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We preview the continent’s stars expected to feature for their respective clubs around Europe this weekend.

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  Africans to watch in Europe

  Mohamed Elneny gave a decent account of himself in Arsenal’s smashing 4-2 success at Chelsea on Wednesday and the midfielder could be retained in midfield when Manchester United visit on Saturday lunchtime.

  In Ligue 1, Achraf Hakimi and Idrissa Gueye could claim the French top-flight title by picking up a point this weekend.

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• Watford.
  

  Ismaila Sarr

  Second from bottom Watford have lost four of their last five in the Premier League and they face a daunting trip to league leaders Manchester City looking to pull off one of the season’s shock results.

  Sarr missed the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road but ought to feature at the Etihad Stadium as the Citizens aim for three points to end the gameweek atop the standings.

  With their Champions League semi-final first-leg against Real Madrid to come next week, it remains to be seen if Pep Guardiola will play Riyad Mahrez from the off against the struggling Hornets.

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  Yoane Wissa

  Wissa has started Brentford’s last two league games since scoring at Chelsea and the forward could play from the off for a third match running when the Bees host Tottenham Hotspur.

  It could be the attacker’s 10th start for Thomas Frank this season and he would take his tally for the season to six with his next strike.

  Owing to Spurs’ Champions League desire, the Bees will love nothing more than throwing a spanner in the works to that ambition by taking points off Antonio Conte’s side.

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  Mohamed Elneny

  On his first start since December, Elneny had a rather decent showing in Arsenal’s 4-2 success at Chelsea.

  The midfielder’s previous start came in the 3-2 loss at Manchester United and he could be set to make another start against the same opponents at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

  With a top-four spot on the line, the Gunners know the importance of successive victories against sides they are potentially doing battle with for those positions.

The 2016-17 Ligue 1 champions are presently languishing in the relegation zone but their new coach has inherited a squad still packed with talent

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  Radamel Falcao

  Club captain and star man, Radamel Falcao joined Monaco in 2013 and has hit double figures in the two seasons since his ill-fated Premier League adventure, which consisted of frustrating loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea.

  The 32-year-old is also Colombia's skipper and all-time leading goal-scorer, with 32 international goals.

  Falcao's leadership skills and goals will be key to Henry's hopes of turning Monaco's season around.

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  Aleksandr Golovin

  Aleksandr Golovin was one of the hottest properties on the market during the summer after helping Russia reach the World Cup quarter-finals and it was Monaco who secured his signature despite reported interest from many of Europe's elite.

  The creative midfielder is only 22 but he has already been a title winner with CSKA Moscow and has a UEFA European Under-17 Championship winners' medal too.

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  Benjamin Henrichs

  Benjamin Henrichs is a typically versatile German youth product who primarily operates as a right-back but has been used as a left-back and even a left winger since making his senior debut for Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 18.

  He made 75 appearances for his boyhood club in total before joining Monaco in the summer and has also already won three senior caps for Germany, as well as a Confederations Cup title.

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  Kamil Glik

  An experienced centre-back at club and international level, Kamil Glik secured a move to Monaco back in 2016 after four strong seasons in Serie A with Torino and is now vice-captain at the Stade Louis II.

  He has been capped 62 times by Poland, appearing at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and is also a proven threat from set-pieces, with 31 career goals to date.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign a new central defender as a top priority this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reliable football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who has named Fulham loan sensation Joachim Andersen as a potential target.

The 24-year-old Dane has been courted with interest by Spurs in the past, and is among the centre-back options they are considering making a move for ahead of next season.

Scott Parker’s side have no option-to-buy the player, which means the Cottagers are at no advantage when the window re-opens, whilst Daniel Levy has previously negotiated with Andersen’s parent club, Lyon, and their president Jean-Michel Aulas.

Bye-bye Alderweireld?

Spurs may well have the third-best defensive record in the Premier League as it stands, but it’s clear to see that Jose Mourinho is concerned by the lack of leadership across his back four, having lost former vice-captain Jan Vertonghen in the summer.

Eric Dier is perhaps the most vocal of all his current central options, but his absence from the starting XI from the last five league games is cause for concern for the foreseeable future, as are his inconsistencies.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title= Read this week’s latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more…”]

In contrast, Joe Rodon, 23, and Davinson Sanchez, 24, are nowhere near hitting their peak in the role and need considerable guidance, which is something they do not appear to be getting from Toby Alderwerield, who is a quieter influence in the dressing room.

The Belgian has also been linked with an exit this summer too. According to Voetbal24, the 32-year-old is a wanted man back in his home country, with Club Brugge keen to sign him.

Spurs’ biggest problem in signing a new ‘leader’ for Mourinho’s defensive line is finances, so the sale of Alderweireld could well help aid that, especially as Andersen’s impressive displays in the English top-flight – on top of the three years remaining on his Lyon contract – will surely see him become a coveted man in the summer.

Despite it being his first campaign in England, the Denmark international has worn the armband in 54% of his 24 league appearances. Only two players have performed better for Fulham as per average WhoScored ratings, who have graded Andersen at 6.86. A figure that neither Dier, Sanchez or Rodon can match.

Andersen, who is currently valued at just €20m (£18m) by the CIES Football Observatory, has been dubbed Fulham’s equivalent of Ruben Dias by Martin Keown and drew high praise following his performance against defending champions, Liverpool.

The Mirror’s chief football writer John Cross lauded the 6 foot 4 leader as “magnificent” whilst Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was audibly left in awe during his commentary.

An Alderweireld would be a hard exit to sanction, but Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge believes Andersen is exactly in the same mould as the long-serving Spurs man.

“Joachim Andersen reminds me of Alderweireld,” he wrote on Twitter.

On that basis, Levy should pull out all the stops for the Fulham loanee this summer. He can be the colossal presence Mourinho desperately requires in that backline for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Levy must strike dream Mourinho deal for £49.5m-rated “leader”…

The Real Madrid left-back has picked a former QPR goalkeeper in his team, along with the likes of his Brazil team-mate and the French World Cup winner

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  GK | Julio Cesar | Flamengo

  A Brazil international since 2004, Cesar has enjoyed a glittering career, even if his legacy is perhaps tarnished in England due to his spell at QPR. The Flamengo keeper has won five Serie A titles in Italy, as well as three league titles in Portugal, while he has also lifted the Copa America once and the Confederations Cup twice with Brazil.

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• RB | Dani Alves | PSG

  Arguably the best right-back in modern football, Dani Alves has won it all, having been part of one of the greatest club sides in modern football at Barcelona. He is on course to win Ligue 1 with PSG, and has also won the Copa America, and the Confederations Cup twice with Brazil.

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  CB | Thiago Silva | PSG

  Brazil's national team captain at the 2014 World Cup, Thiago Silva has become one of the best centre-backs in world football, winning trophy after trophy in the French capital. He has twice been a medallist at the Olympic Games, winning bronze and silver.

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  CB | Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid

  Arguably the best defender playing the game today, Sergio Ramos has made a habit of winning the biggest trophies. He has won four La Liga titles, three Champions League winners' medals, two European Championships and the World Cup, along with a clutch of other honours. Ramos is footballing royalty.

The Blues have a number of big issues to address as an abject 2018 put them out of the Champions League and into the crosshairs of their critics

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  1Promote the club's youth-team stars

  Antonio Conte has handed debuts to Ethan Ampadu, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dujon Sterling, but more can be done by the next manager at Stamford Bridge to bring through the club's talented youngsters.

  Chelsea's academy is arguably the highest-performing in Europe, having won an unprecedented domestic quadruple last season and back-to-back UEFA Youth League titles.

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek is an example of a player who has stagnated by remaining at the club, but if the Blues continue their plans to curb their spending, then a strategy of promoting youth-team stars is one to seriously consider.

  A better integration of the top young talent at the club is something they had long hoped to achieve, where the appointment of a committed, long-term manager would surely help matters.

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  2Splash out on a world-class player

  Chelsea's last two or three transfer windows have been poor but there is still an element of rebuilding going on from their 10th-placed finish in 2016.

  The club have missed out on world-class players as they are no longer at the top of the transfer market, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain in a position to outbid them.

  That rebuilding process has seen many of the older champions leave the club to be replaced by a squad of younger players. They are currently way off the pace to be challengers in England and Europe, and they could do with one or two marquee signings to provide that injection of class.

  While the signings of the likes of Danny Drinkwater, Olivier Giroud and Davide Zappacosta added to the options available and bolstered the squad, they need a genuine superstar in the next transfer window.

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  3Save Bakayoko's Chelsea career

  Tiemoue Bakayoko was signed to be a key player for Chelsea this season but he has epitomised his team's struggles in 2017-18 and been something of a disappointment in his debut campaign in England.

  After his calamitous display against Watford, he was hauled off in his next start against Leicester City, with fears he would repeat his Vicarage Road display by earning a red card.

  The 23-year-old was earmarked to play in Conte's three-man midfield alongside Kante and Cesc Fabregas, but the Blues boss has since abandoned the system to play the 3-4-3 that won the title last season.

  Chelsea haven't been able to adapt and, having moved on Nemanja Matic to make room for Bakayoko, they have lost a great deal of quality in midfield. It isn't over for Bakayoko yet at Chelsea, but he will need to show next season that this was just a one-off.

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  4Get Morata firing again

  Alvaro Morata's poor form has been a huge issue for Chelsea, with the club having banked on him being their main man.

  Olivier Giroud, a player who was deemed surplus to requirements by Arsenal, started the Champions League knockout tie at Barcelona, while Eden Hazard featured in the first leg up front and thus out of position.

  Morata's 2018 goal drought was due in part to a back problem, but he has also seen his mentality questioned as his frustrations on the pitch led to a spate of bookings and even a sending-off.

  The 25-year-old clearly has talent but he needs to be far more consistent to be one of the world's best strikers.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee doesn’t believe Gabriel Jesus is good enough to succeed Sergio Aguero when the Argentine eventually moves on from Manchester City.

Jesus has been with Man City since 2016 but has failed to score more than 14 goals in a Premier League season, suggesting he might not be the regular answer up top in the long term.

The Brazillian was signed as a promising 19-year old who could lead the line for City in the future, however,as Lee explains he’s only ever been a squad player and not a regular starter. He’s only managed 13 Premier League starts this season even with Aguero being out injured.

Speaking on whether Jesus could replace £230,000-a-week man Aguero, Lee told FFC:

“I think he’s a talented player but he’s always a bit-part player for me.

“I would have thought they’ll be looking for someone to replace Aguero who guarantees them 20-30 goals a season, just because that’s what he did.

“There’s not many around but you know what Pep’s like, maybe he won’t buy a striker ever again.

“He’s that far ahead of everybody else in what he does and how he plays football that he could do anything.”

Still just 23-years-old there could still be a future for Jesus at the Etihad, however, he will have to improve his goalscoring record to be recognised as a natural replacement for Aguero.

The Argentine has been a great player for City and has scored over 250 goals in all competitions, being a mainstay during their rise to the top of English football.

Leeds United have been handed a major injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Fulham on Friday night, with news that Patrick Bamford is likely to be fit.

The striker was forced off in Marcelo Bielsa’s side’s last game against Chelsea at Elland Road, and there no doubt would have been some serious concern about whether he would be fit to face the Cottagers.

Bamford has played an integral role in Leeds’ impressive return to the Premier League this season, bagging 13 goals and providing a further six assists in the top-flight alone – in fact, he’s played the full 90 minutes in all but six of the Whites’ games this campaign in the league, and has started every single one.

Ahead of the game tonight, The Athletic’s Phil Hay delivered a crucial update on Bamford’s fitness, saying that the forward looks like he should be available, and that despite a knock to his hip, stands a “good chance of recovering”.

The £16.2m-rated man has earned some rave reviews this season for his performances, not least from former Premier League ace Gabriel Agbonlahor, who lauded his display against Leicester just last month.

He said: “What’s surprised me is how good his finishing is. He’s never going to get that ball and dribble past players but what he does have is a great finish on him.

“He showed with his goal at the weekend how clinical he can be. His link-up play as well. Yes, I’ve been surprised but credit to him.”

Bamford’s availability for tonight will come as a major relief for Bielsa, and will have the Leeds boss absolutely buzzing that he can continue to rely upon on his main man up top.

Meanwhile, Leeds must start this “rock” tonight…

Reports have suggested that Manchester United are unwilling to meet Tottenham Hotspur’s asking price for striker Harry Kane.

The England captain has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford for a considerable amount of time. With Edinson Cavani quickly approaching the twilight of his career having only signed a one-year deal at Old Trafford, albeit with the option of a second, the Red Devils have to make a move for Kane.

The Tottenham forward’s Premier League record really does speak for itself.

Now rated at £108m and being paid £200k per week at Tottenham, he has plundered an eye-watering 159 goals in 235 league appearances, an astounding record.

He has hit double figures in each of the last seven campaigns, even notching 30 during the 2017/18 season.

This all means that Kane has a strike rate of 0.67 goals per game, which is better than Marcus Rashford’s 0.31, Anthony Martial’s 0.33, Mason Greenwood’s 0.19 and of course Cavani’s record of 0.33.

With the mercurial Bruno Fernandes teeing Kane up with his 2.8 key passes per game, then an extremely fruitful relationship could well be in the offing in the future.

It won’t just be Kane’s goals that United will benefit from though. The 27-year-old’s creativity has improved just this season.

With ten Premier League matches to go in 2020/21, he already has 13 league assists, having added to those in his exhilarating performance in the 4-1 thumping of Crystal Palace.

The positives of Kane’s arrival at Old Trafford do not end there. Near neighbours Manchester City have also been backed to make a move for the Tottenham superstar in the near future.

If United manage to get there first, it could potentially signal a swing in power, not only in Manchester, but also in the Premier League.

So, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly keen to recruit a striker as soon as this summer, no target makes more sense than Harry Kane.

AND in more news, take a look at Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s brilliant performance in the Red Devils’ 2-0 victory in the Manchester derby…

Fabinho returned to Liverpool’s midfield when he came on as a substitute in the loss to Fulham on Sunday.

Even though the Reds could not find an equaliser to stave off a sixth consecutive home defeat, the 27-year-old was able to offer them a glimpse of what they had been missing in the middle of the park.

The Brazilian came up with three ball recoveries in the space of 15 minutes and helped sustain his team’s pressure on the Fulham goal (via WhoScored).

Jurgen Klopp’s Fabinho headache

Jurgen Klopp must now decide whether to keep him there for the Champions League round of 16 second leg against RB Leipzig on Wednesday or move him back into defence.

Using Fabinho as a holding midfielder would mean placing trust in the inexperienced duo of Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak to clean up at centre-back if Leipzig bypass the midfield. It would be Phillips’ European debut after he was left out of the Reds’ initial Champions League squad.

Kabak, incidentally, was missing through injury at the weekend but the expectation is that he will return for the trip to Budapest (via The Athletic).

The hope is that playing central defenders in central defence and defensive midfielders in defensive midfield restores structure and balance to this pale imitation of a Liverpool team.

Here are the verdicts from some Kopites on the dilemma in response to a tweet from news feed LFC Transfer Room, with one wanting the Brazilian back in midfield “ASAP”.

These Reds fans want Fabinho shielding Kabak and Phillips

“This is probably the CB pairing we should try to have fit for the rest of the season. Fabinho in midfield asap.”

Credit: @DHardayal

“Yes please but it won’t happen. If Fab is fit, he’ll be back there. The fact that he dominated playing the 6 when he subbed in on Sunday won’t change the mind of the gaffer.”

Credit: @DaBigDaddyRen

“Watch Klopp play Fab at CB. Time to take some risks now.”

Credit: @SMiTLA

“It’s Phillips +1 now, he’s earned it”

Credit: @martyn1200

“It’s all about extra protections around the centre halves. And no high line plz”

Credit: @GusandSaM

“ABSOLUTELY YES, BRING BACK THAT INTENSITY”

Credit: @Mang_Tebal

“Perfect. Not sure why anyone would want Fabinho in CB”

Credit: @BaileyYNWA

“Fab must be back to mid, if not same result”

Credit: @mav8381

In other news, Kabak is not the only likely returnee for the Leipzig clash.

Tottenham Hotspur can still finish in the top four of the Premier League, according to Spurs legend Gary Mabbutt in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

The former captain of the north London club spoke exclusively to Football FanCast earlier this week.

And he believes that the congested and tight nature of the Premier League table means that the club retain every chance of qualifying for the Champions League through their league position.

They have been in relatively poor form in recent weeks, with Jose Mourinho’s side slipping as low as ninth at one point.

Their 4-0 win over Burnley at the weekend, though, moved Spurs eighth, six points behind fourth-placed West Ham United with a game in hand.

And Mabbutt insists that Spurs simply need to string together a run of results in order to be back in contention.

Mourinho’s men play relegation-threatened Fulham on Thursday, before taking on Crystal Palace on Sunday and then playing Arsenal the weekend following. The north London derby comes after a home clash with Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League.

And Mabbutt remains confident that the club can end the season strongly.

He said: “So Spurs dropping two or three results or whatever, here and there. We’ve got, in my own opinion, four or five games, coming up, and those games are all winnable.

“If we suddenly get any team in the top 10 that gets three or four wins on the trot, that’d be them back up in the top four. That’s how it is.”

Spurs also have the potential of qualifying for the Champions League via the Europa League, though they would need to win the competition to do so.

Beating Zagreb, of course, would move them into the quarter-finals of the competition.