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Fulham are "trying to sign" Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka alongside Premier League rivals and "an agreement could be reached in the coming days", according to reports.

Who will join Fulham this summer?

The Whites, after a successful first full campaign back in the top flight, are reportedly looking to back manager Marco Silva with fresh faces and won't be letting their star players go for nothing.

Indeed, reports in the last few days have even suggested that Fulham are set to demand a lofty £90 million for star midfielder Joao Palhinha, coming as the likes of Man United, Liverpool and West Ham take interest.

The Portugal international was sensational under Silva last season, prompting his stock to rise dramatically, so Fulham chiefs certainly won't be letting him go on the cheap.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Fulham are after United midfielder Fred, with manager Erik ten Hag apparently willing to sanction his sale. The Brazilian, who has just over a year remaining on his current deal, is open to joining the west Londoners.

Elsewhere, but staying in midfield, Silva's side are attempting a move for Japan international Tanaka this summer but face a battle with West Ham.

That is according to German newspaper Rheinische Post, who claim both Fulham and the Hammers are "trying to sign" Tanaka and "an agreement could be reached in the coming days".

They also relay comments from Dusseldorf sporting director Klaus Allofs, who states that the 24-year-old could be eyeing a new opportunity.

"It was clear from the start which path Ao would like to go," said Allofs.

"The second division was not what he was looking for. But he didn't come to me either and said he really wanted to leave.

"If there's a situation that makes sense for both of you, then that's totally fine. If that doesn't work, he'll remain our player and do a good job."

Who is Ao Tanaka?

Over his 22 German second tier appearances for Dusselforf last season, Tanaka averaged their second-highest rate of tackles per 90 (WhoScored).

The defensive midfielder also featured at last year's 2022 World Cup, where he faced off against the likes of Germany and Spain in Group E of the tournament.

Avid watchers of the World Cup will remember him as the player who scored an historic winner in their 2-1 group stage win over Spain.

Indeed, Tanaka sealed all three points for his country and one of the shock results of Qatar midway through the second half.

Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho just doesn't fit the system at Anfield, claims RedMenTV host, Ste Hoare.

The 20-year-old joined the Reds last summer and after initially impressing early on this season, things haven't quite gone to plan.

In fact, he's played just eight Premier League minutes in 2023, and that could be down to Jurgen Klopp's tactics.

What's the latest on Fabio Carvalho's future at Liverpool?

The former Fulham midfielder has been linked with a move away from Anfield, but the club are only prepared to let him go out on loan, recently rejecting a £10m bid from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

With the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, and reports suggesting Liverpool are pursuing several midfielders, there's going to be plenty of competition in the middle of the park for the club, and it seems Carvalho won't fit into plans this season.

A number of Premier League sides, including his former club Fulham are interested in taking the Portuguese youngster on loan, with several offers currently on the table, but it remains to be seen where he'll end up.

What has Ste Hoare said about Fabio Carvalho and Liverpool?

Despite Carvalho's struggles at Liverpool this season, Hoare believes it's not down to talent, but a lack of fit in Klopp's system that has caused the £16m-rated midfielder problems this year.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the RedMenTV host said:

"It's mad because Liverpool tried so hard to sign Carvalho. They beat so many teams, they paid more than they needed to make sure they got him.

"They really liked what they saw and by all accounts, he is a good player, he just doesn't fit the system."

How did Fabio Carvalho perform this season compared to last year?

While making the move from Fulham and Championship football, to one of the Premier League's biggest sides in Liverpool was always going to be tough, Carvalho's spell in Merseyside has seen his game time and output drop drastically.

Across the board, the 20-year-old's statistical numbers have all decreased this year, which is hardly a surprise given his lack of regular minutes.

Last year, the midfielder completed 1.2 dribbles per game for Fulham, seeing that number drop dramatically to 0.2 per game for Klopp's men this season, whilst his WhoScored average rating dropped from 7.11 at Fulham to 6.37 for the Reds, and he went from completing 1.7 key passes per game at Craven Cottage, to a measly 0.1 this campaign.

At 20 years old, there's still plenty of time for Carvalho, who is sponsored by Nike, to turn his Liverpool career around and a spell out on loan may be the catalyst in that, but if he doesn't fit the system now, who's to say he will when he comes back.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a disappointing season and will need to carry out an inquest into why they have come up short in the race for Champions League football.

Underwhelming recruitment, the famous exit of Antonio Conte and the uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane has led to a hostile atmosphere around the club at the minute, with the Lilywhites being in danger of missing out on continental football entirely as they sit eighth in the Premier League table heading into the final day.

In the summer, additions will be needed to help combat their demise as they try to move forward. However, the fact the north London outfit still don't have a new manager, although Feyenoord boss Arne Slot looks to be a serious contender for the role, has soured relations between the fans and the Spurs' hierarchy.

One reported target that could help to revive their fortunes on the pitch is Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who may "welcome a new proposal from Tottenham" following Spurs' bid of £42.6m last summer that was rejected by the La Liga side.

What's the latest news involving Pau Torres and how has he faired this term?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown thinks that Torres would be a step up in quality from some of their current defenders after the rumours emerged.

Brown told FFC: "I think he would be an upgrade. Whether he fits with the defenders who are already there, I have my slight doubts about. I'm not sure they're a good mix of profiles, he also has quite a high escape clause and I think Spurs probably need to do business in other areas ahead of that position. On paper, he is a better defender than some of the ones they've got."

Torres has a release clause worth €50 million (£43,548,551) and there is a feeling that Villarreal would accept an offer in this region due to their culture of selling their products to recoup handsome transfer fees.

Of course, there would be questions as to who he could compete with for a starting place and Cristian Romero naturally comes to mind straight away. Comparing the two in their respective leagues, as per WhoScored, Torres edges Romero in clearances completed this term, managing an average of 4.1 to Romero's 3.6 in 2022/23.

Regarding tackle success rate, FBRef shows that Torres also holds a slight advantage, scoring 64.3% compared to Romero's slightly inferior record of 63%.

The Villarreal defender has also carried out more long ball passes than Romero per fixture, making 5.4 per game pitted against Romero's three, though the clashing styles of play between Tottenham and Villarreal will have contributed to this differential.

Of course, this is not to say that Torres is necessarily a better defender than Romero; it is just to illustrate a point that is worth bearing in mind heading into next season, especially when Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is considering factoring in a more data-based approach to transfer activity to try and maximise the output of players in N17, as per The Daily Mail.

In total, €73,077 (£63,677) per week earner Torres has made 36 appearances for Villarreal in all competitions this term, notching one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, the 26-year-old earned the praise of BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves via quotes transcribed by United In Focus, who said: “He’s a fantastic player. I’m quite surprised he’s still at Villarreal. English teams were looking at him. I think everyone was talking about Man United and even Real Madrid, I think his potential is literally that high. He’s got a fabulous left foot, he’s great in possession. A fantastic player so I don’t think he’ll be at Villarreal very long.”

The fact Torres is left-footed may play into Spurs' hands quite nicely, offering some balance in the backline come 2023/24 as they look to get themselves back on the canvas.

Who knows, maybe Torres and Romero could form a solid partnership at the heart of the Lilywhites' defence next term. Stranger things have happened in football and it may turn into an eventuality if recent reports are to be believed.

Glasgow Rangers head into their final three matches of the Scottish Premiership with the sole aim of building for the forthcoming season, as Michael Beale’s side lick the wounds left by a testing campaign.

A tie against Hibernian this afternoon could allow the Ibrox side to build on a confidence-boosting 3-0 victory over Celtic in their previous match, and it was Beale’s first taste of glory against the club, setting up the title race nicely next season.

The 42-year-old will be naturally buoyed by the performance, and this suggests that the majority of the team will stay the same against Hibs. However, there could be a change in the backline, with Connor Goldson a doubt for the tie as the £37k-per-week star has suffered a knock.

Talking to the media, Beale said: “Connor Goldson is a doubt for the weekend. There are no other fresh injuries."

With Ben Davies struggling recently, especially during his last appearance against Celtic when he failed to safely clear the ball in his own box which eventually to Kyogo Furuhashi scoring, Beale should give Leon King an opportunity to impress at the heart of the defence.

Could Leon King start for Rangers against Hibs?

Due to injuries to John Souttar and Davies at the start of the season, King was a regular alongside Goldson in the defence up until the World Cup hiatus, giving him vital experience in the starting XI.

Across 12 Premiership games, King won 56% of his total duels while losing possession just 5.4 times on average each game, indicating that despite his tender years, he was more than up for the physical battles of Scottish football.

His Champions League experience was slightly more humbling, yet minutes in Europe’s premier club competition will do wonders for his development. He played in all six group stage games, receiving a Sofascore rating of 6.1/10, yet he still managed to win half of his duels and made 1.7 tackles per game – a valiant return considering the nature of the results Rangers endured.

The youngster has featured for just one minute under Beale, finding opportunities hard to come by, although the match today represents an ideal chance to give him a runout.

Former Ibrox academy graduate Alan Hutton has described King as a “big Rolls-Royce” in the past, and there is no doubt this season has been a major learning curve for the 19-year-old.

Gaining some game time over the next week would go a long way to proving that he is more than capable of becoming a first-team regular next term.

England expect James Anderson to be fit for selection for the second Test in Manchester

George Dobell at Lord's13-Jul-2016England expect James Anderson to be fit for selection for the second Test in Manchester.Alastair Cook, the England captain, admitted there had been a temptation to play Anderson in the Lord’s Test, but ultimately it was decided, on the advice of the medical team, not to hurry his recovery from a fracture in his right shoulder.Anderson, the world’s No. 1 rated Test bowler and the leading wicket-taker in England’s Test history, bowled in the nets at Lord’s on Tuesday and Wednesday and expressed confidence in his own ability to play. But the selectors decided that it was better not to risk him on a Lord’s surface that often offers little to bowlers and could demand some long spells.”He was fairly confident,” Cook said. “Of course there is always a temptation to take that gamble with a bowler who has taken 450 Test wickets.”He’s not quite at full pace and there is a risk of going into a five-day Test match with that injury – an injury that not many people have had – so the selectors have decided it’s too much of a risk to go for it. They’re concerned that if he has one of those stints at Lord’s, the sun’s out and it’s a flat wicket, he could be bowling 30-odd overs in an innings and we’re not quite sure how his shoulder will stand up to that.”The medical people are asked their opinion and I imagine they will err on the safety side. If they make the other call and it blows up, there are repercussions. When you are responsible for making decisions on players’ welfare, it must be really tough. You do not want to be responsible for it.”There are other games. He should be fit for Old Trafford. He does understand the situation.”While Anderson’s absence is clearly a setback, it does offer the chance of freshening the England attack for the second of these back-to-back Tests. There are only three days between the games, both of which are expected to be played on good batting tracks, so Anderson might be used to boost a jaded seam quartet.Ben Stokes is also close to full fitness and should also be available for selection for the second Test. Stokes, who underwent surgery on his knee in May, has been cleared to play a full part with bat and ball in the Championship match against Lancashire starting on Saturday, while Mark Wood, who has had two bouts of surgery on his ankle, will play for the Lions in the tri-series also involving Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A that starts on Monday.It is possible, though unlikely, that Anderson could feature in the same Championship match as Stokes, as England are reluctant to allow him to play a full part in a match that ends a day later than the first Test. He is more likely to continue his rehabilitation in the nets and away from the cameras.”Ben needed another week or so in terms of being confident of his knee when bowling and batting,” Cook explained. “He didn’t feel that confident on his knee yet and you get that from playing. He’s had an operation on it so it was quite a major thing. It was discussed [whether to pick him as a specialist batsman] in the selection meeting but we decided not to go that way. He plays a four-day game for Durham and will bowl.”Shivil Kaushik, the Gujarat Lions left-arm spinner with an action reminiscent of Paul Adams, was also among the net bowlers, but Arjun Tendulkar, the son of Sachin who has become a regular at such sessions in the last few years, was reduced to the role of spectator. He has sustained a significant back injury and has been told not to bowl for at least six months.

Despite rapid half-centuries from Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb, Nottinghamshire needed the help of six penalty runs before scraping over the line to defeat Lancashire by two wickets

ECB Reporters Network04-Jun-2016
ScorecardRikki Wessels helped get the innings off to a flying start•Getty Images

Despite rapid half-centuries from Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb, Nottinghamshire needed the help of six penalty runs before scraping over the line to defeat Lancashire by two wickets in their NatWest T20 encounter at Trent Bridge.Wessels made 58 and Lumb scored 53 but the home side then collapsed in pursuit of a victory target of 185, before a dramatic intervention from the rule book. Needing 15 runs from the last over, Notts were awarded those six penalty runs as the defending champions hadn’t been in a position to begin their last over before the allotted cut-off time.A Sam Wood maximum, heaved high over the leg-side boundary, either side of a couple of scrambled singles, left Luke Fletcher to clip Arron Lilley away for the winning run, with two deliveries remaining.After Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 56 had helped Lancashire to 184 for 4, Notts had been sent on their way by their openers, with Wessels scoring his runs from 31 balls, with seven fours and three sixes, while Lumb registered his first fifty in domestic T20 cricket since July 2013.The chase got off to an explosive start, with 72 runs coming from the six Powerplay overs. The opening partnership had been extended to 100, a county T20 record against the Red Rose, by the time Lumb hit Stephen Parry to deep midwicket. Wessels was then bowled by Jordan Clark, who also removed Samit Patel for nought, before George Edwards grabbed 3 for 38, as Notts slumped from 143 for 2 to 168 for 8.Earlier, Buttler’s 27-ball 50 ensured the visitors finished their innings on a positive note. Martin Guptill and Alviro Petersen had put 40 on for the first wicket, before Harry Gurney had the New Zealand international caught in the deep for 28. Petersen followed for 21, trapped lbw by Patel, one delivery after lofting the spinner back over his head for six.Patel also removed the dangerous Liam Livingstone, who edged behind to Wessels. The wicketkeeper then handed over the gloves to Brendan Taylor, with the former Zimbabwe captain remaining behind the sticks for the second half of the innings.Karl Brown followed up his Roses’ half century on Friday evening with another handy contribution, although he should have fallen on 39 when he received a grateful gift from a close friend – Steven Mullaney, Brown’s pal from their days together in the Lancashire academy, put down the simplest of caught-and-bowled chances.Wessels, out on the ropes this time, took his second catch of the innings to remove Brown but that only enabled Buttler to take centre stage for some belligerent hitting, late in the innings. Three sixes in four balls, two of them from consecutive Gurney deliveries, helped take Buttler to his half-century and onwards to an unbroken 59-run partnership with Steven Croft.After two defeats, Notts now have their first victory in this season’s competition, while Lancashire’s record now stands at one win and three losses.

Southampton have received an injury boost ahead of their crucial game this evening against Bournemouth at St Mary’s with their star-striker due to return after a spell on the sidelines.

Ruben Selles revealed that leading goalscorer Che Adams has recovered from injury and is “available” to feature in front of the home crowd tonight. Juan Larios, Tino Livramento and Mohammed Salisu remain out of contention.

It’s a must-win fixture for the Saints, who sit bottom of the table and six points from safety with just six games remaining to secure survival.

Will Che Adams feature against Bournemouth?

The 26-year-old was injured whilst on international duty with Scotland, and has been out of action for the last four games with a calf problem.

The Leicester-born striker has netted ten goals for the Saints this season, five of which coming in the Premier League, as well as contributing three assists in 25 appearances. It’s been a dull season for the south-coast side, who have won just six of their 32 games this season however, Adams has been a shining light in a bleak setting.

Before his injury, the forward found the net against Tottenham in the thrilling 3-3 draw at St Mary’s, that gave Saints hope of pushing away from the bottom of the table. In his absence, his team have collected just one point in their previous four games, including narrowly missing out on a win at the Emirates last time out.

Adams will certainly be a boost for Selles to consider in his starting XI and a selection that Bournemouth would favour against, considering his goal being the decider between the two sides back in October in Southampton’s 0-1 win at the Vitality.

The £30k-per-week Scotsman scored a decisive header to gain take three points from the Cherries, and will provide Selles with a presence in the number nine role that they’ve missed.

The "phenomenon" – as once hailed by former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl – ranks in the top 10 of players in the Premier League when it comes to aerial duels and with two of his five goals this season coming from headers, he gives an aerial threat and potency in front of goal that Saints are crying out for.

Paul Onuachu has not worked out as instantly as Southampton were perhaps hoping, with the £18m forward yet to score in the league.

Despite building a good spell of form, Bournemouth remain just four points above the drop zone with a point to prove should they hope to stay in the top division.

The Cherries have conceded the joint-highest number of goals this season (63), something that the Saints must capitalise on with the added energy of a fully fit Adams potentially leading the line in what is a massive and relieving boost for Selles this evening.

Kieran Tierney's exit from Arsenal this summer 'could be getting done' despite his quality, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

Members of Mikel Arteta's squad have been tipped to leave this summer given their status as fringe players, with Emile Smith Rowe and Tierney among them. The latter man stood out as a fairly key player during Arsenal's fight for the top four last season – having even been among their top ten most regularly-picked assets in the Premier League.

Tierney even chipped in with a goal and three assists over his 22 league starts that year, but this campaign, minutes have been much harder to come by. The signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko has impacted his playing time however, with Tierney starting just five games over 2022/2023 whilst making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench.

As such, the Scotland international leaving north London is a very realistic possibility this summer, with pundit and former West Ham striker McAvennie saying Newcastle United are in the hunt.

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the 63-year-old claimed Tierney's departure 'could be getting done' based off what he's 'heard'.

McAvennie explained:

“I have heard that they [Newcastle] are in for Tierney and that could be getting done.

“I could understand that. It would be an ideal situation for Tierney, it is only a few hours away from Glasgow and it would be great for him.

“How he can’t get a game in the Arsenal team is incredible but it is the way they want to play. I just think it is crazy.”

Should Arsenal let Tierney go?

We believe letting the 25-year-old go to Newcastle would be a mistake when you consider the best teams in Europe all have one thing in common – strength in depth. Tierney is a more-than capable option to slot in when required, as perhaps best summed up by William Gallas, who said this on the left-back in March:

"You always need two quality players in every position if you want to be successful in the Premier League. If Tierney goes to Newcastle, then they won’t have that competition.

"You have to find the best solution for all of the parties because I’m sure Tierney wants to play more regularly. Arsenal need to have good, young players who are waiting to come through and prove their quality."

Indeed, the defender could still have a key role to play, both for the remainder of this season and in years to come.

A number of Arsenal fans have flocked to Twitter to wish former player Mesut Ozil all the best after the German announced his retirement.

What happened between Mesut Ozil and Arsenal?

On Wednesday afternoon, the 34-year-old took to Instagram to state that he would be hanging up his boots amid recent injury issues.

His statement read: “After thoughtful consideration, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football.

“I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

“But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it’s become more and more clear that it’s time to leave the big stage of football.

“It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions. I want to thank my clubs – Schalke, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Fenerbahce and Basaksehir – and the coaches who supported me, plus team-mates who have become friends.”

He also added: “Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love no matter the circumstances and no matter which club I was representing.”

In a glittering career, the talented midfielder played 254 times for Arsenal, winning three FA Cups along the way as he impressed supporters with his technical quality and creative skill set – earning the reputation as the “assist king”.

However, it’s safe to say things didn’t end too well for Ozil in north London, as Mikel Arteta dropped him from his side in an attempt to get rid of the German, who was viewed as underperforming while having a mammoth £350,000-a-week contract.

Eventually, he opted to leave Arsenal six months before his contract was due to expire, with the player and club agreeing to a mutual termination back in 2021.

He went on to play for Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce before moving last summer to Istanbul Basaksehir. He ends his career as a World Cup winner, while also winning major trophies in Spain and Germany.

Despite how things turned out for him towards the end of his time with Arsenal, it seems as though many fans will remember him for the good moments rather than the bad.

Here are some of the best reactions…

Chelsea are making progress over the permanent signing of on-loan attacker Joao Felix this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Felix impressing at Chelsea

The Portuguese joined the Blues during the January transfer window, as he looks to kick his career back into gear after a disappointing spell at Atletico Madrid.

Felix has struggled to become a consistently key part of Diego Simeone’s plans in Spain and a loan move looked like the best option for all parties at the beginning of the year.

Since coming in at Chelsea, the 23-year-old has looked like a class act, not necessarily always delivering end product but catching the eye with his technical quality.

Felix does now have two goals in seven appearances in the Premier League, though, having found the back of the net with a clinical finish in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Everton.

Chelsea seem keen to turn his move from a temporary switch into a permanent transfer, and a positive update has emerged, in that respect.

The Latest: Permanent move progressing

Writing for Give Me Sport, Jones said that the Blues’ feelings towards signing Felix permanently are ‘becoming more clear’, with ‘further talks’ planned for next month.

He is described as a ‘breath of fresh air’ at the training ground and those high up at Chelsea are now ‘beginning to mastermind a plan on how they could integrate him permanently into their plans’.

The Verdict: No-brainer for Blues

Felix has always been a massive talent, winning the prestigious European Golden Boy award back in 2019, and his quality has been clear to see at Stamford Bridge.

The four-goal Portugal international has simply looked a happier player than he did at Atletico, where Simeone’s defensive style has arguably held him back too often.

Chelsea should do all they can to sign Felix permanently at the end of the season, with Alvaro Morata hailing him as a ‘special’ footballer and his best years still highly likely to be ahead of him.

As he continues to adjust to Graham Potter’s playing style and his new teammates, he should only improve further, with the Champions League allowing him a great chance to further prove his worth, ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final tie for Real Madrid.

Perhaps most importantly, Felix appears to be enjoying his time at Chelsea and doesn’t want to return to Atletico, so the idea of him moving there for good this summer feels like a match made in heaven.