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Portsmouth have ended their pursuit of Dunfermline Athletic striker Kevin Nisbet, according to Portsmouth News who spoke with manager Kenny Jackett.

Jackett’s side are said to have been monitoring the prolific striker over the course of the 2019/2020 season and a potential move had developed after seeing him net an impressive 18 goals in 25 games in the Scottish Championship.

Nisbet, who was born in Glasgow, joined Dunfermline last summer after having a handful of mixed spells with the likes of East Stirlingshire, Ayr United, Dumbarton and Raith Rovers.

Declaring their interest in the young striker, Portsmouth were also been joined by a number of Scottish sides looking to seal his signature.

Impressing in Scotland’s second tier and with said offers on the table to remain in his homeland, it now looks increasingly likely that he will do just that after Jackett spoke about the interest.

Speaking to the Portsmouth News, Jackett said: “We were asked about him [Nisbet] last year. We’ve got strikers on contracts here anyway.

“If we’re looking at Ryan Williams, Marcus Harness, Ellis Harrison, Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, John Marquis and Ronan Curtis – there’s six forwards there for our front three positions.

“All of them are under contract for the next year, so it’s not an area we’re necessarily looking at now.”

Pompey boss Jackett will be fully focused on his side’s next game, facing Oxford United in the League One play-off semi-final in the coming weeks.

Jackett’s comments all-but rule out a move for Nisbet and rightly so. The Pompey boss has plenty of options available to him at the moment and his prime objective is to attempt a promotion to the Championship.

Nisbet has performed well in the Scottish second flight this season but Portsmouth could look to a more established and experienced front man if they go up a division.

Do you think Nisbet would have been a good striker for Portsmouth? Let us know in the comments section below…

Having signed on a loan deal back in the January transfer window, Danny Rose has been open in admitting that he is currently fighting for his long-term future at Newcastle.

Speaking in recent days, the Tottenham loanee said: “First and foremost, I am playing for my future. I don’t think I need a bigger motivation than that. I have settled in very well, I love the lads, and staff and the fans. It is probably the first time in my career I have been in this situation – never have I been down to less than one year on my contract – so it’s a new experience for me.”

And against Manchester City in the Premier League on Wednesday night, Rose proved just exactly why Steve Bruce must seriously consider signing him on a permanent deal this summer.

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Despite the Magpies falling to a 5-0 defeat to the former Premier League champions, Rose was one of the very few players who actually showed any signs of trying to take the game to the opposition, and playing on the front foot.

As per Sofascore, he completed both of his attempted dribbles on the night, and registered 51 touches of the ball – the most of any Newcastle player.

The left-back didn’t shy away from receiving the ball in tight spaces, or being closed down by the City players, and it spoke volumes of just how more confident he was in possession than some of his teammates. That calmness saw him draw a team-high four fouls, helping Bruce’s side to get some respite for their defence.

Defensively, he was one of the more stronger and aggressive Magpies players, making another team-high of four tackles, and blocking one shot too. Add to that, the impressive fact he won a mammoth ten of his 12 total ground duels, and it showed the kind of quality Rose can bring to this Newcastle side on a longer-term basis.

If Steve Bruce is to do one thing this summer, then signing the left-back on a permanent basis should surely be one of the big priorities at St James’ Park.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti can instantly improve his midfield this summer by splashing the cash on Hirving Lozano.

The door may well have opened to sign him too with fresh reports hinting that the Mexican winger is free to leave Napoli at the end of the season.

According to the Daily Star, via the ECHO, Ancelotti’s former club are honing in on the transfer of Lille forward Victor Osimhen, which means Lozano’s place is sure to fall further down the pecking order.

Coincidentally, the 24-year-old is a player that both the Italian chief and the Toffees’ director of football know all too well.

Marcel Brands was at PSV when Lozano broke through to stardom and he’s waxed lyrical about his talents in the past, going as far as likening him to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

“When you look at his playing style, without wanting to compare, you know, Lozano has what Messi also has – a centre of gravity low to the ground, the ball is usually quickly under control, very explosive and agile. Then your opponents automatically force mistakes.”

Whilst Ancelotti brought him to Napoli last summer for a club-record fee of $46.5m (£36.6m).

The enigmatic winger has struggled for game time in Italy thus far, but his electric from for the Dutch outfit simply cannot be ignored – in his final campaign, he provided 21 goals and 12 assists, via Transfermarkt. No wonder Ancelotti was hot on his heels.

At Goodison Park, Everton’s wide players have underperformed substantially this campaign, none more so than Alex Iwobi. The £34m signing has only managed to score one goal all season.

Even Lozano has managed a better contribution despite playing fewer minutes.

Per WhoScored, the Mexican international has delivered five goals and one assist from just 14 starts whilst also averaging 1.4 shots, 0.9 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per game.

At PSV, these figures were far greater, managing three shots, 2.2 dribbles and 2.1 key passes each match, also via WhoScored.

He would arguably improve Ancelotti’s side tenfold – even if Napoli are asking for around €50m (£45m) for his services, Brands should absolutely break the bank for him.

Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson has said that Jack Diamond’s performances in training could hand him a ‘bonus’ squad addition next term.

The 20-year-old attacker scored Harrogate’s third goal as they sealed promotion to the Football League for the first time in their club history, beating Notts County at Wembley.

The youngster proved himself to be a trusted regular in Simon Weaver’s side through the campaign, having moved on loan last summer to the North Yorkshire club.

Returning to the Stadium of Light this summer, Diamond has been taking part in pre-season training following his own comments made on his desire to establish himself at the club.

With Parkinson seemingly handing the forward a chance to impress in training, the Sunderland boss has now revealed that both he and Elliot Embleton have ‘impressed’.

“A bonus for us as a staff this week is that Jack Diamond has come in and looked really good,” Parkinson told the club’s new podcast, #SAFCUnfiltered.“Elliot Embleton has trained and each day has looked better and better. Those two are kind of bonus players for us as well.“So I’m not saying we’re looking for 10 players.“Ideally we’d like to bring in another five and if we do that, we’ll then have cover in all areas.”Harrogate boss Weaver would undoubtedly be waiting in the wings for a potential second loan if Diamond did not impress enough with the Wearsiders.

Diamond had a superb season last time out and he will be an obvious and superb addition to Sunderland’s squad if he can continue to impress behind the scenes.

Of course, it is normal for Parkinson to make an assessment but the youngster could be the type of player he needs to bolster his attacking setup.

Do you think Diamond can become a first regular? Let us know in the comments section below…

Everton are undergoing a total midfield revamp this summer with the likes of Allan, James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure all expected through the door at Goodison Park, so perhaps latest reports come as a bit of a surprise…

What’s the word?

According to Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the Hammers hold interest in Barcelona outcast Rafinha and he’s one of many players they are looking to sell.

It’s claimed that the La Liga giants want a fee of €16m (£14.25m) for the 27-year-old with West Ham, Arsenal and Lazio also mooted as possible destinations.

Rafinha’s contract expires next summer and having come through the La Masia academy, he has gone out on loan three times from the Nou Camp.

Shades of 2017

If Marcel Brands and Carlo Ancelotti are successful in their triple swoop as mentioned above, then a move for Rafinha doesn’t really make too much sense as there will be midfielders aplenty in Merseyside.

This very much feels like a move former director of football Steve Walsh would make – the man who splashed around £150m before being sacked with the Toffees practically out of every competition possible.

During that summer, he signed Sandro Ramirez, who has gone on to cost the club in excess of £16m despite only playing a total of 16 matches.

It’s thought that Rafinha is on around €75k-per-week (£66.7k-per-week) at Barcelona, which is a substantial amount for someone that would be a back up at best.

Not to forget that the Toffees still have the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andre Gomes at the club, even if they sign those three midfielders.

During his loan spell at Celta, Rafinha only averaged 0.8 key passes and delivered just the one assist from 29 appearances, via WhoScored.

It just reeks of being a 2017-esque transfer disaster, so Everton ought to avoid this move at all costs.

AND in other news, Ancelotti suffers a blow as Toffees need to pay up for summer target…

Despite FIFA Ultimate Team being the dominant force in EA’s back pocket, there are still plenty of other great game modes in FIFA to enjoy – with one of these being Career Mode, and even though FIFA 21 may be just around the corner, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the game mode to the best of its ability.

However, Career Mode differs from Ultimate Team, and buying the best players in the game isn’t as simple in career mode – with it best to pay attention to players’ age and potential to build the best squad possible.

Career Mode is all about investment, finding the best young players and helping them grow into world-class talent – your Youth Academy will also play a big part in the game mode, helping you to produce the next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo at your own club of choice.

So, who are the best wonderkids to buy in Career Mode you might ask? Well, let’s take a look at the best starting XI of U21 players that could take your team from the bottom of the league to European Champions…

 Information provided via Futwiz is subject to change. All information provided is correct at time of publishing.

GK: Gianluigi Buffon

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 85

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 92

Market Value: £33.5 million

The young Italian shot-stopper has the highest overall potential for a goalkeeper in career mode, rising from a base rating of 85 to 92. As well as standing at 6’5, Donnarumma has great base stats with 90 reflexes and diving and can be snapped up for £33.5 million.

Substitute: Dean Henderson (21, 79-87, £12 million)

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 85

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 90

Market Value: £36.5 million

At just 20-years-old at the start of FIFA 20, the Liverpool right-back has the highest growth potential of any other player in his position. Alexander-Arnold has a base rating of 85, making him already one of the best full-backs in the game, and has great passing stats for his position. The youngster can be picked up for £36.5 million in career mode.

Substitute: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (20, 82-89, £23.5 million)

CB: Joe Gomez

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 82

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 89

Market Value: £23.5 million

Another Liverpool youngster, Joe Gomez has one of the highest growth potentials in the game. His base card of 82 can grow to 89 – and starts with 85 stand tackles and 83 interceptions, which are already great defensive stats. Gomez can be picked up for £23.5 million in career mode.

Substitute: Ibrahima Konate (20, 79-88, £14.5 million)

CB: Matthijs De Ligt

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 85

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 92

Market Value: £39.5 million

The Dutch defender can become the best centre-back in the game with a potential rating of 92 – and with a base card of 85, he is still one of the best prior to his growth. De Ligt’s 88 strength is a standout stat, as well and 83 reactions and 82 composure, which are great stats for a defender. The player can be picked up for £39.5 million.

Substitute: William Saliba (18, 75-88, £9 million)

LB: Alphonso Davies

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 77

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 88

Market Value: £10 million

Davies has the highest potential growth of every left-back in the game, growing 11 ratings from his base card of 77. His standout stats are his pace, with 95 acceleration and 92 sprint speed – and is only 18-years-old at the start of FIFA 20. The youngster is available for just £10 million in career mode.

Substitute: Rayan Ait Nouri (18, 70-85, £2.7 million)

CM: Houssem Aouar

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 81

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 89

Market Value: £23 million

The French midfielder is a hot prospect in career mode, with an overall potential of 89. Aouar’s dribbling is his standout statistics, with 85 ball control and 85 dribbling, making him a wizard with the ball. The player starts career mode at 20-years-old and could be purchased for £23 million.

Substitute: Exequiel Palacios (20, 78-88, £14 million)

CM: Federico Valverde

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 82

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 90

Market Value: £28.5 million

Federico Valverde has one of the highest potential ratings for a midfielder in career mode, reaching 90 overall. His base card starts at an already impressive 82 – and his standout stats include his 86 stamina, 83 long passing, and 82 short passing. The now 21-year-old can be picked up for £28.5 million.

Substitute: Bruno Guimaraes (20, 77-87, £12.5 million)

CAM: Kai Havertz

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 84

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 93

Market Value: £41 million

The German wonderkid has one of the highest overall potentials of any player in the game – with an already great base card of 84. The attacking midfielder already possesses well rounded and impressive stats, with 87 sprint speed, 87 ball control, and 84 finishing. Havertz starts career mode at just 20-years-old and can be bought for £41 million.

Substitute: Phil Foden (19, 77-89, £13 million)

RW: Jadon Sancho

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 86

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 94

Market Value: £53 million

Jadon Sancho is already one of the best young players in the world and proves that with a current rating of 86 – but with the potential to go up to 94 overall, the young English winger is a must buy. Currently boasting 92, dribbling, 91 ball control, and 91 agility – Sancho already has some of the best dribbling stats in the game but will cost a cool £53 million in career mode.

Substitute: Rodrygo (18, 78-91, £15.5 million)

ST: Kylian Mbappe

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 89

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 95

Market Value: £79 million

There was no doubt that Kylian Mbappe would be in the starting XI – the French forward can become the highest-rated player in the game with a potential of 95. With 96 pace, 90 dribbling, and 95 shooting, Mbappe is already one of the best strikers in the game – but will cost a large sum of £79 million in career mode.

Substitute: Erling Braut-Haaland (19, 80-90, £19.5 million)

LW: Vinicius Junior

Current FIFA 20 Rating: 79

Potential FIFA 20 Rating: 92

Market Value: £20 million

The Brazilian winger has a fantastic growth, going up 13 ratings from a base card of 79 to an incredible 92. The 19-year-old already has 93 pace and 86 dribbling, and can become one of the best wingers in the game if coached properly in career mode. Vinicius can be picked up for £20 million – a great price considering his potential.

Substitute: Ansu Fati (16, 73-90, £7 million)

Liverpool are set to host their first match of the 2020/21 season as they try to secure back-to-back Premier League titles.

The Reds haven’t been able to strengthen as much as they may have liked this window, but they still boast one of the best squads in the league. Jurgen Klopp and his men will be hoping to turn their Anfield fixture into a statement win to set the campaign up.

The likes of Manchester City and Chelsea will be breathing down Liverpool’s neck this season. They simply cannot afford to put in anything other than superb performances as the games go by.

Championship winners Leeds will make the trip to Merseyside in hopes of also starting their term off on the right foot. Here’s how Transfer Tavern has predicted Klopp to field his eleven this afternoon…

After playing the majority of last season with his trademark 4-3-3 formation, the Liverpool gaffer may be inclined to recreate his side from last weekend. The Reds played Blackpool in a preseason friendly and stormed to a huge 7-2 victory.

Gini Wijnaldum did not feature, instead Naby Keita and Fabinho operated in deeper-lying midfield roles whilst Takumi Minamino shifted behind Roberto Firmino. The former Red Bull Salzburg man – who is usually deployed on the wing – put in a terrific performance in midfield, bagging a goal and an assist (via Sofascore).

With Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both still out with injury, this could be Klopp’s preferred midfield.

Joel Matip similarly grabbed himself a goal against Blackpool and made only his second start in Liverpool’s last ten fixtures. The manager may opt to try him with another run out before reassigning Joe Gomez to his usual role alongside Virgil van Dijk.

A usual front three of Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah should allow Liverpool to place their mark on the game early on. They’ll be looking for nothing less than three points on the opening weekend.

How do you think the Reds will set up against Blackpool? Join the discussion in the comments below!

It has come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that Aston Villa have spent big again this summer, and it seems as though the spending isn’t finished yet.

The Villans have been linked with a move for Watford’s Ismaila Sarr this week, and with reports stating that the Hornets want £35m for the winger, that would break the club’s current transfer record.

Sarr would certainly be an exciting acquisition for the Villans, after all, he was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool earlier this summer, but there should be an air of caution surrounding this move.

The 22-year-old scored just five goals and assisted a further four last season, which is far from an impressive return, and while it could be argued that he was in a poor team, other players have been able to put up better numbers in arguably worse sides.

Harry Wilson scored more goals last season for Bournemouth, while Gerard Deulofeu had an identical goal contribution record in the same team, and you don’t see him being linked to any £35m moves.

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There’s no guarantee that Sarr would come in and immediately improve Villa’s attack, he’s had one season in the Premier League, and for a lot of that campaign, he looked bang average.

Signing another winger isn’t a bad idea for the Midlands outfit, but with so much money already wasted last summer, every signing they make is going to come under increased scrutiny, so spending £35m on a 22-year-old who has rarely shown anything that indicates he’s worth that much money is just too big of a risk.

Dean Smith has overseen some shocking signings during his time at Villa Park, but spending a club-record fee on Sarr could easily rank amongst the worst.

Among all the fanfare of signing the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, there was one Aston Villa arrival that went rather under the radar in the summer transfer window: Lamare Bogarde.

The 16-year-old was snapped up by Dean Smith’s side from Dutch giants Feyernoord in late September, with interest in the holding midfielder first being reported by The Athletic way back in July, when it was suggested that both Arsenal and Tottenham were also very much interested in luring him to England.

In the end, Villa fended off competition from the two north London rivals, and it’s a move that could really come to pay off in the coming years.

The Netherlands have always had a great conveyor belt of talent – you only have to look at the kinds of players involved in Ajax’s Champions League run a couple of seasons ago to see that –  and it’s so important for teams like Villa to do their homework and sign those young talents before they really burst onto the scene and see their values sky-rocket.

The 6 foot Bogarde is someone who the club has high hopes for, with academy manager, Mark Harrison, raving: “We are delighted to welcome Lamare to the club. He is a player with immense potential and the commitment that will go in to fulfilling that starts now.”

The club confirmed that in signing him, they beat clubs all over Europe to his signature, and that he would be going straight into the academy set-up at Villa Park.

The defensive midfield position is something Villa fans have seen real quality in over these past few years, with Idrissa Gueye now plying his trade for last season’s Champions League finalists, PSG, and Douglas Luiz currently occupying that spot.

Bogarde – who has represented the Netherlands at U15s and U16s level respectively – has already shone for Villa in the U18 Premier League this season, scoring one and assisting one against Reading on his debut.

And when you look at his record for Feyernoord’s youth sides, you see someone who despite being a holding midfielder, can also be a threat going forward, notching two goals and providing four assists in 19 games for the U17s.

Bogarde’s a name that Villa fans should be keeping a keen eye on over these coming years, and if he fulfills the kind of potential the club thinks he has, then they could have Gueye’s long-term successor on their hands.

In other news, Aston Villa must sign up this Championship star before next week.

Leeds United have been forced into experimenting in a key position.

Kalvin Phillips’ injury has forced Marcelo Bielsa into conjuring up a plan that involves playing Pascal Struijk as a defensive midfielder, and that should set alarm bells ringing in another man’s head.

Indeed, Adam Forshaw should be watching Struijk’s performances in the holding midfield role with a vested interest as his Leeds career may hinge on it.

Forshaw hasn’t played in over a year due to injury, but if he were available he’d likely be United’s second-choice in that defensive midfield role behind Kalvin Phillips. However, if Struijk slots in there and shines, he may drop further down that pecking order.

The former Middlesbrough man’s Leeds career already looks to be dangling by a thread, with United making no secret about the fact they wanted to sign a new midfielder in the summer. Their highly-publicised pursuit of Michael Cuisance fell apart at the 11th hour, and if Struijk usurps him in the defensive midfield hierarchy that may be the final nail in his coffin.

It’s a real shame to say that as well because Forshaw was one of Bielsa’s favourite players when he was fit and available with the Argentine previously saying that he combines the best qualities of Phillips and Mateusz Klich, but a lot has changed at Elland Road since Forshaw last played.

Struijk certainly has the talent to succeed in that role and he has earnt a lot of praise from Bielsa, who has described him as a “complete player” and “valuable” in the past.

The 21-year-old faces a huge challenge in trying to fill Phillips’ shoes over the next six weeks, but if he can show that he’s a capable defensive midfielder it could spell trouble for Forshaw’s future at Elland Road.

It’s certainly something to keep in mind in the coming weeks.