle of the park if they’re to compete for major honours next term.

One name on the shortlist, according to The Mirror, is Lazio man Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

The paper say that Man United are one of a number of top clubs tracking his progress this season, with his transfer expected to cost around £80m.

Is he the player Mourinho needs to complete his midfield puzzle?

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Worth that kind of money?

Milinkovic-Savic is a dynamic midfield all-rounder who is having an excellent season in Italian football, netting 11 times and assisting three more. That’s a significant contribution to a Lazio side who are pushing for a European spot in the Serie A table.

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Alongside Paul Pogba he could be form a ferocious partnership, especially if the duo were anchored by a purely defensive minded teammate like Nemanja Matic.

Just 22 years old, he has a massive future ahead of him and if Manchester United can do a deal, he’s definitely a player they should be looking to bring to Old Trafford this summer.

West Ham have completed the signing of Anderlecht defender Cheikhou Kouyate for an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the region of £7million.

The 24-year-old Senegal international has put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal and becomes the Hammers’ second summer recruit following the arrival of Argentine forward Mauro Zarate.

And the centre-half, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, admits he is delighted to have the chance to perform in the Premier League.

He told the club’s official website:  “I am very happy, because today West Ham have given me the chance to play in the Premier League.

“So I’m very happy to join such a club and that gives me great pleasure. For my part, I’m going to try to do great things here and try to improve further still as a player.”

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Kouyate also had special thanks for Irons boss Sam Allardyce, who he believes is the main reason why he decided to join the club instead of a number of other interested parties, including Arsenal and Valencia.

“That I’m here now is thanks to the manager, because he went out of his way, leaving his holiday for me, so he has done everything he could for me to join the club.” he added.

“He, my advisers and agents helped me make the right decision and said West Ham was the ideal club for me, because as a kid I dreamed of playing in the Premier League and now it’s here that my dream has been realised.”

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Kouyate also learned today that he could make his West Ham debut against arch-rivals Tottenham after it was revealed the two clubs will meet at the Boleyn Ground on the opening day of the 2014/2015 season.

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Millwall FC have announced in an official statement that they have taken action to ban a 13-year-old boy who racially abused Marvin Sordell during a Championship clash with Bolton Wanderers last month.

Sordell tweeted after the game “It’s 2012 in England and people are still shouting racial abuse at a football game!? #shocking.”

The Bolton striker also indicated that team-mates Darren Pratley, Benik Afobe and Lee Chung-Yong were also victim to discriminatory language from some Millwall fans.

The south London club have now released a formal statement concluding the investigation which was carried out in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police, Bolton Wanderers and the F.A.

“Having completed our investigations into the incident, we have identified and interviewed a 13-year-old boy who admitted a verbal exchange with Marvin Sordell in which abuse was used,” the statement reads.

The teenager has been banned from future matches at the New Den, but Millwall believe education over punishment should be the priority considering the boy’s young age.

“The individual has been banned from Millwall matches for the foreseeable future, but as a club we also felt, given the boy’s age and background, we had a duty to play our part in attempting to educate and rehabilitate him.

“Accordingly, we have offered to put him through one of our education programmes, run by Millwall for All (formerly the Millwall Anti-Racism Trust) in the hope that we can change his outlook on equality, racism and life in general.

“In the meantime, the boy has written a letter to Marvin Sordell offering his apology, which has been accepted.”

The statement also criticised sections of the media who misreported the incident claiming that racist chanting could be heard from large sections of the Millwall support.

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“These reports were made with no knowledge of the facts and created the impression that Bolton players were subjected to racial chanting or systematic abuse by more than one individual.”

“Finally, it is our hope that all of us within football, including governing bodies, clubs, players, fans and the media can continue to work together to build on the progress that has been made over many years in effectively tackling the issue of racism in our game, rather than merely sensationalising, and thereby trivialising it,” the statement concluded.

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West Ham are interested in signing Lazio left-back Jordan Lukaku, brother of Romelu, according to the Daily Mail (13/06 16:48).

What’s the story?

The 23-year-old defender joined Lazio in 2016 from KV Oostende and made 30 appearances last season, scoring one and assisting two goals.

The Belgian only has one year left on his contract and it appears Lazio are keen to get some money on the player who is valued at £6.3million on Transfermarkt before he leaves on a free next summer.

West Ham are keen on the Manchester United talisman’s younger brother after having already filled the right-back position with Ryan Fredericks.

Would he be a good signing?

If Jordan has anywhere near the impact his older brother has had on the Premier League, then West Ham fans will be laughing.

He is strong going forward and offers pace on the flank like their new recruit Fredericks.

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If he’s available for a cut-price fee because of his contract situation, he could be a very shrewd purchase for the Hammers who look set to change their style with wing-backs bombing up and down the flanks.

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Tottenham Hotspur will look to maintain their bid to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season when they host Arsenal in the latest episode of the North London derby at Wembley on Saturday.

Spurs currently lie in fifth position in the standings, but they are just one point behind fourth-place Chelsea and two behind Liverpool following their hugely entertaining 2-2 draw against Jurgen Klopp’s side at Anfield last Sunday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men were on course to both win and lose the match in the closing stages of the thrilling encounter, before Harry Kane’s last-gasp penalty gave them a share of the spoils after the England international had missed one in the 87th minute.

While the north London bragging rights are up for grabs this weekend, Pochettino will also be well aware that he can extend his side’s advantage over their arch-rivals to seven points with a victory and boost their chances of securing a Champions League spot.

That won’t be his only concern though, and with a huge European trip to Juventus to come on Tuesday night the 45-year-old will be considering how he is going to utilise his squad, and he may be considering making some alterations to his XI.

Here is how Tottenham must line up against Arsenal on Saturday, ahead of Hugo Lloris in goal…

Defence

Pochettino has plenty of big decisions to make in his back four for the visit of the Gunners on Saturday, with the main one being whether he decides to start Toby Alderweireld or not.

The Belgium international completed the full 90 minutes on his return from a hamstring injury against Newport County on Wednesday night, but the Argentine boss should choose to save him for the trip to Juventus instead rather than risking him three times in six days.

Davinson Sanchez is more than capable of dealing with Gunners striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang despite his struggles at Anfield last weekend, and his pace could be key at Wembley.

Elsewhere, Jan Vertonghen looks to be a certain starter while Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier could get the nod at full-back after Danny Rose and Serge Aurier started against the League Two side in midweek.

Midfield

Pochettino has another important choice to make in the middle of the park, where Mousa Dembele, Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama look to be battling for the two midfield spots.

Dier endured a nightmare first 45 minutes against Liverpool after his under-hit back-pass was capitalised on by Mo Salah, but he did improve after the break.

Substitute Wanyama made an instant impact with a stunning strike though, and he has pushed himself in contention to start against the Gunners.

Having played 78 minutes against Newport in midweek however, Pochettino would be better off saving him for the trip to Turin and keep with Dembele and Dier in the middle against Arsene Wenger’s men.

Attack

Tottenham’s front four pick themselves at the moment if everyone is fit and if they don’t have a huge Champions League match just around the corner, and that should change Pochettino’s thinking on Saturday.

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Christian Eriksen has started all but one of Spurs’ 26 Premier League matches this season, and it would perhaps be a good idea for the Denmark international to start the Arsenal match on the bench with the important clash against Juventus just around the corner.

It’s not as though Pochettino doesn’t have the options to replace the Dane either, with Erik Lamela starting to get back to his best and making an impact on the pitch after he won the penalty that saw the north London outfit secure a point at Anfield, before he found the net in the 2-0 win against Newport County on Wednesday.

Lamela would either start on the left or the right-hand side of the three behind talisman Harry Kane, with Dele Alli in the middle and Son Heung-Min on the opposite flank in order to cause big problems for the Gunners defence.

Do you agree, Spurs fans? Let us know below.

Unlike the England managers of yesteryear, Roy Hodgson can finally enjoy the luxury of a plethora of in-form strikers. Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge are dead certainties to make his final selection when the World Cup rolls around while Danny Welbeck is most likely to follow.

But for once his back-up options aren’t the lost causes of previous selections. And Hodgson may do no better than looking to Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez

The excitement of squad selection for past tournaments has often focused much debate surrounding the issue of strikers. With Rooney the only nailed-on certainty over the last decade – Michael Owen’s recurrent injuries put paid to his spot – the likes of Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Darius Vassell have come and gone.

The spotlight is likely to fall on the likes of Rickie Lambert, Andy Carroll and Jay Rodriguez. And in current form Rodriguez is making Hodgson’s job a whole lot easier.

After a fantastic first-half display away at Tottenham this past weekend Rodriguez has now recorded three goals in his past three matches. He took some time to hit top form this season due to the presence of the troublesome Dani Osvaldo, but since his January departure, Rodriguez has flourished.

His recent goalscoring streak has seen him reach 13 Premier League goals, equalling Wayne Rooney’s current tally. He is the joint-second highest English goalscorer in the league, and that fact alone should be enough to cement his name firmly in Hodgson’s thoughts.

Southampton’s success has been in no small measure down to Rodriguez’s role in the side. His burgeoning relationship with Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Lambert has been pivotal to and should be a factor taken into account by Hodgson when the time comes to start selecting.

He knows his role in the side, he is diligent in his work up and down the left wing, and makes intelligent forward runs from an inside-left position. His finishing, despite being wayward at times, is not bad at all. His goal against Tottenham proved his ability when one-on-one with the goalkeeper as he coolly slid the ball past Hugo Lloris into the side netting.

Lambert and Carroll provide significantly different options for Hodgson due to their size, physicality and hold-up ability. Andy Carroll is as big an aerial threat as you’ll see in European football while Rickie Lambert has composure with the ball at his feet and has the experience of playing in a side that has more to it than West Ham’s ‘kick it long’ tactics.

Taking Rodriguez along to Brazil will give a good indication as to how Hodgson plans on changing games. It’s unlikely that Hodgson will bring the other options as anything other than an impact sub. Bringing someone with the presence of Carroll or Lambert off the bench would hint towards a more direct approach, whereas Rodriguez poses a different kind of threat to defenders. His work-rate and his pace are key assets, but he can also fill gaps in wider areas in the midfield. He’s more likely to peel off the defence rather than get stuck amongst them.

Against an ageing side, such as Italy in the opening fixture in Manaus, someone with the energy of Rodriguez could cause greater problems to a fatigued backline than Carroll or Lambert may do. Their typical formation of three centre-backs would prove a tough ask even against someone as physically imposing as Carroll.

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Likewise against Uruguay, the defensive duo of Diego Lugano and Diego Godin would much rather man-mark a more static striker. Rodriguez’s perpetual movement in-and-out would give them greater problems.

In choosing Rodriguez ahead of the bigger options Hodgson has at his fingertips will be a big hint as to how he plans on navigating the obstacles that await. The thought of a few risky picks when it comes to World Cup selection are always possible, and the inclusion of Jay Rodriguez may just be the most symbolic of all.

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Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has admitted that there are worries about whether defender Ciaran Clark will be fit for Villa’s game against Fulham tomorrow.

Clark is due to have a fitness test before the Premier League returns this weekend. Paul Lambert has been reported as saying on Aston Villa’s official website that Clark is suffering with a “slight knock”.

He also said that he will look at how fresh Christian Benteke, Brett Holman and Brad Guzan are, following their participation in international games during the break.

“I will see how the lads are. Some can be more tired than others. Christian played two games and scored two for the national team. He’s just a young lad too – 21. There are one or two selection things to look at,” he said.

However, it is believed that Stephen Ireland, Karim El Ahmadi and Joe Bennett should return from injury to play tomorrow. Though a final decision will be made later today, Ireland should take part wearing an arm support as he suffered a broken bone in one of his wrists during the Southampton game. Bennett and El Ahmadi will travel with the squad despite the fact that Morocco withdrew El Ahmadi for their international match, something which Lambert said was just precautionary due to the star having cramp.

The Villa boss has also insisted that he has not clashed with snubbed striker Darren Bent but does admit that “he has not come to knock on my door.”

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Aston Villa are currently sixteenth in the Premier League table.

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As it stands, it looks as though Manchester City’s pursuit of Napoli midfielder Jorginho will be one of the sagas of the summer.

The Serie A outfit are not budging having already rejected an offer of £44m from the Premier League champions, according to The Mirror.

The newspaper claims that the North-West outfit will try to push the deal along by offering Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The 21-year-old, who can play in midfield or at left-back, joined City in 2016 but is yet to establish himself in Pep Guardiola’s team.

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In fact, the Ukraine international, who has been capped 17 times for his country, only started six top-flight games for the Cityzens last season.

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Given the amount of world-class talent in City’s first team, it is difficult to envisage a way through for Zinchenko.

However, judging by the reaction on Twitter, the club will come under criticism from the fans if the versatile player is offloaded in a deal for Jorginho.