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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

As quoted by The Evening Standard, former Manchester United star Michael Carrick has suggested the club’s promising youngsters should learn from the side’s history.

What did he say?

After revealing at the end of the previous campaign that he could envisage some of the side’s talented academy prospects get their “chances next year”, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has handed the likes of Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams some opportunities this season.

The duo have been arguably the highlights of those who have made the step-up from academy level, playing 13 and seven games respectively for the senior side. And now, Carrick has given his advice to those players looking to make a significant break-through into the first-team.

He said: “It’s part of the history and traditions of this club. It lives on. It’s kind of the perfect position at the moment for the group that we’ve got. It’s to understand what it takes, the ups and downs that life, not just football, can bring that you’ve got to overcome. To be able to get to the top and stay at the top are different things. The sacrifices you’ve got to make.

“There is a responsibility that comes with playing for this club that probably doesn’t come with other clubs. It’s got that special nature about it. I was fully aware of it and I’m sure the boys now are. Keep playing like that with a smile on your faces and that represents the club the best way you can.”

Role model

When Carrick gives you a piece of advice, you’d do well to sit up and take notice. Whilst the likes of Greenwood and Williams must be on cloud nine after forcing their way into the first-team set-up, they have by no means made it.

Footballing history is littered with extremely talented young players who have simply fallen by the wayside because of numerous reasons that may not even necessarily be to do with what they do on the pitch. Think Ravel Morrison for example – a man who Rio Ferdinand revealed Sir Alex Ferguson had described as the “best kid you’ll ever see”, but has now turned into a bit of a journeyman, playing for nine different senior sides.

If United’s prospects can simply knuckle down and try to make the most of the opportunities they are given by Solskjaer over the coming weeks and months, then they stand a much better chance of consolidating their long-term futures at Old Trafford.

The Chronicle’s Mark Douglas has named his Newcastle Team of the Decade, and it is fair to say that not all supporters agree with the players included.

It has been quite a troublesome ten years for the Magpies, another decade which oversaw a relegation and only two finishes in the top half of the Premier League, but there is still plenty of debate about who have been the club’s best performers.

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Surprisingly, the Chronicle left out Hatem Ben Arfa and Papiss Demba Cisse, two players who were great under Alan Pardew and played a big part in finishing fifth in 2012, while Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett are the only current players included.

The supporters’ preferred XI has also been revealed, with only one current player selected – Fabian Schar.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are not many votes for players who played under Rafa Benitez, though perhaps most shocking for fans is the selection of Moussa Sissoko, who certainly split fan opinion during his spell at St James’ Park.

Here are some of the reactions to the Team of the Decade choice.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Mateusz Klich hasn’t been at his best this season.

It’s sad to say it as he’s clearly a supremely talented footballer, but his goal return this term shows that he’s simply not at the level he was this time last year.

Unfortunately, it seems as if one of the Pole’s greatest attributes has deserted him this term.

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Goalscoring ability

The 29-year-old was scoring for fun last campaign as he netted double figures in the league for the Whites, and most of his goals came in a similar fashion.

Indeed Klich had a knack of banging in goals from distance throughout the 2018/19 season as fans even made a chant about his long-range strikes, but that ability seems to be absent this term.

The midfielder has found the net just once this season, and that was an effort from the penalty spot against Barnsley. He even missed another spot-kick against Derby.

Leeds are certainly missing Klich’s tendency to find the net from long range, but this weekend could be his greatest chance to get back on track.

This weekend’s opportunity

Leeds should have plenty of the ball against Luton on Saturday as the Hatters average just 50.1 per cent possession compared to Leeds’ 59.2%.

We could see an attack vs defence scenario, and if Luton play a deep line and prove hard to break down it could mean that Klich gets a few chances to shoot from range.

Usually, having to take pot shots from distance would be seen as a negative, but with the Poland international’s incredible striking ability being combined with Simon Sluga’s dodgy goalkeeping the midfielder has a great chance of rediscovering his goalscoring touch.

As the above tweet shows, Sluga often looks like a disaster waiting to happen between the sticks, and if Klich can get a few clear looks at goal he’s got a great chance of finding the back of the net.

In 11 matches this term, Sluga has only achieved an average match rating from WhoScored above 6 in five outings. His last match against Derby saw him earn a rating of just 3.7 after making two individual errors.

If the Croatian plays this weekend then both he and Klich could have a field day.

Jordon Ibe was expected to blossom into a fine Premier League talent at Liverpool but instead he has turned into a sorry tale of unfulfilled promise.

The flying winger made 12 league appearances for the Reds in the 2014/15 season and showed enough fleeting glimpses of quality to suggest he was destined for a bright future at the club.

Following a five match absence through injury, Brendan Rodgers lauded his performance levels in training.

“Young Jordon Ibe will come back in and I’ve got to say he’s looked absolutely sensational in training.”

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The following season proved to be a breakthrough for the youngster as he made 41 appearances in all competitions, but didn’t do enough to convince Jurgen Klopp of his ability.

Indeed, he was eventually sold to Bournemouth for £15m in a club-record deal for the Cherries at the time.

The fact Eddie Howe’s outfit were willing to fork out a record fee for his services proved there was genuine hype surrounding Ibe’s development, but he has since failed to live up to expectation on the south coast.

Where is Ibe now?

Ibe’s career has not continued on the upward trajectory many predicted it to.

In his first season with Bournemouth he made 25 Premier League appearances, yet he failed to muster up a single goal contribution in the 2016/17 campaign.

He fared far better in his second season and begun to repay the faith the club showed in him, with a return of two goals and six assists from 32 games representing a marked improvement.

That season, however, remains the highlight of his career and that in itself is a damning indictment on his failure to progress.

Injuries have played their part in stunting his progress but, with his contract due to expire in June this year, the 24-year-old, who is valued at just £5.4m by Transfermarkt, finds himself in no man’s land.

Having made just four appearances in all-competitions this season, it’s looking unlikely that Ibe will remain at the Vitality Stadium beyond the summer and his next move may well represent his last opportunity to fulfil his potential.

Regardless of what happens, it seems Jurgen Klopp played a blinder by bringing in £15m for Ibe’s services.

In other Liverpool news, these fans want to see £121.5m-rated duo arrive at Anfield…

Lots of Manchester United fans have responded to Leicester City star James Maddison’s comments on Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire. 

As the summer transfer window approaches, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been linked with some of the biggest stars on the planet, and the England international is reportedly at the top of the list.

Answering a fan Q&A via his Instagram story, Maddison hailed United duo Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire as two of the best he’s ever played with.

Having moved to the King Power Stadium from Norwich City for £22.5m in 2018, the 23-year-old has scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists in the Premier League this season, and the attacking midfielder has been tipped to make the switch to Old Trafford before the start of next season.

While Maddison’s opinion may be a cause for concern amongst the Foxes fan base, it is well worth remembering Maguire is a former teammate. Regardless, his post has fuelled the rumour mill, and it will be interesting to see whether or not he will move to the Theatre of Dreams.

Naturally, a large section of United supporters shared their views on his thoughts via Twitter, after a couple of fan sites uploaded his reply. One Red Devil admitted they would “take him over Grealish” while another simply commented “what a joker.”

Check out some of the different reactions down below…

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Former Leeds United and Coventry City forward Noel Whelan has said that West Ham United should look to sell Felipe Anderson this summer, in an interview with Football Insider.

What did he say?

The Hammers signed Anderson from Lazio in the summer of 2018 for £36m and made a good impression in his first season, scoring nine goals and proving four assists in 36 Premier League appearances.

However, he has been restricted to just 19 league starts this term, managing just one goal and four assists in the process.

New West Ham boss David Moyes has left him on the bench for the club’s last three fixtures and Whelan said that Anderson often leaves his side playing with 10 men when he is not on form.

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“Felipe Anderson is a great player,” he told Football Insider.

“On his day he is a game-winner but you have to trust players. You have to be able to trust a player throughout the course of a season. You cannot be carrying flair players.

“They have to do the other side of the games as well – it is required. If you cannot do that you are playing with ten men at times.

“He is alright when he is on the ball but it is whether you can do the work off the ball. It looks to me like David Moyes does not think he can do that.

“We know what he can do on the ball and there is brilliance in that kid but can he track back and defend? If you cannot do it there is a default in a player that needs to be worked on or sold.”

Plenty of Manchester City fans have been reacting to reports from Spain linking the Premier League champions with a move for Nelson Semedo.

Sport have reported [via Sport Witness] that “everything indicates” that the Barcelona right-back will move to the Etihad Stadium, with Joao Cancelo potentially going in the opposite direction. Pep Guardiola’s side have reportedly been eyeing a move for the 26-year-old, who is valued at around €40m (£35m) by his current club, with the latest update shared on Twitter via @City_Xtra.

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester City had shown a strong interest in the Portugal defender last year but were unable to complete a deal for him. While they still have a “great interest” in the Barcelona right-back, the clubs are thought to be far from reaching an agreement.

Semedo has made 111 appearances for the La Liga club and won two league titles for Barcelona, as well as featuring in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumph last year.

These Manchester City fans on Twitter gave mixed views on the possibility of him coming to the club – one stated that he would be a “great backup” for Kyle Walker but others aren’t so keen on him. Check out some of the replies below:

Man City fans, do you think Semedo would be a better right-back option than Walker and Cancelo? Have your say by commenting below!

Leeds United are set to return. The promotion train is gaining steam. And supporters at Elland Road are loving the latest news.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay relayed news from the English Football League that the Championship season would resume on June 20th – in just under three weeks time.

It’s sparked scenes of pure joy on social media as a result with many fans rather excited by the prospects of football being back. Not as least because the Whites are merely nine games away from returning to the big time.

Last time Leeds were in the Premier League was 16 years ago, so understandably some members of the United faithful were rather nervous. They’ve had to endure a trip to League One, the ownership of Massimo Cellino and managers such as Dave Hockaday and Steve Evans.

The Andrea Radrizzani era has brought about major change, especially under the management of Marcelo Bielsa, who has already become a cult figure in west Yorkshire.

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His side sit top of the table with a seven-point advantage over the dreaded playoff zone – you know, that thing Leeds lost in this time last year. No wonder some at Elland Road are a bag of nerves.

Though the overriding majority were ecstatic by the news as seen in the following reaction below, many simply could not contain their thoughts…

AND in other news, Phil Hay delivers QSI takeover update…

Plymouth Argyle announced on Monday that young striker Luke Jephcott has signed a new contract at Home Park.

The news was confirmed on the club’s official website pafc.co.uk and the 20-year-old has been given strong backing by his manager to play a key role for them in League One next season.

Ryan Lowe told pafc.co.uk: “We’re very pleased to have got the deal done. Luke has still got elements of his game to work on, but he has clearly got a lot of potential, as he showed last season.

“As an Academy graduate, Luke has the Green Army fully behind him, and the opportunity is there now to kick on and try to make himself the main striker for Argyle.”

Wales underage international Jephcott wasn’t even in Lowe’s plans at the start of the season, instead being loaned out to non-league Truro City and only being recalled after an impressive spell there (as per pafc.co.uk).

He maintained his excellent form upon returning to his parent club, though, with four goals in his first two games back at Plymouth and seven in 14 appearances as they clinched promotion from League Two (as per TransferMarkt). Despite only playing just over 1,000 minutes for the Pilgrims in the 2019/20 season, the 20-year-old ended the campaign as their joint-second highest scorer alongside Ryan Hardie.

Jephcott could well be needed to fulfil Lowe’s prophecy about him becoming the main striker at Home Park, with this season’s leading marksman Antony Sarcevic confirming last week that he is leaving the club.

Jephcott could soon have some big responsibility thrust upon his young shoulders if indeed he is asked to lead the line for Plymouth in League One next season, having perhaps gone under the radar at League Two level with Sarcevic leading the way for the Pilgrims in 2019/20.

It promises to be a significant step up for the 20-year-old but he has briefly sampled the third tier before and, based on his form over the last few months, he has earned the opportunity to be Plymouth’s main man in attack for next season.

Plymouth fans, how big a boost is it to have Jephcott signed up for another season? Comment below with your views!

Manchester United have been given a major boost in their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz as Bayern Munich are already out of the race. 

Earlier this month, Manchester Evening News reported Havertz is open to a move to Old Trafford, amid interest from Chelsea.

According to SportBild, as relayed by The Daily Mail, Bayern have no intentions of matching Leverkusen’s £70m valuation and have turned their attentions to Manchester City’s Leroy Sane instead.

The Bundesliga champions’ decision has paved the way for United and Chelsea to make a move for one of Europe’s hottest prospects.

Although the Blues have taken the plunge by closing in on the signing of RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner, the Red Devils are hot on their rival’s heels as plans are now in motion.

The Premier League clubs had begun planning for a long-term rebuild before the nationwide lockdown was imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

ESPN claims Man United have money to spend in the summer and Ed Woodward is expected to take full advantage of these unprecedented circumstances where player values are expected to plummet as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Taking his place in the first team, the 21-year-old has developed quite a reputation at the BayArena, as he has scored 11 goals and created 5 assists in 23 games for Peter Bosz’s side this season, taking 1.9 shots per game, averaging 2.1 key passes and completing 2 dribbles on average (via WhoScored).

Off the back of these performances, it is hardly surprising Havertz has attracted attention from a number of European giants.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has indicated he wants to add to the growing pool of youth talent at the Theatre of Dreams and the youngster is at the top of his shortlist.

However, the Red Devils are also the front-runners to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, and it is hard to imagine the board will be available, given the current economic climate.

Indeed, it is worth highlighting the fact that Sancho is valued at a whopping £105.3m and Die Werkself are asking for £70m for his German counterpart.

Solskjaer clearly has a difficult decision to make and fans will have to wait and see what signings can be made in these uncertain times.

United fans, do you think the board should sign Kai Havertz in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!