Sunderland’s new signing Adam Johnson says manager Martin O’Neill has given him the “confidence and freedom” to play football again.
The 25-year-old joined the Black Cats from Manchester City last week and made his debut in the club’s 2-0 Capital One Cup victory over Morecambe on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to BBC Newcastle, the winger said: “The other night I felt like the chains had been taken off me. When you play one game and you know you could be out the next it’s tough.”
He continued: “When you haven’t played for five games and then you play for one and you’re expected to perform, it’s difficult. Martin [O’Neill] was brilliant and as soon as I spoke to him I knew what he wanted. He has good relationships with players and as soon as I spoke to him I knew it was a good decision to come.”
Johnson began his career at Middlesbrough, scoring 13 times in 120 appearances, before moving to Manchester City in 2010. The Sunderland-born winger admitted he could have moved to the Stadium of Light instead of City two years ago, but even now believes he made the right decision.
“I had the choice to go to Sunderland or City and looking back now I probably made the right decision,” Johnson added. “With the medals and experiences I’ve had, looking back I’d do it again.”
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Johnson has been included in the England squad for September’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine, having been left out by Roy Hodgson for the European Championships.
Eden Hazard has taken on such talismanic status at Chelsea that his exclusion from the team to face Huddersfield on Wednesday night must have given David Wagner and his team a real boost from the moment they were handed the teamsheet.
It certainly looked that way as Chelsea spluttered in the face of dogged visiting defending and the Terriers grew into the game in the second period; never really looking like losing.
This Chelsea side is a talented one but Hazard is the man who sets it all off and for that reason, he is likely to return to the Blues lineup for the trip to Newcastle on the final day of the season as Antonio Conte looks to get his side back on track ahead of the Wembley showpiece final on 19 May against Manchester United.
That’s why we asked you who should drop out to allow the Belgian back in; Willian or Pedro? The response was overwhelming and Chelsea fans clearly want the Spaniard, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt to be dropped by Conte.
81 per cent want the former Barcelona man to be dumped on the bench and you can check out the full results of the poll below…
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Despite a pretty horrific Under-21 EURO tournament this summer, England should not overlook the talent that is present in their youth ranks.
While the Three Lions try to move on from the generation of John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole they must look towards the up and coming players and give them the chance to experience international football at the top level. From the darkness of Brazil 2014, England’s national side aren’t looking quite so glum anymore with Roy Hodgson having turned the tide a little in qualification.
The current cohort of English youngsters have shown more promise at club level than many groups before them, and hopefully Hodgson is willing to take the chance on some stars who could be stalwarts in the England squad for years to come. Whilst other sides are regenerating and investing in their youth prospects, England continue to rely on players like Jagielka and Jones.
Here are FIVE young guns that England must take to Euro 2016…
Will Hughes
Hughes was one of the players who never quite shone as brightly at the Under-21 EUROs as he, or Gareth Southgate, would have hoped. A Premier League move for Hughes has been mooted for some time and this summer seems ideal for the blonde-haired central midfielder to step up.
Having only turned 20 in April, Hughes is very much a work in progress, but could provide a creative spark for a Premier League team or England with intelligent passing and close control that is surprising to see of an Englishman.
Jack Butland
Finally we seem to be about to witness Jack Butland as a Premier League No.1 with Stoke. Loan periods around the midlands and north have given Butland invaluable experience but he has still only made six Premier League appearances and must improve on that number to hold down a squad place for EURO 2016.
Joe Hart is destined for the No. 1 jersey with England, although any injury or suspension should see Butland fill in next summer. Still extremely young for a goalkeeper at 22, Butland may have a decade until he peaks and England must invest in a long-term replacement for Hart and put pressure on the Manchester City man for his place.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Since his move from Southampton, ‘The Ox’ has struggled to nail down a starting position at Arsenal. Chamberlain flirted with a central-midfield role, but now seems set to continue as a winger at club level.
Chamberlain has been restricted by persistent injuries and faces tough competition for game time in his position at both club and national level. Aside from a wonderful goal at the Maracana, Chamberlain is yet to make an imprint on the international stage, but he could well end his career with over 100 caps for his country.
John Stones
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The most un-English of central defenders, Stones has a calm presence on the ball that is rare for any Englishman, let alone a centre-half. Everton’s defender has the versatility to cover at right-back but his future must surely lie in the centre of defence where he will be eyeing up a potential partnership with Gary Cahill or Calum Chambers for the years to come.
His big move is likely to happen in one of the next two summers and Stones needs time to experience international football. Hopefully, patience and faith will see Stones become England captain one day.
Calum Chambers
Another former Saint, and another who can play both centrally and on the right of defence. Chambers is still finding his feet at club level and is likely to play most of the 2015/16 season as cover for Arsenal.
Fortunately, opportunities will be around at Arsenal to stake a claim for first team football and he, like Stones, is comfortable enough on the ball to play out from the back. A Stones-Chambers partnership could be the defensive setup for a changing English style and provide stability for years to come.
Stoke City have confirmed that Mark Hughes is their new manager and he has signed a three-year deal with the club.
The former Manchester City and QPR boss was always the favourite to land the role once Tony Pulis’ seven-year stretch as manager came to an end, Hughes has been out of work since being sacked by QPR last November.
His appointment was announced in a brief statement on Thursday morning but the former Manchester United striker will hold a media conference at 11am.
It is unclear how much money he will be handed to strengthen the Stoke squad but it is not expected to be the same sort of riches his predecessor spent and one of his first jobs maybe to oversee the sale of top asset Asmir Begovic.
Peter Coates is looking at a long-term plan with Hughes, saying: “We want to give him time and opportunity.
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“We had seven very good years with Tony Pulis, and if we have seven similar years with Mark we will all be delighted.”
A 27-year-old Brazilian left-back with one international cap to his name might not strike much interest from those away from La Liga. But Filipe Luis, who is currently on the books of Atletico Madrid, could arguably be the best left-back in Spain. No, really.
From the off, Manchester United springs to mind as a club who are in search of an alternative and eventual replacement to Patrice Evra. United have had a move for Leighton Baines turned down by Everton, while there was only ever one team likely to net Jordi Alba from Valencia. Yet, it’s incredibly difficult to understand why so many clubs have missed Filipe Luis off their transfer targets list.
The Brazilian would have created a bigger name for himself on the international stage had he not picked up a lengthy injury in 2010, subsequently ruling him out of that summer’s World Cup. He’s far more reliable defensively than Marcelo and can be equally impressive in attack. But highlighting Filipe Luis as “reliable” in defence and then moving on would be a huge discredit to his ability and accomplishments with Atletico Madrid.
Last season, as Atleti lifted their second Europa league title in three years and finished fifth in the league, a defence with centre-backs rotating in and out of the side were helped to be eased by the excellent work of the Brazilian on the left. His tackles and interceptions are outstanding and consistent throughout the season, and his strength and positioning always plays a big part in his very good overall game.
Filipe Luis was previously linked with a move to Barcelona when the Catalans only had Eric Abidal as a recognised left-back. That move fell through, obviously, and the club moved on to other targets later on with the capture of Adriano, while Filipe stayed at Deportivo.
His injury in 2010 was not to halt his club career in the same way it did his international career as Atletico decided to move for a player who should have grabbed more attention across Europe. His early career in the Spanish capital saw the Brazilian battle it out with captain Antonio Lopez for the starting role on the left of the defence. Lopez’s age and eventual departure from the club left the position in the hands of Filipe Luis. He really has not disappointed since.
At 27, the left-back represents a good buy for any major club looking for stability on that front. He never seems out of his depth when playing under a bigger spotlight, and many are right to claim him as the best overall left-back in the country. Jordi Alba and Marcelo obviously attract much more attention due to their clubs, but neither are as reliable and comfortable in the defensive aspect of the game. Fabio Coentrao and Nacho Monreal are also young left-backs who are better in their own half of the pitch, but neither offer the consistency that Filipe Luis does.
As Atletico rode easily to a 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao on Monday night, Filipe Luis was given a lot of freedom to get forward and even got close enough to sting the palms of goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. He’s a player who knows when to stay back and when the opportunity is good to supplement the attack. For that, it’s very difficult to get the best of the Brazilian.
The defender should find his way into many more games with his national side, but the real level of interest should come from those around Europe and specifically in the Premier League. Again, I’m particularly surprised at Manchester United’s lack of interest in the player considering their desire for another left back. The team’s choice to venture into the Dutch league for an alternative to Evra makes it even more questionable. But what about Everton? They could certainly have knocked on Atletico’s door had Baines left the club, and Arsenal are still lacking a genuinely world class defender on that left side.
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There’s a reason Atletico had the second most clean sheets in the league last season, amassing a total of 15. All Filipe Luis does is highlight the depth in La Liga beyond the top two. A key figure for Atletico and a great addition for the whole league, but he does have his price and he would be a great buy for many clubs in England.
Crystal Palace will want to keep hold of their stars this summer as they prepare to rebuild and fans in the Transfer Tavern will be hoping they can tie down their most important players with new deals.
The Eagles managed to all but secure their place in the Premier League with an emphatic win against Leicester City last weekend, and whilst they are not mathematically safe just yet, they are already planning for their future in the top-flight.
According to The Guardian, Roy Hodgson is planning to hold talks with Yohan Cabaye and Joel Ward about their futures at Selhurst Park, however, the manager is expecting to lose the experienced pair on a free transfer when their contracts expire.
The locals in the bar will want to keep the Frenchman at the club beyond the summer as he has proven to be a key performer for the Eagles in recent weeks, however, there are concerns over his huge wage demands and the player is not expected to be prepared to take a huge pay-cut to extend his stay.
Ward has become a veteran of the side, helping them win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 and making over 205 appearances for the club, but it is expected he will leave this summer in search of regular first-team football.
Landlord’s Verdict
Crystal Palace fans in the Tavern will already be resigned to losing Rueben Loftus-Cheek and Timothy Fosu-Mensah when their loan deals expire at the end at the season and will be hoping they can keep hold of their stars. The locals will want the south Londoner’s to become active in the transfer market as soon as possible to prepare for the departure of a handful of key players.
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Crystal Palace fans – do you expect Cabaye and Ward to leave this summer? Let us know below!
Until recently, Arsenal’s Joel Campbell was hardly much of a known entity among football fans outside the loyal Emirates faithful.
Somewhat successful spells at both Real Betis, and in the Champions League with Olympiacos, showed the 22-year-old to be a promising talent at the very least – but also a player in need of a great deal more work and dedication on the training ground.
Since last summer’s 2014 World Cup in Brazil however, the young attacking midfielder has proven to the rest of the world that he does in-fact have something to bring to the table, as Costa Rica defied all odds in the so-called group of death with Joel Campbell at the forefront of their attack.
2014/15 was therefore supposed to be a campaign in which the Central American star would significantly contribute to Arsenal’s title push this season, and perhaps even warrant himself an illustrious first team place in Arsene Wenger’s competitive starting XI.
Such an outcome has seemingly failed to take place this year though – and with the World Cup hero now sent out on loan again for the remainder of the current campaign with Villarreal – the rest of the footballing community are forced to ask whether or not Joel Campbell still has a bright future ahead of him, either at the Emirates or beyond?
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As previously eluded to, one thing that has to be considered when it comes to the player in question, is that Campbell is nowhere near the finished article at this early stage in his career. As promising as the 2014 World Cup proved to be for the young Arsenal man, glimpses of talent can only take you so far in the modern game, and without some real consistency to back up his exploits out on the pitch, the 22-year-old simply hasn’t seen much development within his overall game as of late.
Succeeding in such a task, however, would require a far shot more trust on his manger’s part – and as Arsene Wenger so far hasn’t had the luxury of affording to give Campbell a solid run out in the team this season – the Gunners youngster seemingly hasn’t had the chance to display his talents at the Emirates on a regular enough basis.
As Villarreal fans may attest to since the turn of the year however, the Costa Rican international still potentially has something to give the world of football in the next few important years of his emerging career.
The attacking midfielder can really have a positive impact for his team when the situation allows. Goal scoring might have so far come as a slight issue for the on loan Arsenal attacker since his move to La Liga this January, but with his quick turn of pace, ability to hold off defenders and stand his ground successfully, and quick-feet in tight positions – the Estadio El Madrigal faithful have largely paid witness to a player with a fair degree of talent on offer, even if the no. 10 is yet to truly reach his full potential in club football.
Having said that though, there are certainly those within the current Arsenal contingency that have nevertheless over-hyped the club’s young talent throughout his recent career. When the 22-year-old scored one of his team’s goals against Manchester United in the Champions League last season for Olympiacos, many Gunners fans throughout the land immediately jumped on the hype that surrounded Joel Campbell at the time, and acted as if he was going to tear the Premier League apart when his chance in an Arsenal shirt eventually arrived.
It seems Joel Campbell currently falls into the bracket of unfulfilled talent at the Emirates – and as the Gunners faithful have a somewhat tainted reputation of giving too much credit to their young stars before they have actually blossomed into anything meaningful – perhaps such a notion really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
Arsene Wenger seemingly doesn’t have much room for the Costa Rican in his first team plans going into next season anyway, yet because the current Villarreal loanee is still only 22-years-old, time certainly still resides on the side on the up and coming no. 10. It would be somewhat ridiculous to expect him to transform into a notorious world beater off the back of one partially successful World Cup campaign after all.
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As breaking into any starting XI in the Premier League can prove a difficult task for young foreign stars trying to make a name for themselves in the English game though, maybe the Emirates is no longer the right place for Joel Campbell should a bright future still seemingly lay ahead of him.
Big spending Turkish club Galatasaray are set to make a move for Manchester City left-back Gael Clichy in the summer, according to the Daily Mail.
Clichy has two years left on his current deal at the Etihad and wants to stay in the Premier League despite the interest from abroad.
Galatasaray are looking to become a real force in European football once again after the marquee signings of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder in January.
An audacious £12million bid for Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben is also set to be submitted as the Dutch midfielder doesn’t appear to be in the plans of new boss Pep Guardiola.
Fellow City defenders Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure are also said to be on the ambitious wish-list of the rich Galatasaray owners.
While Clichy is set to stay at the Etihad, Toure and Lescott may see their futures elsewhere after disappointing seasons sitting on the City bench.
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According to the London Evening Standard, West Ham United will look to tie Manuel Lanzini to a new contract once the Hammers have confirmed Premier League survival.
What’s the story?
Lanzini has a contract with West Ham until the summer of 2020, but the Argentina international has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool.
The Reds may well reignite their interest in the versatile attacker at the end of the season, and it is understood that the Hammers are keen to improve Lanzini’s wages at the London Stadium.
According to the London Evening Standard, the London club will open contract talks with the Argentine once they have secured their spot in next season’s Premier League.
David Moyes’ side suffered a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal last time out to leave them down in 15th position, and they are actually only six points clear of the relegation zone ahead of matches against Manchester City, Leicester City, Manchester United and Everton to finish the season.
How important is Lanzini to West Ham?
The 25-year-old joined West Ham from Al Jazira Club in 2015 – initially on loan – and it would be fair to say that he has been an absolute revelation at the Premier League outfit.
Indeed, Lanzini scored 15 times in his first two seasons with the club, and despite struggling with injury this term, has managed three goals and nine assists in 25 appearances.
There is no question that West Ham are a better team when Lanzini features, and Moyes – if given the chance – will look to build his side around the attacker next season.
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It would not be a surprise to see Liverpool return with an offer this summer, but the former River Plate youngster would not be guaranteed first-team football at Anfield.
Lanzini will more than likely travel with the Argentina squad to the 2018 World Cup, and it is absolutely vital that West Ham address his future as soon as possible.
With Wojciech Szczesny making one mistake too many for Arsenal this season, the Poland international has been banished to the bench and replaced by David Ospina. Despite the Colombian proving a safer pair of hands than his predecessor, the transfer rumours linking the Gunners with a new stopper this summer continue to rumble on.
Arsene Wenger’s men have been heavily linked with a move for Chelsea custodian Petr Cech at the end of the current campaign, with the veteran falling behind Thibaut Courtois in Jose Mourinho’s pecking order. Despite the Czech Republic international proving himself as an able pair of hands over the years at Stamford Bridge, whether or not he is the answer for Arsenal remains to be seen.
With the Blues more than likely unwilling to sell Cech to their London rivals, the Gunners’ pursuit may well be over before it has even started. As such, here are THREE other goalkeepers that Arsenal should be keeping an eye on:
Samir Handanovic
The Slovenia international has built on superb form for Udinese at Inter and is one of Serie A’s top goalkeepers. He continues to impress in an otherwise unconvincing Inter team, with the stopper one of Roberto Mancini’s top performers this season again.
Although reports in TalkSport suggest that Handanovic has started contract renewal talk at the Italian club, the Nerazzurri are in a financial situation where they would not be able to turn down a significant offer from Arsenal. Still only 30 and a supreme shotstopper, Handanovic could well be the safe pair of gloves the club needs to push them towards a Premier League title.
Vincent Enyeama
Undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in African football in recent times, the Marseille custodian has been a consistent feature of an ever-improving Marseille side that has posed a surprise Ligue 1 title challenge this season.
The 32-year-old’s level of experience and presence would be a calming feature in a sometimes chaotic Gunners rearguard, while the Nigerian has the ability to make world-class saves with alarming regularity. The chance to play in the Premier League would surely be one that Enyeama would jump at, while Marseille would struggle to hold onto their number one if the Gunners came knocking.
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Asmir Begovic
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The Bosnian stopper has proven over the last five years at Stoke that he is one of the Premier League’s best and an enduring reason why the Potters continue to challenge for a top-half finish. With considerable Premier League experience, a commanding presence and the best years ahead of him at only 27, Begovic looks ready to take the next step in his career and onto a Champions League side.
Stoke would be reluctant to let go of their star, but with Jack Butland in their reserve ranks have a readymade replacement. With the potential to take a place between the Gunners posts for the next six or seven years, Begovic looks like a much more viable and exciting option than Cech.