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Wolves U23s manager James Collins heaped praise on youngster Theo Corbeanu after his performance against Doncaster Rovers in the Papa John’s Trophy.

Corbeanu has the world at his feet

The Canadian-born Romanian winger has only recently been introduced to the second string setup after scoring four goals and providing one assist in the U18 Premier League last season. Corbeanu has managed to replicate that form for Collins’ team, scoring twice from his first seven outings (via TransferMarkt).

The 18-year-old played just behind the club’s record signing Fabio Silva, as his Portuguese teammate notched a brace which helped them to a 2-1 win at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Cited by BirminghamLive, Collins was full of praise for Corbeanu and is excited about what is to come from him.

“He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything,” he said.

“Theo can be anything he wants to be,” Collins continues. “He’s an outstanding prospect. But, and there’s always a but with these players, he’s got to learn to play within the system and play with the others, adapt his game for different scenarios and situations.

“He’s got to keep improving and he knows that, he’s another good kid who wants to learn – but I think Theo can be as good as he wants to be.”

Transfer Tavern take

Corbeanu has made himself one of Collins’ key assets already during this campaign, which could force Nuno Espirito Santo into looking at him for possible first-team appearances further down the line.

Having played alongside Silva so competently, Corbeanu has put his name out there and supporters will now be more away of his ability, thanks to Collins’ generous words about him.

The former Romania U17 international needs to maintain his consistency and ensure that his attitude is spot on. If he can do that, the Molineux faithful could have another future star on their hands.

In other news, Wolves fans beg Nuno Espirito Santo to sign ‘monster’ midfielder.

Jose Mourinho has an illustrious record when it comes to the Europa League, winning the competition twice and he signalled his intentions to complete a hat-trick as his Tottenham Hotspur side tasted victory in their Group J opener.

The north London outfit thrashed Austrian minnows LASK Linz 3-0 at home on Thursday evening.

Lucas Moura and substitute Heung-min Son bagged either side of an own goal as Spurs were fully in control on the night.

There were many encouraging performances across the pitch, ranging from Carlos Vinicius’ debut upfront to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg putting in a warrior-like display that had his manager comparing him to Zinedine Zidane.

Although one Spurs star failed to inspire despite Mourinho putting faith in him to start the game.

The 24-year-old was dropped for their game against Manchester United and only featured off the bench for the 3-3 draw with West Ham, so he should have taken this opportunity with both hands.

Winks, who is valued at €40m (£36m) by CIES Football Observatory, was rather lightweight in the heart of midfield as he was truly outshone by the man next to him, the Danish summer arrival.

He won just six of his 13 duels, committed three fouls, lost possession 11 times and failed to record a single key pass, shot or interception, as per SofaScore.

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick graded the England maestro a 5/10, the lowest of any Spurs player, and said: “If there was a weak link for Spurs, it was Harry Winks, who endured a difficult evening in the midfield three. The England international set the tone for his performance with a desperate foul in the first minute and he looked a little off the pace throughout.”

With Giovani Lo Celso to come back into the fold and Tanguy Ndombele finding his feet at long last, Mourinho will have to make the cut-throat call to drop Winks indefinitely.

There’s no way he should be starting above either of those when fully fit, nor is he going to get a place over the industrious Hojbjerg, who has been everything Spurs have lacked for the best part of 18 months.

Even Moussa Sissoko looks a better option in the middle right now. He may be one of their own, but the young N17 graduate should have no place amongst the starting XI for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Dynamo who had 104 touches outshone Hojbjerg vs LASK…

As Premier League games go, they don’t come much harder than having to face the reigning Premier League champions. But that’s the task that awaits Aston Villa when they face Liverpool at Villa Park on Sunday night.

Dean Smith rang the chances for the Carabao Cup clash against Stoke City on Thursday, and promptly saw his side crash out of the competition at the last 16 stage.

But he is likely to revert back to his strongest eleven for the Premier League encounter with Jurgen Klopp’s men. However, there may be one player who Smith should look to finally unleash: Jacob Ramsey.

The 19-year-old spent the first-half of last season playing for Villa’s youth sides, before making a loan switch to Doncaster in the January transfer window. And whilst there, the teenager made quite the impression, scoring three goals in just seven League One games.

That form would no doubt have caught Smith’s eye during pre-season back with the club, and it’s been quite telling that the youngster has already played four times with the senior side this season, including picking up an assist in the Carabao Cup victory over Bristol City.

Despite starting all three of Villa’s games in that competition, Ramsey has only been restricted to 13 minutes of Premier League football, coming on as a substitute against Fulham.

The 19-year-old has come through the academy at Villa Park, and given the way Jack Grealish has developed into a superstar and talisman for them, that same path could be trodden by Ramsey too.

The club’s academy manager said: “If he continues to match his undoubted technical ability and eye for a goal with the desire and energy to reach the next level, he will have a bright future in the game.”

All he needs is an opportunity to showcase his talent in the Premier League, and whilst it of course comes with an element of risk, Smith could be more than surprised.

After producing an outstanding display in their first Premier League game after well over a decade, Leeds were less than convincing as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the first time of asking.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side may have slipped to a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool at the weekend, but they more than held their own against the reigning top-flight champions.

And whilst the Leeds boss rang the changes for the contest against Hull on Wednesday night, he surely would have been expecting a lot more from his fringe players, particularly someone like Tyler Roberts.

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With Bielsa calling on a number of much younger players, Roberts, with 55 first-team appearances to his name for the club, was actually one of the more experienced players on the pitch, even despite himself only being 21.

The Wales international came off the bench to play against the Reds on Saturday, and he had the perfect opportunity against Hull to stake his claim for a starting spot for Leeds’ next Premier League clash.

Instead, he badly let his manager down with a hugely disappointing display, with his 6.4 match rating only better than teammate Oliver Casey on the night.

The 5 foot 11 ace conceded possession a staggering 17 times over the course of the 90 minutes, and lost eight out of his 13 total duels. But aside from being dominated too easily, Roberts was not much of a threat when he had the ball, registering no shots on goal or dribbles whatsoever and providing just one key pass.

Whilst Bielsa may not be too fussed about exiting the Carabao Cup – the Premier League of will course be the Whites’ priority this season – the game against Hull did offer some of his players the chance to prove that they can be a useful part of the first-team squad.

Instead, Roberts and co showed that Leeds’ strength in depth needs a whole lot of work, and if they are going to achieve top-flight safety, it may have to be done with just a small core group of players.

Many Aston Villa fans have reacted to a transfer report that links Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard with a move to the club this summer.

Claret and Blue boss Dean Smith will look to address a number of areas within his squad that need improvement this summer ahead of the 2020/21 season.

One particular area that Villa are in desperate need to improve is in attack having seen the likes of Wesley, Mbwana Samatta and Keinan Davis all struggle to find regular goal-scoring form.

Having previously been linked with a move for Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, it is now emerging that the Midlands based club are keen on Celtic’s Edouard.

Daily Telegraph writer Mike McGrath reports that Villa would like to make a summer move for the £13.5m-valued striker who netted an impressive 21 goals in 27 games and gained 12 assists in the Scottish Premiership last term.

Reacting to the transfer claim, Villa fans gave varied opinions via Twitter account @villareport with many keen on the potential addition – one even suggested he would be a ‘great’ signing.

Do you think Edouard would make a good summer signing for Villa? Let us know in the comments section below…

Manchester United flop Alexis Sanchez could be forced to take a pay cut if he wants to stay at Inter Milan, reports say. 

Recent reports revealed the Red Devils are ready to sell Sanchez this summer after he agreed personal terms with Antonio Conte’s side.

The Chile international, who is now valued at £14.4m, has only scored five goals in 45 games for Man United and has been a persistent thorn in Ed Woodward’s side ever since he arrived at Old Trafford from Arsenal in January 2018.

Try as he might, the executive vice-chairman has been unable to get rid of him for good so far.

However, that may be about to change, as Inter have reportedly expressed interest in signing the Chilean permanently, so he will have to significantly reduce his salary demands with his wages worth £400,000-a-week at the Theatre of Dreams.

According to ESPN’s Rob Dawson, Sanchez is not part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans and United are open to another long-term loan but would prefer to sell even if they have to take a substantial loss.

Solskjaer may face his toughest challenge in the transfer market, as he will have a hard task finding suitable buyers for the deadwood because clubs are struggling to cope with the financial pressures of these unprecedented circumstances.

Conte seems to have made his life a whole lot easier as Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed the Nerazzurri want Sanchez to stay at the San Siro.

The Chilean is considered surplus to requirements by Solskjaer and could be shipped out the door as soon as possible.

United fans, should Woodward sell Sanchez ASAP? Let us know down below!

Leeds were always going to have a keen interest in the playoff final after their promotion to the Premier League, as they’ll have wanted to have a look at who is going to join them next season in the top-flight.

However, despite the winners joining them in English football’s top division, United may be a lot more interested in the losing team after an article in The Athletic linked them with moves for players from either team.

Indeed, Phil Hay has stated that Leeds have an interest in each of Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma from Brentford and Joe Bryan from Fulham, but it seems as though the club only believe they can land any of those players if they’re on the losing side at Wembley.

Luckily for Leeds, one team has to lose on Tuesday, but with the caveats that come with a playoff loss, United have to be hoping for one outcome.

The Yorkshire club should have their fingers crossed in the hopes that Fulham overcome Brentford for a number of reasons.

For a start, The Athletic state that the Whites think Benrahma would be available for less than £20m if the Bees don’t go up, which would be a snip for a player of his quality, contributing to 26 league goals this term and being linked to Chelsea.

Signing Benrahma is a much more attractive proposition than Bryan, a Championship standard left-back who would only add to the conundrum Bielsa already has with Stuart Dallas, Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski.

Watkins also adds another element to United, being a potent finisher, something that the Whites have needed for some time.

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On top of this, Fulham are still receiving parachute payments, and they have a number of sellable assets with Andre Franck Zambo Anguissa being linked with a €25m (£22.5m) move and Jean Michael Seri still valued at £8.55m by Transfermarkt, the London club don’t have to sell their stars, and they won’t be pressured into it.

Meanwhile, Brentford have paid £71m for a new stadium, and they’ve never been in the Premier League, so money is a bit tighter for Thomas Frank’s side, meaning that Leeds, or any other top club, would have an easier time in trying to poach their stars.

Anyone associated with Leeds should certainly be an honorary Fulham fan on Tuesday.

Newcastle United’s prospective £300m takeover has been a long and drawn-out process and it appears as if it is still quite some way off from being resolved.Premier League CEO Richard Masters didn’t give much away when asked about the current situation during an interview with Sky Sports’ Bryan Swanson but he did hint towards ‘timing’ not being an issue – meaning this is surely set to rumble on.And Keith Downie has responded on Twitter, questioning previous reports that have suggested the takeover being given the ‘green light’ in recent weeks.He said:

Downie believes that there is still plenty of work to be done and given it has taken nearly two months already, the Magpies faithful are going to be far from pleased with the news.

The Premier League have also had to deal with ‘Project Restart’ and following their announcement that the season will resume in mid-June, it is hoped that their focus can now be put towards approving the takeover.

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AND in other news,ÂLee Ryder slams Mike Ashley for contract situation…

Liverpool face Brighton on Saturday as they look to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

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The Reds come into the match off the back of a 1-1 draw against Napoli in the Champions League at Anfield. As such, they will be looking to return to winning ways.

With so many games to play over the coming weeks, it will be interesting to see what team Jurgen Klopp puts out against the Seagulls. Here, we try to predict his starting XI.

As Alisson did not pick up an injury against the Italian team in midweek, there is no need for him to drop out of the side. Therefore, he will start between the sticks.

Check out footballers’ biggest fashion disasters in the video below…

Andrew Robertson came through the European fixture unscathed, and should therefore keep his place in the side for the visit of Graham Potter’s men. In the middle, Virgil van Dijk is unlikely to be removed, but Joe Gomez could come in alongside him. He struggled at right-back on Wednesday, but he could be included in the middle of the back four here. On the right, Trent Alexander-Arnold should return after being dropped to the bench for the last fixture.

Fabinho will be out of action until next year, so someone will need to take his place in defensive midfield. Naby Keita may be a long-term alternative, but an illness over the past week or so may mean it is too soon for him to start. As such, Georginio Wijnaldum could drop back into the deeper role, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain taking his place further forward. Expect Jordan Henderson to join the 26-year-old in central midfield.

Unless there are any last-minute injuries, expect all three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to stay in those three positions up front. With 18 goals between them already in this Premier League campaign, much of the Merseyside team’s success will rely on them in the coming months.

In other news, one Liverpool star says he could have joined Napoli before moving to Anfield.

Having joined Liverpool’s youth set-up back in 2013, Pedro Chirivella has been a familiar name to fans of the Anfield side for a number of years now.

The Spaniard made his first-team debut under Brendan Rodgers when he came on as a first-half substitute for Kolo Toure in a Europa League group stage clash against Bordeaux.

But since then, Chirivella has struggled massively to really make a big impression on the Liverpool first-team, spending a number of seasons out on loan at sides like Go Ahead Eagles and Willem II in the Netherlands.

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The biggest news surrounding the now 22-year-old was his inclusion in an EFL Cup tie against MK Dons when it was later revealed that he was actually ineligible to play.

Despite the lack of real opportunities at Anfield – he has played just 11 times for the senior side in his entire career – Liverpool’s former U23s manager Neil Critchley waxed lyrical about Chirivella back in February.

He said: “For such a young player and a young person, he has unbelievable intelligence and experience of playing the game and he passes that on to everyone around him. He is first on the training ground every day, he plays like a real leader and the boys love him for that.”

But the fact is, at 22, Chirivella is hardly a “young player” anymore. With his contract coming to an end this summer, Jurgen Klopp must be ruthless with the Spaniard and simply let him walk away on a free transfer.

Having him in the squad simply eats up a first-team spot that could quite easily go to an academy graduate trying to make their name at Anfield.

Chirivella hasn’t shown anything to suggest that he could be someone who the Reds can build their midfield around, and it’s exactly why they should part ways with him this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to links with this Ligue 1 ace.