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ألمح نجم فريق بنفيكا روبن دياز، إلى اقترابه من الانتقال إلى صفوف مانشستر سيتي في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي.

وذكرت تقارير صحفية أمس، أن مانشستر سيتي يتطلع إلى الحصول على خدمات الظهير البرتغالي هذا الصيف.

ودخل مانشستر سيتي في مفاوضات جادة مع بنفيكا، حيث تشير التقارير إلى اقتراب توصلهما لاتفاق نهائي حول صفقة دياز.

وشارك دياز في مباراة اليوم أمام فريق موريرنسي في الدوري البرتغالي، وسجل هدفًا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جيسوس يصدم جوارديولا ويزيد متاعب مانشستر سيتي

وحصل دياز على شارة القيادة في لقاء اليوم، وألمح إلى إنها مباراته الأخيرة مع بنفيكا.

وقال دياز، في تصريحات لشبكة “PortuGoal1” البرتغالية: “كانت مباراة مهمة للغاية بالنسبة لي، وأعتقد أن الجميع يعرف السبب بالفعل”.

وأضاف: “منحني النادي شارة القيادة في تلك المباراة، لقد كان الأمر مميزًا جدًا بالنسبة لي”.

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Arsenal have seen the likes of Reiss Nelson excel out on loan this season but, until Tuesday night, Calum Chambers had hardly been pulling up trees in a Fulham team struggling to clamber out of the bottom three. Against Brighton, though, the Englishman put in his best performance of the season so far and just those 90 minutes could be enough to prove to Gunners chiefs that he can still be an asset for them.

On the chalkboard

The Cottagers desperately needed a result from their clash with the Seagulls having lost their last four in all competitions – including a 2-1 defeat to Oldham in the FA Cup third round – and, with just 17 minutes gone, it looked like that poor run could extend to five games as Glenn Murray put the visitors 2-o ahead.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s men battled back and ended up emerging 4-2 victors, with a brace from Aleksandar Mitrovic ensuring the Serbian scooped both the man of the match award and the much-needed three points.

The big striker shouldn’t take all the credit, though, as Chambers put in a solid defensive shift to ensure the home side could focus on getting the goals they needed, while also chipping in with one himself – quite brilliantly – to fire the Craven Cottage outfit back into the game.

Utility man

Naturally a defender, the 24-year-old has been impressive in recent weeks when former Leicester boss Ranieri has deployed him at the base of the midfield, and he already looks far more comfortable there despite having spent most of his career in the backline.

The Southampton academy graduate won 6 aerial duels and took 95 touches as he patrolled the middle of the park, and his fantastic volley was the icing on the cake (stats per WhoScored).

There is no doubt that Arsenal could do with him in their ranks right now; they lack physical presence in midfield while injuries to a number of senior defenders have meant they are also extremely light at the back.

They might wish they’d never loaned him out in the first place, particularly amidst their current issues, but what Ranieri has done with the player this season might never have even attempted at the Emirates Stadium. Perhaps there is hope yet for the utility man, who has thus far made just 83 appearances for the Gunners in four-and-a-half years at the club.

Arsene Wenger is back and he’s not happy with what’s going on at Arsenal. Check out the hilarious parody video by 442oons above…

Surrey have offered Graeme Smith, South Africa’s Test captain, a lucrative long-term deal that could potentially require him to give up international cricket.ESPNcricinfo understands that Smith has been identified by Surrey as the perfect man to lead their rebuilding process after a season that saw the retirement of senior batsman Mark Ramprakash, the death of the talented Tom Maynard and the departure of former captain Rory Hamilton-Brown. Smith would open the batting and lead the side.It is not hard to see the attraction from Surrey’s point of view. Smith, who will be 32 in February, has played more than 100 Tests and, as captain, overseen South Africa’s ascent to No. 1 in the rankings. He averages almost 50 in Test cricket and scored a century in his 100th Test, against England at The Oval earlier this year.After years on the road, a period of relative stability in London might well prove attractive for Smith too. He has recently married – his wife is from Ireland – and had his first child. But, while Smith has achieved almost everything he could have wanted as a Test player and no longer warrants selection in South Africa’s T20I side, the ambition to win a World Cup remains strong.While it is possible that Surrey would consider signing Smith simply as an overseas player and be happy for him to continue his international career, it is understood from a source in South Africa that the club are looking for a long-term option and would be reluctant to accept a situation where a player comes and goes according to the international fixture list. South Africa are scheduled to play in the Champions Trophy in England next June and then tour Sri Lanka in July and August.Surrey declined to comment.

We finally know which striker is going to act as Eddie Nketiah’s replacement after Leeds United confirmed the arrival of Jean-Kevin Augustin on loan from RB Leipzig.

The Whites have got their man, but is he the right player to bring in? There’s certainly a debate to be had.

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On one hand, this is a 22-year-old who has already scored nine Bundesliga goals in a single season despite his career being in its infancy, but on the other hand, this is a striker who has scored just once over the past 12 months.

The Frenchman is used to playing at a higher level than the Championship with the majority of his appearances have been in both Ligue 1 and the German top-flight, but his recent form doesn’t paint the best picture of him as a player.

The Yorkshire club remain three points clear of third place in the Championship, and they’ll be hoping that this addition will help them clinch an automatic promotion spot come the end of the season.

So, will he prove to be a good signing? We asked our team of writers to give their verdicts.

Lewis Blain

“This is a very wise move from Orta and co. It’s a calculated risk and one that Leeds simply needed to take. There will always be doubts about any incoming at Elland Road – it didn’t work out for one of Arsenal’s brightest talents, so why would any other player get a chance?

“Jean-Kevin Augustin also comes with a very underwhelming record, scoring just once all season for former loan club Monaco in Ligue 1.

“However, Bielsa needs depth behind Bamford and this presents a mutual opportunity for all parties. The 22-year-old is only on loan, and Leeds have the option to sign him on their part, so if he spearheads them to promotion it’s a win-win as he’ll be regarded as a bargain. If they falter again? He goes back to RB Leipzig at very little cost. It could be a masterstroke from Orta and Bielsa.”

Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“At just 22-years-old, Jean-Kevin Augustin still has plenty of room to grow, but he is not the answer for Leeds’ promotion desires this season.

“The Frenchman hasn’t proven himself to be a prolific goal-scorer, with his total of 12 goals in the 2017/2018 campaign whilst with RB Leipzig being his highest amount over the course of a full season.

“Marcelo Bielsa desperately needed a more sure-fire option to lead them into the Premier League next year, not a gamble. Augustin has scored just once in 13 appearances across all competitions this campaign and is no doubt low on confidence because of it.

“Leeds can’t afford to wait for the striker to find his feet in English football and rediscover his mojo in front of goal. Victor Orta has made a grave mistake.”

Billy Meyers “I simply can’t believe Orta has got this one over the line. Augustin is a player with Champions League experience under his belt and a glitzy highlights reel showcasing some sharp finishing and electric play in and around the box – his record of 35 goals in 131 career outings also isn’t terrible for a 22-year-old.“Additionally, with five goals in nine appearances for France’s U21 side, this is a player who may arguably be too good for the Championship, given the fact that Everton, Leicester, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have previously expressed an interest in him. “His rapid pace and desire to get his shots off as quickly as possible represents a wonderful Plan B to Patrick Bamford, enabling Marcelo Bielsa to have another wonderful squad option in his armoury and one who could well terrorise defences enough to fire Leeds into the Premier League. “Leeds can pat themselves on the back after completing this eye-catching transfer deal.” Charles Jones

“I can’t help but feel like this is the wrong type of signing for Leeds United. The Whites are seriously underperforming their xG this term, and that means that the one thing they need is a clinical finisher, and Augustin is anything but that.

“The Frenchman may have shown promise a few years ago, but with just one goal in the past 12 months it’s hard to say that he’s shown signs of being able to rediscover that form

“Yes, the Championship may be a step down in quality in terms of opposition, but the nets stay the same size, and if Augustin can’t find the back of them he’ll prove to be a waste of time.”

In other news, David Ornstein’s transfer update indicates that Leeds made a mistake back in 2018.

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For a team that are only four points above the relegation zone and averaging just over a point won every game, Crystal Palace shouldn’t be too disheartened with their current situation. Rather, they should feel confident that they won’t severely be threatened by teams at the foot of the Premier League table as we approach the business end of the season.

To their credit the Eagles flaunt a very respectable defensive record, having only conceded 33 goals in 25 league games. For context, their defensive record is superior to the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton, while their lower league rivals such as Southampton, Burnley, Cardiff and Huddersfield have all conceded over 40.

With this in mind, and by watching Palace games, it’s apparent that their issues do not lie with their defensive work; instead, their attacking output requires significant improvement. Roy Hodgson’s side have only scored 26 goals in 25 fixtures, an average of just more than a goal every game, and while it denotes an improvement of three goals in comparison to the same stage in the previous season, it’s still insufficient if they’re to fulfil their aspirations.

One noticeable difference has been the dip in Wilfried Zaha’s statistical output. In 29 league appearances last season, the Ivorian contributed towards 14 goals (scoring nine and providing five assists), whereas he has only contributed towards nine league goals this term in 23 league games (scoring four and registering five assists).

Despite the lessened statistical influence of Palace’s star man, the extent of their attacking pedigree will likely separate them from their divisional rivals, all of whom are vying to extend their stay in England’s top-flight. Shrewd transfer business and more effective deployment of creative players could lead to a very purposeful second half of the season for the South London side.

The surprising deadline day acquisition of Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea could prove to be a pivotal moment in Palace’s season. Fellow countryman Christian Benteke has been limited to just six Premier League appearances this season, due to a knee injury. Similarly, Townsend, Zaha and Ayew have only scored nine Premier League goals between them this season, a further indication of their attacking woes.

However, we cannot view Palace’s attack solely in terms of goals scored. Palace have been mightily unfortunate in front of goal this campaign, hitting the woodwork on 13 occasions in the Premier League this season – only Chelsea (17) have done so with greater regularity. Furthermore, Roy Hodgson’s side have the seventh highest total of shots in the division with 323, which outlines the importance of more ruthlessness and improved application in the final third.

Much to the delight of Crystal Palace supporters, the presence of Batshuayi should help enormously in this regard. Apart from Valencia, the Belgian international has succeeded to score a healthy amount of goals at each club he has represented.  Despite mainly being an understudy at Chelsea, the 25-year-old scored total of 19 goals in 53 appearances with the Blues. His time at Borussia Dortmund was prematurely concluded by injury, yet he still totalled nine goals in 14 appearances for the German side. In the simplest of terms, the Belgian forward guarantees goals.

While it’s right to acknowledge his goal-scoring pedigree, the presence of Batshuayi could significantly impact the creative output of Townsend and Zaha too. Through having a recognised striker, capable of continually finding the back of the net in their midst, it could alleviate the pressure that the pair shoulder to score goals for Palace, allowing them to channel their focus on chance creation.

Batshuayi isn’t the most complete forward regarding his ability to contribute to general play or aid in the transitional phase, but he’s a clinical striker who is unrelenting in the penalty area. If given sufficient service, the Belgian will convert, and considering the creativity provided by the likes of Townsend, Zaha and Max Meyer, he could prove to become an indispensable figure for the Eagles.

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Everton manager Marco Silva tried to solve the team’s problem in the final third by making a positional switch.

Richarlison signed for the Toffees from Watford for a fee in the region of £40m during the summer window, and he made an instant impact.

The Brazilian winger proved that he was capable of finding the back of the net, much more easily than his striker teammates.

Cenk Tosun, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Oumar Niasse are Silva’s main options when playing a lone man up front.

However, none of them have set the world alight so far, and as a result, the Everton boss opted to push Richarlison into a more advanced position.

The 21-year-old has played up top in the Toffees’ last three Premier League fixtures, scoring once and creating a single assist.

With Tosun and Calvert-Lewin recently getting on the scoresheet, we asked you if it would benefit the team more having Richarlison back on the wing.

Judging from the results, most Everton fans believe that the wide area is by far the Brazilian’s best position.

There’s only two days left in the transfer market but Arsenal might be after another one or two signings before the window closes on Thursday.

The Gunners completed much of their business earlier in the summer as the club look to get back into the Champions League spots next season under Unai Emery.

The Spaniard now has five new players to call upon this upcoming season, all of whom have addressed Arsenal’s main weaknesses: depth in midfield and keeping clean sheets.

With Calum Chambers departing the club to join Fulham on loan, Turkish newspaper, Aksam (via Turkish Football) is now reporting Arsenal are willing to offer one of Danny Welbeck, Shkodran Mustafi or David Ospina to Besiktas in exchange for Domagoj Via.

According to the report, Besiktas have snubbed both Danny Welbeck and Shkodran Mustafi and are only keen on David Ospina.

The Breakdown

With Laurent Koscielny out, Sokratis will likely start the first game of the season in defence. Mustafi will likely partner him but in truth, the German international had a poor year last season, and Vida would be an upgrade.

The Besiktas man was a key part in the Croatia team that made it to the final.

Joining Besiktas in January on a free transfer, thanks to the World Cup, Vida showcased himself as a top defender and would give Emery a solid defensive partnership.

If Arsenal can involve Ospina in a potential swap deal, would have made a shrewd piece of business.

What do you think Arsenal fans?

According to reports in The Mirror, Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis is a target for Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton, but Villa fans have told the interested parties to keep their “hands off”.

The Mirror says that the aforementioned trio of clubs all scouted the 19-year-old in the 4-0 win against Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night, and they would have been impressed with the teenager’s all-round performance up top alongside Jonathan Kodjia.

The centre-forward showed his strength and pace and he scored his side’s opening goal in the victory with a thumping header, which would have impressed those watching on.

Aston Villa supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, and while some simply said “hands off”, others believe the club “better win promotion” if they want to have a chance of keeping hold of the impressive youngster.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

According to reports on Voetbal International, via Football Oranje, Everton manager Ronald Koeman has ruled out taking the vacant job with the Netherlands national team.

What’s the word, then?

Well, following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria on Saturday – which has left Holland fourth in their 2018 World Cup qualifying group and in danger of missing out on their second successive tournament – manager Danny Blind was sacked.

With Koeman doing so well with Southampton last season and Everton this, it is natural that the Dutchman is said to be one of the frontrunners for the job.

However, the 54-year-old has dismissed those suggestions saying he is happy at Goodison Park, while seemingly also holding a grudge with the decision makers for giving the job to Guus Hiddink instead of him in 2014.

What’s Koeman said?

Koeman told Voetbal International: “Someone messaged me asking if I was available.

“What do you think? I replied. What more can I say? I am very comfortable with Everton on a great project where we have only just started.

“They had their chance. Now we are two coaches and a few assistants on. And look where we are with our football. ”

Harsh words indeed. So is there no going back?

It doesn’t look like it.

Maybe Koeman would change his mind in the future but right now he has made it clear that he isn’t interested in the vacant role while he has a project to work on at Goodison Park.

That’s positive news for Toffees fans, right?

Yes, it is.

With the uncertainty surrounding the futures of key stars Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley ahead of the summer transfer window, it will be a relief for Everton supporters that Koeman has committed his future to the Merseyside club for the time being – it could be a different story if Barcelona come calling.

They will hope that the news will help convince their stars that they should stay for at least one more season, and persuade potential new additions that the club is worth joining at the end of the campaign.

Although Spurs’ title dreams ended in failure on Monday night, it has been a great season for the Lilywhites.

Building upon the momentum of the first season under Mauricio Pochettino, the Lilywhites have exploded this term, developing into, arguably, the most complete football team in England right now, with Harry Kane a key cog in a well-oiled unit.

The England international has netted a division-high 25 goals, while scoring a further three in other competitions, becoming the focal point of the team and casting off the ‘one-season-wonder’ moniker some had thrust upon him after his breakthrough campaign.

It’s been a huge season for Kane, and here are 10 of his biggest moments in picture form…

First goal relief…

Kane is the Premier League’s top goalscorer… but he didn’t actually open his account until late September with a strike against Manchester City. The relief was etched on his face as he answered some one season wonder critics…

Floodgates open

It took Kane almost another month to net again, but a penalty kick against Bournemouth was the first of a hat-trick on the day, which set the striker on a run that saw him plunder six goals in four matches.

Pride of London

After a difficult international break with England, Kane returned to club duty with a double against West Ham in the London derby.

Winter wonderland

Boxing Day is traditionally a tough time to get a result, so Kane’s double against Norwich was celebrated at the Lane.

Massive Man City goal

There have long been doubts about Spurs’ ability to beat the big teams, but a 2-1 win over Man City back in February illustrated the power in this term, and of course Kane got the opener!

Dortmund dejection

As the run in for the title ramped up in March, Kane only came on as a late sub against Dortmund in the Europa League, but the disappointment of a 3-0 loss in Germany was clear to see.

Derby delight

Up there among the best goals of the season, Kane netted a worldie against Arsenal to make it 2-1. Although the game ended 2-2, it was a high point.

Big goal at Anfield

Trailing 2-1 on a warm Saturday evening in Liverpool, Kane swivelled past Dejan Lovren to level the scores and take a dramatic point for his side.

Going Potty at Stoke

At the peak of Spurs’ title charge, a 4-0 win at Stoke laid down a real marker following Leicester dropping points against West Ham. Kane netted twice at the Britannia Stadium.

Not the fairytale…

Monday night saw Spurs’ title flame extinguished as they surrendered a two goal lead at Chelsea – one of which was scored by Kane – and the above picture shows the feeling of dejection the striker suffered.