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Manchester City had a frustrating end to their 2019/20 season – they finished second in the Premier League despite being tipped for the title, lost their FA Cup semi-final tie against Arsenal, and crashed out of the Champions League quarter-finals to French club Olympique Lyonnais – finishing the season with just the Carabao Cup to their name.

With another big season ahead, the next Premier League campaign could prove pivotal in Pep Guardiola’s career, with the possibility of him moving on growing greater by the day with the club still failing to win the Champions League – a trophy that has eluded Guardiola ever since his time at Barcelona.

At a club such as Manchester City, however, money is no issue, and they will have no problems in trying to strengthen their squad even further to try and secure every trophy in all competitions they take part in. This is something that has helped to keep Guardiola in Manchester for as long as he has – due to the financial backing and trust from the Manchester City board virtually handing him a blank check year in year out.

So with all this money, who would be the most realistic signings for City this summer?

Ismaël Bennacer

The 22-year-old midfielder has been in fine form this season for AC Milan – the Algerian international joined Milan at the beginning of August last year from Empoli, and has had a fantastic first season with the club.

Bennacer made 31 league appearances, scoring just the one goal, but averaging 2.2 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game – as well as this, the defensive midfielder is a great passer of the ball, with an 88.3% pass success rate and averaging 56.8 passes per game.

His style of play would suit City very well and would be welcome assistance in defensive midfield for Rodri, especially with the need to soon find a replacement for the aging Fernandinho.

Diego Carlos

The Brazilian defender has been a rock at the back for Spanish outfit Sevilla during the 2019/20 campaign and has even helped the club to the Europa League final. Carlos joined the club from French club Nantes at the beginning of the season, and his defensive numbers from this season have impressed.

The 27-year-old kept 17 clean sheets in 35 games in La Liga, as well as winning 2.8 aerial duels and averaging 5 clearances per game.

His physical prowess would be something that Manchester City would gain from, and would make an ample replacement of Vincent Kompany due to the similarities of the two – and would make a great partnership on the right-hand side of City’s defence alongside Aymeric Laporte.

Kalidou Koulibaly

Despite his age, Kalidou Koulibaly would make a good choice in defence for Manchester City and is rated as one of the best defenders in the world.

According to Sky Italy – the club are keen on signing Koulibaly even though he is 29 years old, and along with the fact that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has valued him at £72 million, it seems like an odd transfer at first glance.

However, after deliberation, it could prove to be a great addition – the player’s ability is a given and there is no doubting that, but the blend of youth and experience with himself and Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Aké could create one of the best defences in the world given the chance to work.

Douglas Luiz

The Citizens sold Douglas Luiz to Aston Villa last year for just over £15 million – but recent reports have suggested that the club are looking to activate a £25 million buy-back clause in Luiz’s contract this summer.

Guardiola was said to have highly rated the player, but he never made an appearance for City due to issues with trying to gain a work permit.

The 22-year-old had a great breakthrough season with Aston Villa in the Premier League – scoring 3 goals with 2 assists and playing 36/38 games for Dean Smith’s side – with Douglas Luiz an almost like for like replacement for club veteran Fernandinho.

Lionel Messi

If you’d have asked me at the start of the season I’d of simply replied with “yeah, okay mate” – but this seems like a move that could genuinely and realistically happen this summer given recent circumstances.

After Barcelona’s shocking defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Messi has reportedly told the club he wants to leave immediately, and Manchester City have been named the frontrunners for the six-time Ballon d’Or winners signature – which is understanding given the relationship between himself and City manager Guardiola, as well as the fact that City would have no problems covering his wages.

All-in-all, it’s become a realistic signing that would change the landscape for Manchester City.

Celtic’s pursuit of a new striker has taken an intriguing twist over the weekend and it’s one that could see Neil Lennon’s side bolstered without having to pay a penny.

What’s the word?

According to former Hibs forward-turned-pundit Tam McManus, free-agent Steven Fletcher is keen on a move to Parkhead having moved back into the area following his exit from Sheffield Wednesday.

The 33-year-old veteran rejected the Owls’ offer of a new contract and departed Hillsborough at the end of June.

Whilst it is no secret that Lennon is on the hunt for options to bolster his frontline having been linked to Peterborough’s Ivan Toney, West Ham flop Albian Ajeti and Shon Weissman in recent months.

Edouard alternative?

The Hoops have some reliance on their French talisman after he provided 27 goals and 19 assists on the way to a ninth-straight league title, though such form has attracted the interest of Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City and Everton.

There are also doubts over the future of Leigh Griffiths with his professionalism the major sticking point.

A swoop for Fletcher could prove to be a touch of genius from Nick Hammond this summer. Despite nearly his mid-thirties, the target man is still as fit as ever and comes into the off-season on the back of an impressive 13 goals in a struggling Sheffield Wednesday side.

The Scotsman also started his career out at SPFL rivals Hibernian, so he’s no stranger to a move north of the border whilst he’s featured in Ligue 1 for Marseille and has been capped 33 times on the international stage.

Given the financial uncertainties of the transfer market post-pandemic, a free raid for Fletcher has all the hallmarks to be a masterstroke, especially as he’ll provide vital support to Eduoard as the club goes for ten-in-a-row.

AND in other news, Celtic plot cunning raid on cash-strapped Wigan for new Sinclair…

This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.

Daniel Levy has made some major mistakes during his time in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, but arguably none of them come close to his decision to sign Roberto Soldado.

Levy signed Soldado for a then-club record fee of £26m from Valencia and he was awarded a reception similar to a summer blockbuster. Unveiled as a marquee signing, everything looked so promising for the former Real Madrid ace, but things quickly went downhill for him at White Hart Lane.

The Spaniard was meant to be the typical striker who bangs in 20 goals a season, like Dimitar Berbatov and Gary Lineker had done before him. Instead, Soldado turned out to be a complete and utter flop, condemned by fans and pundits alike.

In fairness, he actually started quite well, as he scored penalties in his first two games in the Premier League. However, looks can be deceiving, as it took him until October to score from open play and he only managed six league goals in his first campaign.

Admittedly Soldado had greater success in the Europa League, in which he bagged five goals in seven games, but that wasn’t enough to stop Spurs from crashing out to Benfica in the last 16.

He only scored one goal in the English top flight the following season and the emergence of Harry Kane quickly lead to Spurs calling it quits.

The onus was on him to deliver and he failed to live up to the expectations he merited on his arrival. His dramatic decline in form is exemplified by his market value, which plummeted from £25m at his peak in 2013 to a mere £9m towards the end of his career in England. To make matters worse, the Lilywhites sold him to Valencia for a fraction of the price they paid for him.

Spurs last won a trophy back in 2008 and the closest they have come since was making it to the Champions League final last year. While that can’t entirely be blamed on him, the fact he failed to reach double figures in the Premier League in two consecutive seasons is a damning indictment.

Levy has made some obvious blunders over the years, namely failing to sign Sergio Aguero in 2011, who ended up at Manchester City instead.

Without trying to rub salt in the wound, Aguero went on to become one of the greatest strikers in Premier League history, and some fans may dream about what might have been if the Argentine had moved to White Hart Lane instead.

As it stands, signing Soldado perhaps remains Levy’s biggest mistake to this day, as he struggled to make an impact and returned to Spain after just two seasons.

Tottenham fans, do you think Roberto Soldado is the worst signing in the club’s history? Let us know in the comments below!

Tottenham Hotspur were dealt a blow recently when one of their targets, Bruno Fernandes, signed a new contract with Sporting as the Portuguese squad have now officially confirmed.

Spurs were reportedly close to snatching the player away during the summer but now, with his improved release clause, they would have to fork out a figure of £85m to land him as opposed to the £65m in his previous contract.

Whether they still plan to chase him next summer or not is unclear but history suggests Daniel Levy will be intimidated by the enormity of his fresh release clause.

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Upon seeing this update, however, many Spurs fans expressed their disappointment over their failed summer bid.

But some of them also seem to think that signing that contract was a foolish move from the player and are unsure of his motives while big clubs are prowling around him.

You can see some of their reactions and tweets down in the collection below.

Check them out…

In other news, many Spurs fans are not really sure what to think about Christian Eriksen after Jose Mourinho’s latest admission…

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged Troy Parrott to stay at the club this summer and learn from Harry Kane, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

Parrott has impressed for Spurs at youth level and has earned four appearances for the first team this season as a result.

However, with Kane, Heung-Min Son and Lucas Moura ahead of him in the pecking order, Jose Mourinho may still opt to loan out the 18-year-old in search of more first-team experience.

Robinson feels that he would be better served remaining in North London though, claiming that could learn a lot from watching Kane in training.

Speaking in an interview Football Insider, Robinson said: “If the club thinks sending him out on loan will benefit him, he would certainly command a loan to a Premier League side or a top Championship side. At Spurs, there is the potential for him to play cup games.

“Being in and around the squad he can learn from Harry Kane. Subconsciously you pick up all of his traits, his habits, and his finishing if you work with him in training. You mould yourself without even knowing it.

“It is important to get football but with injuries and suspensions, he might get two or three games and score a bagful. We saw it with Rashford. Football is all about timing. If he is out on loan they cannot recall him.”

Experience

Loan spells can be an invaluable part of the development process for any young player, with Kane himself benefiting from time away from the club at the likes of Leicester City and Leyton Orient.

However, as others have shown, you can break straight into the first team and if you are ready for senior football, it can be best for youth prospects to stay around and learn from the top-level professionals around them.

In Parrott’s case, Spurs do not have many senior strikers at the club and with Kane suffering from injuries in recent years, there might just be opportunities for Parrott, provided Mourinho thinks he is ready.

West Bromwich Albion are surely used to this feeling now.

The Baggies are staring down the barrel of Izzy Brown 2.0; Tyler Roberts 2.0; Louie Barry 2.0.

It’s all very much a frequent occurrence at the Hawthorns.

Young defender Nathan Ferguson is yet to sign the terms offered to him by the club in recent months, meaning they could well look to sell him in January, according to the Express & Star.

The 19-year-old only broke into the first-team fold this season as manager Slaven Bilic promoted him from the youth ranks, and his performances this season on either side of the back four have led to interest from some European heavyweights.

Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace appear to have eyed him up to fill their needs at right-back while Atletico Madrid and Juventus have also been touted.

But should Albion look to sell up in the winter window? Would it be a mistake? He could well go for peanuts in the summer if they do not act soon.

Here’s what some of the writers at Football FanCast think…

Matt Dawson

“This is classic West Brom. Academy player starts to perform well and he leaves the club. However, in this situation, it’s a tricky one. Albion have had some excellent players come through their ranks in recent years and making it to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals last term is a testament to some of the wonderful individuals they have in their set-up. 

“Ferguson is one of the brightest to come through and it would be a bitter blow to lose him in January given supporters also saw Louie Barry and Morgan Rogers walk out of the Hawthorns last summer. Yet, if the youngster isn’t willing to put pen to paper on a new deal, then selling him in January wouldn’t be the worst of ideas. He may be young, but the Baggies have replacements at both full-back positions in Darnell Furlong, Kieran Gibbs, and Conor Townsend.

“When top teams come calling it’s hard to turn them down and the fact his contract expires next year suggests they could be destined to lose him. The saga that played out around Rekeem Harper as his contract began to wear down last season became tedious and monotonous. Let’s hope that isn’t the case with Ferguson, either.”

Kealan Hughes

“This is a difficult situation, but one they should have been more prepared for given interest in their good young players has been a common occurrence over the last few months.

“Although they have back-up options, they really need to show some ambition and do their utmost to keep him at the club beyond January and hopefully for their sake beyond the end of the season.

“To do that they need to offer him a substantial contract and given they can offer him first-team football and possibly the opportunity to progress in the Premier League they should be able to persuade him to extend his stay.

“With promotion on the line, the last thing they should do is sell him in January, it would send out a negative message to the fans and other players in the squad who are in a similar position to him, such as Rekeem Harper. Securing a new deal for him now would show they’re planning for the future and can’t be pushed over easily.”

Charles Jones

“I think that this is a case of weighing up the pros and cons of the move.

“Ferguson has mostly been playing as a left-back this season, and with the experienced Kieran Gibbs still being a part of Slaven Bilic’s squad, he has a readymade replacement right there ready to go.

“It’ll be a shame for the Baggies to lose the teenage star, but surely they’d rather get something for him than let him go for whatever tiny amount of compensation they may get.

“Losing him wouldn’t derail their promotion hunt too much, and the funds they get from selling him could be used to sure up some of the weaker areas in his squad.

“It’ll be sad to see him go, but it’s better to do it now rather than letting him leave on a free in a few months.”

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Lewis Blain

“West Brom find themselves in a very unfortunate situation, but no one could have predicted this young man’s meteoric rise. However, selling him in January would actually come as a positive as it means they have actually learned from their mistakes. Far too often do they see youngsters escape their grasp for free or next to nothing. This would counter that somewhat.

“Bilic also has more than enough cover in either full-back area as Conor Townsend has stepped up to the plate in his absence currently, and then there are Kieran Gibbs and Darnell Furlong. Even at centre-back, Ferguson’s original position for the U23 squad and the Young Lions, there’s plenty of depth as Ahmed Hegazi can’t even break into the starting XI.

“Dowling and co need to cash in if he’s not going to commit his future in the west Midlands. The 19-year-old is not indispensable.”

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Expert Roundup feature, which provides three quotes from those in the know in order to illuminate fundamental strengths, weaknesses, quirks, stylistic comparisons and general observations of players, transfer targets and confirmed signings.

With Hugo Lloris out for the foreseeable future with a dislocated elbow Tottenham Hotspur have turned their sights towards a top class shot-stopper as they bid to turn their so far troubled season around.

The man reportedly on their radar is Andre Onana.

The Ajax number one greatly impressed last term as de Godenzonen stole a march all the way to the Champions League semi-finals – ironically exiting at the hands of Spurs – while a recent eye-catching display against Chelsea in the same tournament has only added extra veneer to a solid reputation.

Agile, confident and commanding of his area the 6ft 3 Cameroonian first arrived in Europe courtesy of the Samuel Eto’o Foundation, joining Barcelona aged just 13. A move to Holland five years later saw him eventually installed as first choice at the Johan Cruyff Arena and now the Premier League may beckon, with the player himself recently admitting to finding the proposition tempting.

With that in mind, Football Fancast sought out the opinion of three great Dutch keepers to find out what the Spurs faithful can expect.

Judging by these glowing references they should be excited to say the least…

Ronald Waterreus, former PSV and Holland goalkeeper

Now a pundit in his native Netherlands, Waterreus’ vast experience means he knows an elite goalie when he sees one. As to just how elite, well that’s a different matter. As per en24.news:

“He’s a fantastic goalkeeper who always stays calm. We see him play every week and we quickly see that he is the best. Is he better than Ter Stegen? Maybe not yet. He’s better than Neuer? Probably. Is he better than De Gea? Certainly. Is he better than Oblak? Maybe not. Is he better than Courtois? Perhaps. The biggest clubs in Europe are interested in him. He deserves it too. “

Stanley Menzo, former Ajax goalkeeper

With just shy of 250 appearances for de Godenzonen, Menzo has legendary status at the club while his longevity means he takes a more measured approach in assessing emerging talent. He has seen them come. He has seen them go. In Onana though he clearly believes there is something far more substantial than mere hype. As per ajaxshowtime.com:

“It is very Dutch to ask if he is the best in Europe right now. Soon he will make some mistakes and (people will) crucify him. I particularly like to see how this boy develops. It is difficult to play as a young goalkeeper at Ajax 1. But he is calm and his reflexes are the best in the world. His appearance is impressive.”

Edwin van der Sar, former Manchester United and Holland goalkeeper

Now installed as Ajax’s chief executive van der Sar has persistently batted away rumours regarding Onana’s future with the same unflappable ease he dealt with crosses.

Here though he makes an exception, offering up praise for the star in sticks. As per goal.com:

“I think Andre is fantastic. He came to Ajax aged 18 or 19 and the way he developed and the natural attributes that he already had, his speed, his reaction and I think he set himself as a great goalkeeper.”

“This year again he has proven to be extremely valuable for the team and besides that, he is a great guy.”

Verdict

At 23 years of age Onana is still some way from reaching his goalkeeping peak, and that should only encourage Tottenham more to invest in a player who is already one of the best in his position around.

Leeds United fans on Twitter aren’t best pleased after Graham Smyth and Adam Pope confirmed that Stuart Dallas pulled out of Northern Ireland’s game against Germany due to a hamstring problem.

The 28-year-old has been integral for Leeds United so far this season, starting every single league game for the Whites this term while playing in no less than eight different positions according to WhoScored.

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Understandably, Leeds supporters weren’t too happy when being faced with the prospect of being without Dallas for this weekend’s game against Luton Town, and they took to social media to share their feelings on the update.

It remains to be seen how long the utility man will be out for, but the prospect of being without him in the near future has seemingly disheartened a few members of the fanbase.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying about Dallas’ injury on social media…

Jamaal Lascelles picked up an injury in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Bournemouth and it has now been confirmed that he faces several weeks out the sidelines.

The centre-back suffered damage to his knee which is likely to rule him out until early 2021, and despite him being not only the captain, but a regular since 2016, some fans aren’t too concerned.

Newcastle’s centre-backs have performed well under Bruce this season, even chipping in with goals, and that has led some to think that Lascelles has dropped down the pecking order.

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The Magpies also have Fabian Schar and Florian Lejeune to come back from injury, which means there is no lack of quality or competition for places with Lascelles out.

Supporters don’t seem to be concerned that they will miss out on his leadership qualities either, which suggests they have faith in the back five under Bruce’s management.

Here are some of the reactions to the news of the 26-year-old’s injury.

Chris Ramsey has received an MBE for services to football and diversity in sport, and his achievement has been met with a multitude of well-wishes on social media.

Now QPR’s Head of Coaching, the former Swindon player has been a tremendous servant to the club over a period of five years, and many supporters feel he is well worthy of such an accolade.

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He displayed his great loyalty by staying at the club and accepting a reduced role when he was sacked as manager in 2015, which says a lot about his character and desire to help move QPR forward.

Such a mindset has garnered him much respect amongst the fanbase, and seemingly the wider community, as his years of service have now been rewarded.

He first joined the Hoops while Harry Redknapp, who he knew from his spell working at Tottenham, was in charge, acting as Head of Player Development, and would have overseen the progression of young players such as Harry Kane and Danny Rose.

Many QPR fans appreciate what he has given to their club and football as a whole and have issued praise upon him, as the following reactions show.