Former Real Madrid captain Raul has said that Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane would be an excellent signing for the Spanish and European champions.
Real Madrid are expected to be in the market for a new striker this summer as speculation surrounding the future of Karim Benzema gathers pace.
Kane, who is valued at £108m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu as the 24-year-old continues to set records.
Indeed, the forward netted his 150th club goal against Crystal Palace at the weekend, and also recently scored his 100th Premier League goal for Spurs.
Raul has spoken of his admiration for Kane, and insisted that the England forward has the qualities needed to thrive in the Spanish capital.
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Raul told reporters ahead of the 2018 World Sports Awards:
“Harry Kane is a typical striker. He scores in every single game. I think he has great qualities. I like him a lot.
“I don’t know if he wants to change or if he has the opportunity to change, but I think he is doing well. He is one of the best strikers in the world.
“Why not? (on a move to Real Madrid) Of course, I imagine a lot of teams would like to bring him to their team.”
Kane has managed 35 goals in 36 appearances for Tottenham this season. The striker is also being tipped to captain England at the 2018 World Cup this summer.
There’s an incredibly unhealthy attitude towards young players within the England set-up, especially those that play for the Premier League’s top clubs.
Here’s a little game to prove my point; create an Xi of English players who’ve made more than ten appearances for Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or Liverpool in the last 15 years but not earned a senior cap. If your team features a higher calibre of player than Richard Wright, Jody Morris and Jay Spearing, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
This trend is further epitomised by Calum Chambers’ recent inclusion in the Three Lions fold. I certainly have no qualms with the Arsenal defender; indeed, he likely has a long, successful career ahead of him for both club and country.
Yet the 22 year-old didn’t get a look-in internationally whilst at Southampton last season, despite making 22 Premier League appearances and usurping Nathaniel Clyne from the No.2 spot at St. Mary’s. A £16million move and just six outings for the Gunners later however, Roy Hodgson called him up to face Norway in August.
Of course, a significant portion of Hodgson’s mandate as England boss is to build for the future. In fact, the entire England set-up and the FA have become obsessed with ignoring the present for the sake of long-term planning, as Greg Dyke sets the target of winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Amid periods of such despair, with England currently 18th in FIFA’s world rankings, emphasising the importance of the next generation by promoting them to senior level early is largely inevitable. Some would even argue it’s the wisest strategy to follow.
But what did Calum Chambers genuinely learn from facing San Mario, the lowest-ranked side in world football, and European minnows Estonia over the course of the international break?
Neither side came close to testing his qualities as an international-standard defender – both gifted England around 78% possession and amassed a combined total of just two shots on target – whilst Chambers’ weaknesses on the ball drew criticism from a fan base seemingly rattled by their own boredom.
So what did the 22 year-old take from facing the two least competitive sides in Group E?
The rather sombre experience of playing in front of an apathetic 55,000 home crowd – the lowest attendance in new Wembley history? The important lesson that some pitches in international football, such as Estonia’s, would be showed up by many in League Two? Perhaps that the Three Lions are intrinsically ill-equipped to break down small, organised opponents?
Perhaps that this mundane pattern of pointless opposition, farmyard pitches, limited crowd participation and England’s lack of invention in attack will go on to constitute vast majority of his Three Lions career?
Admittedly, every England international has to go through this process at some point, so why not while they’re young.
But after two almost ceremonial victories for England, with the only true variable from the off being the score line, Chambers is no better prepared to face genuinely competitive international opposition – the kind England will surely come up against at Euro 2016.
Chambers didn’t need to be involved with the England seniors; in fact, he was scheduled to join the U21 squad until John Stones’ ankle injury proved worse than initially feared. The Junior Lions took on Croatia, a 2-1 victory decided by a Saido Berahino penalty in the 85th minute.
Of course, the pressures of U21 football in comparison to senior internationals are remarkably less, but the Croatia clash included more intensity and competitiveness in the first fifteen minutes, as the visitors took a surprise 1-0 lead, than England’s seniors endured over the course of 180.
We’ve never utilised the U21 squad properly in this country and even less so under Roy Hodgson. The Germany U21 squad that claimed the 2009 European Championship included Manuel Neuer, Sami Khedira, Benedikt Howedes, Jerome Boateng, Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels, all of whom went on to lift the World Cup together this summer.
Stuart Pearce on the other hand, lost his job as Junior Lions boss in 2013 after Phil Jones, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin were deemed unavailable to the U21s, as they crashed out of the European Championship’s group stages without a single point.
Many will argue circumstance, rather than design, is what has thrust Chambers into England’s starting Xi, whilst the experience, although in my opinion incredibly futile, has done nothing to halt his international career.
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But why not give the opportunity to someone who needs to fight their way back into the England fold? Nathaniel Clyne for example, who ended up warming the bench for both fixtures, or the Three Lions’ forgotten man Micah Richards, now showing decent enough form on loan at Fiorentina. Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross is surely deserving of an England outing, albeit a token one, for the tremendous consistency demonstrated throughout his Premier League career.
Instead, Hodgson gave the nod to Chambers – a player whose England career is already set in stone and essentially had nothing to gain or lose from facing Estonia and San Marino. A player who could be learning so much more with the U21s – an age bracket he’s yet to actually represent for England.
Until England’s attitude towards young players becomes more patient and professional, and until we view the U21s with a higher level of importance, our youngsters will always inevitably fail to live up to expectations in comparison to other countries.
After squeezing every possible penny out of their owners in the summer, Premier League managers expect a far leaner January. The extortionate fees clubs will command for players will lure several into trying to find deals for players on a temporary basis. The festive spirit will have come and gone, and with purse strings tight after all the presents and helpings of Turkey, so clubs will be looking to receive some gifts back in the loan market.
Harry Redknapp and David Moyes have already admitted that is the sole market they will look towards for player acquisition to boost their prospects. Is there really enough out there to be able to rely on this approach?
Click on Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata to find out what loan magic is available
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Arsenal fans are heaping praise on Cesc Fabregas, after the former Gunner couldn’t resist taking a pop at Tottenham and Harry Kane.
Kane grabbed a hat trick on Sunday as England romped to their second World Cup victory of the summer, putting six past Panama.
The Tottenham talisman has taken plenty of stick from Arsenal fans down the years, but even they cannot deny he is now one of the world’s finest goalscorers.
After showing plenty of respect for the England captain’s goalscoring exploits though, Fabregas just couldn’t help himself, saying the 24 year-old should move to a big club.
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“Harry Kane is probably the best striker in the Premier League,” the Spaniard said.
“I think he’s now ready to go to a big club.”
Of course, Fabregas was crucified by Arsenal fans when he returned from Spain to join Chelsea, but they’re absolutely loving his comments on Kane.
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The 31 year-old has endeared himself to plenty of fans with his impressive punditry work during the World Cup, and his attempt to troll Tottenham has certainly helped a few Gunners forgive him for going to Chelsea.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Sitting in 9th place having just won their second home game on the bounce, from a distance, it would all seem rosy at Everton, especially considering their dire start to the season.
However, with the Premier League table tighter than ever, even the Toffees are just a couple of defeats away from relegation trouble. And despite a general upturn in form, new manager Sam Allardyce has not been welcomed by the fans, who cite his boring tactics and perennial lack of responsibility for defeats as the reason for their displeasure.
To try and inject some life back into a stagnant season, the Everton squad have travelled to Dubai for a warm weather training camp; the F.A. Cup halting Premier League action for the next seven days.
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However, many Everton fans feel that this trip is undeserved and have taken to Twitter to express their anger…
Jose Mourinho has claimed that the ‘love story’ between Chelsea and Frank Lampard is over after the midfielder scored a late goal to salvage a draw for Manchester City on Sunday night.
The Englishman left Chelsea after his contract ran out during the summer and was brought off the bench to tie the game 1-1 in the 85th minute.
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Mourinho’s men were close to keeping their 100% Premier League record when Man City defender Pablo Zabaleta received his marching orders due to a second yellow card, and Andre Schurrle broke the deadlock not too long after.
But Lampard spoiled the party by equalizing five minutes from the end of normal time, as well as not celebrating to acknowledge his former supporters.
After the game Mourinho was prompted what he made of Lampard scoring the equalizer, which he told Sky Sports: “I don’t make (anything).
“He is a Man City player. Maybe I am too pragmatic in football but he decided to come to a competitor of Chelsea and love stories are obviously over.
“He did his job as the super-professional he is and he scored.
“This is England, and this is Chelsea. Chelsea people can never forget what people have done at this club.
“It happened with me when I met Chelsea with Inter, and it happened with Lamps.”
The ‘Special One’ also added that despite conceding a late goal, it was a good point against the defending champions at the Etihad.
“It was a big game. I think maybe in the end 1-1 was a fair result.
“We went 1-0 up after they had a player sent off and Diego (Costa) hit the post, but then they had a reaction.
“Even playing with one player less, they had a reaction and equalised.
“The conclusion we made in the dressing room is that we came here as leaders with two points more than the second-placed team.
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“We played in the champions’ house, and we leave with three points more than second, so it is a good weekend for us.”
Jordi Gomez scored a superb hat trick for Wigan as they left it late to see off a plucky Reading side at the DW Stadium.
The Spanish midfielder was the standout player for the Latics as they ended their two match losing run to move above Sunderland and up to 15th in the Premier League table.
It was tough on the crestfallen Royals, who were a goal to the good at half time and thought they’d earned a vital point with 10 minutes to go after falling 2-1 behind, but ended up empty handed.
A bright start for the hosts almost conjured a goal in the early stages, but Arouna Kone was unable to convert Jean Beausejour cross despite being unmarked in the six-yard area.
The Ivory Coast striker came close again after he rounded goalkeeper Adam Federici but was then thwarted by Nicky Shorey’s goal line clearance and it proved to be a vital intervention from the left back as he laid on the opening goal for Sean Morrison.
Shorey’s whipped free-kick found the 21-year-old in the area and his header beat Ali Al-Habsi to had the visitors a 35th minute lead that they carried over into the second half.
However, just before the hour Gomez scored his first of the afternoon, needing two bites of the cherry to beat Federici after being set up by substitute Franco Di Santo.
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He doubled his tally 10 minutes later with a clever header from Beausejour’s cross to put Wigan ahead, only for an error from the usually reliable Al-Habsi gifting Reading an equaliser, deflecting Hal Robson-Kanu’s strike into the net.
But with the clock winding down to its climax Gomez would deservedly have the final say as he secured a vital three points for Roberto Martinez’s side, cooly firing home from 10-yards after good work from Kone.
Given Jose Mourinho’s broad distrust of young players and intense demands for defensive discipline, Manchester United’s £19m capture of 19-year-old Diego Dalot from Porto is something of a surprise.
It has been clear for quite some time that Antonio Valencia needs upgrading with a younger man but turning to his compatriot, who is hardly a household name in this country, is likely to have surprised the fanbase among whom he is not the most popular.
Nevertheless, United have a proud history of developing young players and the chronic need for defensive reinvigoration at the club means that the arrival of the teenager could well be a pleasant surprise.
That’s why we put the question to the Red Devils fans whether they believe that Dalot will be a successful signing at Old Trafford and the response was overwhelming.
As you can see below, a huge 89 per cent of the responses expect Dalot to go down a treat in the coming season…
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Newcastle United could be in a tricky position with regards to Jamaal Lascelles’s future due to wages, according to the Chronicle.
What’s the latest?
A report in the London Evening Standard this week claimed that Chelsea could make a move for the defender in the summer.
The reigning Premier League champions are believed to be interested in recruiting British talent and want to lower the age of their back line.
Gary Cahill and David Luiz are currently in their early 30s, and the publication states that Lascelles fits the bill at Stamford Bridge.
With regards to Newcastle’s standpoint, the Chronicle claims that interest in the 24-year-old is no big surprise, but wages could come into play.
The report states that Lascelles’s wages rose to £35,000 per week when he penned a new contract in October, but his salary is still way short of the £80,000 package handed to Jonjo Shelvey.
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Could Lascelles get his head turned?
When the likes of Chelsea register an interest, it is difficult to resist, especially for an English player rising through the ranks.
This season, the defender has started 21 Premier League games and has even contributed with three goals.
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His future could be dependent upon a variety of factors, including whether or not Newcastle manage to retain their top-flight status and if Rafael Benitez remains as manager.
One major issue could be wages, as Chelsea would be financially able to offer a huge bump in salary.
With Newcastle currently in limbo with regards to ownership, an increase in Lascelles’s wages may not be possible.
Former Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart has refused to rule out a move to QPR, although he admitted there has been no official contact yet.
The Dutch playmaker has emerged as a target for the Super Hoops in recent weeks, with manager Harry Redknapp understood to be keen to set up a reunion with him.
‘Arry snapped up the now 31-year-old in 2010 while in charge of Spurs, and the pair enjoyed a productive spell with the Lilywhites making it into the Champions League quarter-finals with the silky passer netting over 20 goals in the Premier League over two seasons.
WANT MORE? >> QPR transfer news | Latest transfer news
Van der Vaart left England in 2012 to re-join Hamburg, but with the German side having only narrowly avoided relegation last term there is talk of him moving on.
Although the former Real Madrid and Ajax man says that he hasn’t been talking to QPR, he opened the door for a switch by revealing that he loved working under Redknapp in the past:
“Harry Redknapp has not been in touch with me. He has not phoned me.” He is quoted by Sky Sports.
“In football you never know, but so far we have not been in touch.
“Harry Redknapp and I enjoyed a really great relationship back at Tottenham. He is a top-quality manager.
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“I was in great form back then. I scored 12 (Premier League) goals in one season and I netted 13 in the other season.”
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