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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Steve Gallen has indicated that Charlton Athletic’s priority in January will be to keep the players they have on loan, as reported by The News Shopper.

What did he say?

Charlton recruited five loanees during the summer transfer window, with Josh Cullen, Conor Gallagher, Sam Field, Jonathan Leko and Beram Kayal all coming in on a temporary basis.

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These players have certainly had their influence on the side, with their use of the loan market playing an integral part in their success so far this season.

This has led to Gallen indicating that the priority in January is to keep hold of them: “First and foremost we want to keep the group together, Sam Field will be coming back to us.

“Conor Gallagher could go back to Chelsea although I don’t think he will. Claude Makalele and Carlo Cudicini came in to the training ground last week to see their player in the same way that Grant Basey has been to Newport and Colchester, to sit down with their managers and get some feedback.”

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The big priority

It is vital that the Addicks keep hold of these players, especially with Gallagher, Cullen and Leko, due to the impact that they’ve had since arriving at the club.

The team currently sits 11th in the table, just six points away from the play-offs, so it is important to keep hold of those who have contributed to their impressive opening to the season.

Gallagher, the player who was mentioned with the greatest concern in Gallen’s comments, is the greatest example of that.

The teenager has really excelled since moving to the Valley, making 15 starts and one substitute appearance, scoring five goals and getting one assist.

Bowyer’s glowing comment about him, said on talkSPORT, offers an insight into how well he has done since coming in: “He’s hit the ground running.

“Whatever you tell him he does and I just keep encouraging him to get in the box, and things are falling for him at the moment. His willingness and work rate are unreal, so he’s fitted in really well.”

Bringing in further reinforcements would certainly be a help to the Charlton cause, but Gallen is correct in his view that keeping hold of key loanees is a priority for them.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Borussia Dortmund didn’t have the best of times visiting the Camp Nou the other night.

Even though a defeat would definitely have spelt trouble for Barcelona despite them leading the group at the moment, the Germans simply couldn’t contest them and ended up losing 3-1.

And as it usually is, Lionel Messi was a huge reason why the lads in yellow and black simply couldn’t touch the Blaugrana when they were in the zone.

Still, they ended up putting up a good fight, especially in the second half and the latter stages of the game, which, interestingly enough, coincided with the introduction of Jadon Sancho.

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The 19-year-old talent started the game on the bench but successfully shifted the tides, or at least put his team on the front foot, once he was introduced in the final 45 minutes of the game.

Lucien Favre, his coach, justified that decision by stating Sancho is not fully focused, as quoted by Express:

“We need players on the pitch who are focused and ready.”

But with a banger of a goal and a big overall contribution, the young Englishman really did seem focused and ready to go out there and prove a point.

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Apart from netting Borussia Dortmund’s only strike, he also recorded 50 touches on the night – despite playing just a single half of football – one key pass, one big chance created, one successful dribble and made two shots on target.

By all means, if Dortmund even had a chance of somehow coming back from the initial 3-0 deficit, it was through him.

For that reason, the links to Manchester United, who still seem to be in pole position to actually land the youngster and take him back to England, seem rather justified.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly likes the gem and when everything is said done, what is there not to like?

After all, Sancho has already bagged six goals and nine assists across all competitions this season and the Red Devils could definitely use a game-changer like that in their squad.

His £100m price tag and heavy competition from the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Barcelona themselves, however, might prove to be problematic.

Only time will tell…

Meanwhile, Real Madrid have been handed a big blow in their pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur’s star who might be staying put after a recent blockbuster evaluation…

It feels like Cengiz Under’s name has been linked with Tottenham for what feels like eternity.

The Turkey international appeared to be heading to north London way back in the summer of 2017, before Serie A giants AS Roma stole a march on them to sign him.

Despite the move, the rumours linking him with a switch to the Lilywhites never failed to die away, and now, according to Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb, Spurs are once again interested in luring him to the Premier League.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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After hearing about the fresh reports linking them with a move for Under, Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their potential summer transfer target.

A couple of fans revealed that a move for Under wouldn’t make sense, particularly when they have other priorities to worry about, namely up front.

One Spurs supporter meanwhile brought Leandro Damiao’s name into the conversation, the Brazilian of course another player who was annually linked with a move to Spurs ever since the Andre Villas-Boas days.

As is always the case with the transfer window, there’s always that one player linked to every club who seems destined to make that move, but never actually does.

With Spurs well-stocked in the wide areas, particularly after the January arrival of Steven Bergwijn from Dutch giants PSV, it’s difficult to see how the £21.6m-rated Under could realistically fit into Jose Mourinho’s first-team.

This may be one of those rumours that you take with a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, Spurs must take this perfect chance to sign long-term target.

Newcastle United’s imminent takeover may only be just a few days from an official announcement, but it is still not written in the record books as officially confirmed and that hasn’t stopped the transfer rumour mill circulating around the north-east.

And fans have been reacting to the latest reports on Twitter this week.

According to the Foot Mercato, the Magpies are keen on making an audacious splash in the summer for a trio of players competing for some of Europe’s biggest clubs currently, one of which is Napoli colossus Kalidou Koulibaly.

It’s claimed that the 28-year-old could be available for €80m (£70m) with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis open to selling him at the end of the season.

Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium is set to take the reigns at St James’ Park in a takeover deal thought to be worth around £300m, so United could soon have very wealthy financial power in the transfer market.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

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Newcastle currently have an array of central defenders on their books including Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez and Florian Lejeune, but you’d imagine the Napoli man would be a considerable upgrade given his previous links to Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Here’s what supporters have been saying…

AND in other news, Report: Prospective Newcastle owners set to replace Bruce…

Tottenham Hotspur are keen to sign Real Sociedad star Diego Llorente, according to Diario AS via @RickSpur.Â

Llorente has impressed for Imanol Alguacil’s side this season and his performances have attracted attention from a number of English clubs, including the likes of Premier League leaders Liverpool as well as West Ham.

Football journalist Ricky Sacks shared the transfer news on Twitter, tweeting: “Tottenham Hotspur are keen to compete the signing of Real Sociedad star Diego Llorente. The versatile 26-year-old can play both in defence and midfield and is expected to leave the club for a quarter of his release clause due to the #COVID19 pandemic.”

After arriving at the Anoeta Stadium from his boyhood club Real Madrid for £6.3m in 2017, the 26-year-old has developed a reputation as one of Europe’s top centre-backs, playing 19 games in La Liga, winning one tackle per game, averaging 1.1 interceptions and completing a staggering 3.9 clearances on average (WhoScored).

The defender has also won five caps for the Spanish national team so far, last appearing on the bench in the 1-1 draw with Sweden in the Euro 2020 qualifiers (TransferMarkt).

Predictably, plenty of Spurs fans fawned over the “cracking” transfer update on social media, with one fan commenting “we love a Llorente” in homage to former Lilywhites striker Fernando Llorente.

Scroll down through some of the glowing reactions below…

Tottenham fans, are you hoping the board will bring Diego Llorente to North London in the summer? Join the discussion in the comments section!

Will Manchester United qualify for the Champions League?

It is a question that does not currently have an answer.

The current global pandemic has called a halt to professional sport, including the Premier League, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side’s destiny is currently up in the air.

They are fifth in the table, three points behind Chelsea, with nine games of the season to play.

They were also perhaps the in-form team – bar Liverpool – in the table before the suspension of play; they had not tasted defeat since a shock 2-0 defeat to Burnley in January.

They had beaten Chelsea and Manchester City in that time.

It remains to be seen exactly when the league will resume, and whether United will be able to crack the top four; City’s suspension from European competition means that a fifth-placed finish may well be enough.

The news cycle, of course, continues and we’ve taken a look at the best stories of the week regarding the Red Devils!

United’s biggest flops?

We’ve listed the 20 worst signings Manchester United have made during the Premier League era and there are some genuine stinkers! Click here to see who made the cut.

Paul Pogba’s bank balance hits the headlines

Paul Pogba, meanwhile, has been featured in The Sunday Times rich list! See where he ranks here.

Fans unhappy with defensive target

Fans are also disappointed with reports that the club could make a move for a Championship defender in the summer transfer window, and we’ve compiled some particularly angry tweets here.

Man United beat Chelsea to big transfer

Spanish outlet Todofichajes claims that United have struck a deal for a Ligue 1 star, beating Chelsea to his €70m (£61.9m) signature. Click here to find out more.

Plea-se come to Old Trafford

According to Sky Germany, via Metro, United are in talks with Borussia Monchengladbach striker Alassane Plea. Click here to find out what’s going on.

Deal struck for Barca youngster

A deal has been struck to bring in a young defender from Barcelona, however, per Sport. Who could it be? Read on here.

Ole to turn raid Juve?

And Calciomercato reports that United could swoop for a Juventus ace in the summer. Read more about that potential deal here.

In what may go down as one of the biggest twists of the summer transfer window, RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner is on the verge of joining Chelsea, not Liverpool.

The Germany international waxed lyrical about Jurgen Klopp and the Reds earlier this year, hailing the former as the “best coach in the world”, and that his style “might be a good fit” at Anfield.

But now, the Reds have pulled out of the race to sign him, with their Premier League rivals Chelsea reportedly agreeing a deal to lure him to Stamford Bridge.

Can you spot your Xabi Alonso from your Bruno Cheyrou? This Liverpool quiz will have you questioning your knowledge…

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And along with the news that Liverpool won’t be making Werner their newest signing, The Independent’s Melissa Reddy has revealed that the Merseyside club’s “priority” has been to “lock down Virgil van Dijk and Alisson for the long-term, while continuing to reward players that have delivered Champions League success and are close to ending a 30-year wait for the league title”.

After hearing Reddy’s update on why they didn’t move for Werner, Liverpool fans flooded to Twitter to voice their reactions.

A couple of Liverpool supporters couldn’t quite believe that the Reds look like they’re heading for a second consecutive summer without spending – last year only saw them bring in Sepp van den Berg for some money, with both Adrian and Andy Lonergan arriving on free transfers.

Another couple of fans felt that the whole idea that the club snubbed the chance to sign Werner in order to renew contracts, seemed to be a way of “spinning” the story, and didn’t seem to buy it.

Whilst it is true to point out the Reds have achieved considerable success over the past couple of seasons, simply avoiding refreshing the squad due to wanting to “reward” players who are already there, is just a recipe for stagnation.

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Things are going great for Liverpool, with the Premier League title likely to be on its way very soon, but without new signings, the Reds risk standing still and just letting their rivals play catch-up.

It’s no surprise to see fans of the Merseyside club so frustrated.

Manchester United are determined to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, via Manchester Evening News.

The Red Devils have been linked with the Borussia Dortmund star for a while now, stemming all the way back to Jose Mourinho’s turbulent time in charge of Old Trafford.

Sancho has reportedly told Dortmund that he wants to leave Germany and return to England, according to ESPN. However, while club legends like Rio Ferdinand and Louis Saha have all backed Ed Woodward to bring him home, there are a number of reasons why Man United shouldn’t sign Sancho in the summer.

Contrary to popular belief, the problems are not at the attacking end of the pitch, but rather lie at the back. United have shockingly conceded five more goals than Premier League newcomers Sheffield United and nine more than league leaders Liverpool.

Victor Lindelof has never looked particularly convincing next to Harry Maguire as the Swede has received a below-par WhoScored rating of 6.67 overall. Meanwhile, Eric Bailly has only played 282 minutes of competitive football this season after recovering from a career-threatening injury.

Furthermore, Nemanja Matic is the only specialist in the defensive midfield role, which is a cause for concern as the ageing veteran is surely entering the twilight of his career.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer currently has a wealth of attacking options at his disposal, including Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes, Odion Ighalo and Mason Greenwood, to name but a few.

Although some fans will argue that United are relatively low in the goalscoring charts, it is worth remembering that Rashford, who is the club’s top scorer this season, scored 14 goals in 22 Premier League games before succumbing to a back injury.

Any good manager will acknowledge that the defence is just as important as the attack and Solskjaer has key areas that he needs to urgently address, namely a new centre-back and defensive midfielder.

United will probably have to pay a club record fee for Sancho if they want to buy him in the upcoming window, as Dortmund are refusing to drop their valuation, which means the board will most likely have to pay more than £100m. Bearing this in mind, Woodward could buy both Wilfred Ndidi and Kalidou Koulibaly for far less instead, which may solve the issues at the back.

Can Ole get the best out of him? it is too early to say at the moment, as Solskjaer’s side are currently fifth in the table, three points away from Champions League qualification.

Moreover, the executive vice-chairman has previously warned that United’s summer spending may be limited due to the financial repercussions of the coronavirus crisis. It may be better to come back for Sancho in a year’s time when the volatile market will (hopefully) have stabilised.

As it stands, the Red Devils are seemingly no further forward and fans will have to wait and see what deals can be made in these unprecedented circumstances.

United fans, do you think the board should sign Jadon Sancho in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!

Plenty of Everton fans slammed Dominic Calvert-Lewin as he missed a good chance to put the Merseyside club in front in their Premier League game versus Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United.

The striker only managed to hit the post just before half-time which caused some members of the Goodison Park faithful to question his finishing ability on Twitter.

Luckily for Calvert-Lewin, his teammate Richarlison scored right after the whistle blew for the second half, which turned out to be the only goal of the match as Carlo Ancelotti’s men ran out 1-0 winners at Bramall Lane.

The £21.6m-valued man did not enjoy the best of games anyway against his former team, registering just one shot on target and no successful dribbles, according to Sofascore.

Calvert-Lewin also only managed a mere 23 touches of the ball, playing no key passes and achieving a relatively low 69% passing accuracy, earning him just a 6.4 rating, the lowest out of all of his teammates, as per the website.

These EFC supporters slammed the 23-year old as they thought that the Englishman could do better with his chance:

Evertonians, was DCL your worst performer? Comment below!

Sheffield United are showing interest in Reading midfielder John Swift but face stiff competition from Aston Villa and Leeds United.

With Chris Wilder seemingly keen to push on from his side’s impressive ninth-placed finish in the Premier League this term, the transfer window could offer much in terms of adding improvements to his squad.

One player linked with a move to Bramall Lane is Swift, who has been performing well for Reading over the last 12 months, netting six goals and supplying 10 assists in 41 Championship appearances during the 2019/20 season.

Swift, who is valued at £3.6m by Transfermarkt, has also gained interest from the Blades’ Premier League rivals Aston Villa, who could see Jack Grealish leave this summer.

Joining both Sheffield United and Villa with reported interest are newly-promoted Premier League side Leeds United, with head coach Marcelo Bielsa having revealed his admiration for the midfielder in the past.

With interest developing in Swift, no deal is expected to push forward until the midfielder returns from his holiday in Spain, as reported by Yorkshire Live.

Swift fully deserves a chance to show his ability in the Premier League after impressing for Reading in the Championship.

Where he would best be suited is up for debate, and while the chance to potentially replace Grealish at Villa or get on board Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United experience could be very tempting, Wilder should be able to push the enormous potential of a Sheffield United side who are now among the Premier League’s top 10.

Do you think a summer move for Swift would be a good one for Sheffield United? Let us know in the comments section below…