Sport
Seven Days in Seven Points
Zaha seems a very odd choice for Spurs
Why, Poch? WHY? It looks as though Tottenham are on the verge of announcing the signing of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, but nobody really seems to know why. Zaha, who flopped when he went to Manchester United, has hardly been a triumph since his return to Palace, and his appearances last season certainly do not justify Tottenham’s quite frankly ludicrous £15m bid. Levy doesn’t tend to splash the cash unless he has been completely convinced that it’s a good idea, so Poch must have seen something that every Spurs fan has missed. I, for one, am very wary of this move. I hope I am proven wrong, but I am confident I will not be.
Does any Premier League side need Joe Hart?
A few months ago Joe Hart was playing in the Champions League semi-final for Manchester City. A few weeks ago he was representing England in Euro 2016. Yet now, with just a few days to go until the transfer window ends, it looks as though he will need to quickly find himself a new club. The real question now, however, is who will take him on? Pretty much every top Premier League side has a very decent goalkeeper, while Liverpool, who have error-prone Simon Mignolet between the sticks, appear reluctant to bid for the wantaway Citizen. I believe Hart will need to stay at City and fight for his place, for no other reason than he has nowhere else to go.
Thanks for the memories, Robbie
Ireland’s Robbie Keane has announced his retirement from international football. The 36-year-old, currently captain of both LA Galaxy and his national side, will play his final game against Oman on Wednesday. He has made an incredible 145 international appearances, bagging an equally impressive 67 goals during that period. At the time of writing he is the highest male international scorer among active players, though of course that will no longer be the case come next Thursday. He is the fifth-highest scoring European in history, and the all-time top scorer in European Championship qualification matches. The man is, quite simply, a legend. Best of luck for your future, Robbie. You will be missed.
What do we know about Arsenal and Everton target Lucas Perez?
It seems increasingly likely that 27-year-old striker Lucas Perez, currently playing for Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruña, will end up plying his trade in the Premier League this coming campaign. Both Arsenal and Everton have reportedly declared an interest in the striker, who scored 17 league goals last season, but a number of sources have declared that the Gunners will be the team to acquire his signature. The Spaniard, who can claim Rayo Vallecano, Karpaty Lviv and PAOK as former clubs, looks to be on the verge of a £17m switch to north London, but it seems a lot of money for a player that has only had one prolific season in his entire career. He has never played for his national side – not even at youth level – and once signed for on loan for Dynamo Kyiv but failed to make a single appearance. It will be very interesting to see how he handles English football.
Southampton’s capture of Boufal appears a good use of £21m
As is usual at this time of year, Southampton have a lot of money to spend after managing to sell a player to Liverpool. Sofiane Boufal, a 22-year-old striker currently playing for LOSC Lille, is one of Europe’s hottest young talents, and appears to be the player Southampton will be spending the bulk of their cash on. Though he has only bagged 14 goals in his 43 appearances for Lille, the youngster can play as a winger as well as a striker, and often tends to drift out wide so as to spend more time on the ball. He is currently suffering with injury, but if looked after could be a serious boost to Saints’ squad this season. If he impresses, expect to see him on Merseyside soon.
Will John Terry return to the England set-up?
It seems that John Terry, ousted from the England side during Roy Hodgson’s time in charge, is set to be handed the chance to continue his international career now that Sam Allardyce is at the helm. Terry, who at 35 years of age is hardly in his prime, is undoubtedly one of the most talented defenders to ever pull on the white of England, but his potential recall does not seem to be going down well with fans. According to a poll carried out by Sky Sports, only 49% of people would be happy to see the Chelsea man return to the international scene, while 51% say they are against the move. England are lacking in defensive options – few people would argue that point – but would John Terry be a viable solution? My head is telling me no.
Thamesmead Town’s bizarre FA Cup goal
Jack Mahoney of Thamesmead Town scored a very odd goal for Thamesmead Town against Guernsey, with a little bit of assistance from a timely gust of wind.
