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Chinese businessman Sammy Yu has revealed that he has made three attempts to discuss a potential takeover from current Sunderland owner Stewart Donald.

Life at the Wearside club has been full of controversy and drama in recent years, having had the majority of it documented via Netflix series Sunderland Til I Die.

Current owner Donald has been a big part of the latest travails at the Stadium of Light, taking over from Ellis Short only to reveal that he wanted to sell the club after just 19 months.

With a second successive failure to gain promotion from League One fresh in the minds of the club’s fans, a claim made by potential new owner Yu is likely to cause more controversy.

Yu, who previously had talks with former owner Short about a potential takeover on Wearside, spoke to Sunderland Echo about his desire to make a bid for the Black Cats but also revealed that communication between himself and Donald was proving tricky.

“For Sunderland, me and my group are always interested,” the Chinese businessman said.

“But after two or three different attempts, we found that it’s difficult to communicate with Mr Donald and he hasn’t been giving a proper response to allow a negotiation.

“If, one day, he can come up with something concrete and has the appropriate manner to talk, then yes – it’s still on. We’re interested to go forward, but not until then.

“At times we were told that we could go ahead and talk,” he continued.

“But we never get to the stage where we can talk about concrete terms and conditions of the deal.

“It’s quite annoying and we’re quite saddened by it.”

This is probably not going to go down well with Sunderland fans, many of whom have previously criticised Donald’s ownership of the club, and they are unlikely to be impressed with his apparently recurring failure to engage with Yu.

One must wonder what Donald is playing at by refusing to dignify Yu with a response ahead of yet another season at League One level for Sunderland.

Do you think Sammy Yu will come in to replace Donald? Let us know in the comments section below…

The talk around Liverpool right now is of reported transfer target Timo Werner and his latest exploits have left supporters dreaming about what could be.

On Monday night, the 24-year-old scored yet again as RB Leipzig won 4-2 on the road to FC Koln with Werner bagging their third goal in the 50th minute.

The German talisman scored with ease as he pounced on longball from his goalkeeper, former Red Peter Gulacsi.

As per the Guardian, manager Jurgen Klopp is really keen for Werner to join Liverpool but the club are running out of time with his €60m (£53.5m) release clause set to expire in two weeks.

And fans at Anfield have absolutely been lapping it up on social media, drooling over his display…

Fans were begging the club to sign Werner this summer, labelling him an “absolute steal” whilst one supporter claimed that a front three involving Mo Salah and Sadio Mane would be “dangerous”.

That strike took the Leipzig forward’s total for the season to a massive 31 goals. He’s also provided 12 assists, all from 40 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

Can you spot your Xabi Alonso from your Bruno Cheyrou? This Liverpool quiz will have you questioning your knowledge…

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Many in Merseyside claimed to have recognised Werner’s effort as it’s eerily similar to the one that Salah bagged against Manchester United.

Reds shot-stopper Alisson launched a long-ball over the top for the Egyptian star to net, some can already see the potential linkup between the Brazilian and Werner…

And then there were a few members of the Anfield faithful that recognised just how perfect a fit Werner is for Klopp’s system at Liverpool…

AND in other news, Georginio Wijnaldum sends defiant message amid PL update…

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.

Glasgow Rangers were a very successful side during the 2000s, and that was possible thanks to some fantastic recruitment along the way.

Signing such as Sasa Papac, Carlos Cuellar, Daniel Cousin and many, many more helped the Gers to win five Scottish Premiership titles in the decade, whilst they also reached the UEFA Cup final in 2008 – they remain the last Scottish side to make the showpiece of any European competition.

Filip Sebo was a player who was signed during that period, coming in from Austria Vienna for the fee of £2.25m, but it is fair to say that his arrival was not one of those that contributed to the club’s success. He had scored eight goals in 40 matches during the 2005/06 campaign, which was not exactly impressive, but perhaps the 22 goals in 29 matches in the Slovakian top tier the season before that convinced the Gers to take him to Ibrox.

It was a transfer that just didn’t work out. In 31 matches during his first and only campaign with the club, he scored a paltry two goals. It wasn’t long before he was shipped out on loan to Valenciennes in Ligue 1 and, despite netting just five time in 36 matches, the French side parted with £1.08m for his services.

That meant that the Gers lost £1.17m, and that each goal he scored for the club had effectively cost them around £1.13m. This is a deal the club would probably rather forget.

Let us know what you think below!

Everton are keeping tabs on Newcastle United midfielder Matty Longstaff, according to Football Insider.

What does the report say?

Carlo Ancelotti is looking to strengthen his Everton squad this summer and 20-year-old midfielder Longstaff appears to be an option.

Since his first-team debut earlier this season the youngster has made seven Premier League appearances, scoring twice.

According to Football Insider, his contract is due to expire this summer and talks over a new deal at St. James’ Park have stalled.

As a result, Everton are keeping a close eye on the talks along with a “legion” of clubs from around Europe.

Alongside his brother Sean, Matty has been impressive in midfield for the Magpies this season but has not yet been tied down to a long-term deal.

Risk free

Longstaff has impressed since his debut in 2019 and really announced himself with a goal at Old Trafford in December.

However, it looks as though the club have dropped the ball in the negotiations with him and with clubs circling, they are in danger of losing him.

With the current talks ongoing with regards to the club’s ownership there remains the chance that a deal is done, but if it does not transpire, the 20-year-old would represent a risk-free move for Everton, who will be getting a promising youngster for nothing.

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

Sheffield Wednesday go to battle in the Championship’s early kickoff this afternoon and they’ll be hoping for a drastic change of fortunes as they head to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic.

The Owls are winless in their last five matches having salvaged a point at home to Birmingham City in midweek.

But today’s match presents an ideal opportunity to get back on track if manager Garry Monk has the balls to do so…

On the Chalkboard

The 40-year-old will be tasked with the suspensions of both Julian Borner and Liam Palmer in defence while further up the pitch, he faces a selection headache over what system and what players he utilises.

One thing that he needs to do is allow the team to play to their full attacking potential. Over several of the last few matches, Wednesday have created chances well beyond what their final result was, which has led to the boss bemoaning the struggles in front of goal.

Well, it’s time to change that. Go all out. Go very attacking.

Charlton are there to be pounced on this weekend. Lee Bowyer is suffering an injury nightmare with over 12 first-team players on the treatment table while instrumental midfielder Conor Gallagher is suspended for this one too, even better news.

Bowyer said: “Conor will be a big miss on Saturday, another threat that’s been great for us.”

With so many gaps in the Addicks starting line up, Monk must look to punish this obvious weakness.

He can do this by giving top goalscorer Steven Fletcher a partner in attack, allowing one of Barry Bannan or Massimo Luongo further freedom up the pitch or even go completely left-field and try that 3-5-2 system Football FanCast suggested earlier this week.

There won’t be a better opportunity to try something new than this afternoon. Don’t let it pass.

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Liverpool fans have been discussing the potential signing of Timo Werner as the German’s impressive form continues.

he Reds faithful seem desperate to bring in the 23-year-old as a backup for Roberto Firmino, with some believing they can get him fairly easy.

Werner has been in sensational form this campaign and now has 15 goals for RB Leipzig as the Bundesliga side sit second in the table.

11 of the striker’s 15 goals have come in the Bundesliga, which further proves his incredible worth to the side, as Leipzig have scored 29 in total.

The Germany international has been on the scene for a while, but his rise into an elite striker has accelerated in the past year as he bagged only 16 league goals last season.

Now, it seems as if the Liverpool fans are enticed enough by the £58.5m-rated star’s red-hot form to suggest their club should sign him.

One supporter said it’s a “no-brainer” to bring him in, whilst another fan alluded to Jurgen Klopp’s track record with young German stars.

Here’s what some fans have had to say on the prospect of signing the in-form forward…

In our latest instalment of theÂFlashbackÂseries, we take a look back at a certain moment and look at how things might have changed those initial reactions.

Last Sunday, Celtic’s official Twitter account @CelticFC noted that it had been 21 years to the day since Lubomir Moravcik came to the club.

To say that there was scepticism about the 33-year-old Slovakian when he was brought to Glasgow by fellow countryman Dr Jozef Venglos for £200,000 from Duisburg in October 1998 (as per the Daily Record) would be an understatement.

As noted by These Football Times, numerous journalists scoffed at the manager’s decision to sign him. The Sunday Mail’s Hugh Keevins wrote: “I don’t know what I find more laughable; the fact that Celtic cannot find £500,000 from their biscuit tin to sign a proven talent like John Spencer, or the fact that they then spent £300,000 on one of Dr. Jo’s old pals, the unknown Lubomir Moravcik!”

Meanwhile, journalist John Traynor wrote that the signing of Moravcik has “merely caused [Celtic] further embarrassment”. [via These Football Times]

Within a month of joining Celtic, the Slovakian midfielder had given those critics plenty to mull over, scoring twice in a 5-1 hammering of league leaders Rangers. [via BBC]

He may have been approaching the twilight of his career, having represented the former Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup, but Paul Murphy of These Football Times described him as “one of those players who seemed to have more time on the ball than those around him”, adding that he “dribbled superbly despite limited pace and scored many spectacular goals from distance with both feet”.

After Venglos left Celtic in the summer of 1999, Moravcik frequently found himself out of the team under John Barnes at the expense of Eyal Berkovic, who as the club’s then-record signing of £5.7m was often preferred by the manager but not by many Hoops supporters. [via Celtic Underground]

Once Martin O’Neill came to Parkhead a year later, though, the Slovakian’s fortunes rose rapidly. In the 6-2 drubbing of Rangers in August 2000, Moravcik set up two goals in the opening 11 minutes (as per BBC) to set Celtic on their way to an emphatic victory.

He again caused the ‘Gers nightmares later that season, scoring twice in a 3-0 win at Ibrox, Celtic’s first success at the home of their Glasgow rivals in seven years. [via The Guardian]

The 2001/02 season would be Moravcik’s last for the Hoops but he again came to the fore in memorable wins. He set up two of Celtic’s goals in the 4-3 win over Juventus in the Champions League in what BBC’s match report described as a “virtuoso performance” from the veteran.

Upon departing the club in the summer of 2002, the Slovakian had won two league titles, two Scottish League Cups and one Scottish Cup. He scored 35 goals in 129 appearances for the club (as per Soccerbase), a tremendous return for his paltry £200,000 transfer fee.

Celtic legend Henrik Larsson (a man dubbed the King of Kings by many supporters) picked him in a best XI of footballers with whom he played, testifying to Moravcik’s excellence at the club.

The Slovakian midfielder’s many magnificent displays at Parkhead ensured that the initial sceptics’ scathing remarks 21 years ago would subsequently appear very foolish.

Celtic fans, what are your favourite memories of Moravcik? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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…

This is how it should be done.

It just goes to show that there are better ways of handling things than simply throwing money at the problem. Nice to see that someone is showing some level of restraint in the matter, and doing things because he has to rather than because he wants to.

What’s he said?

Speaking during his press conference, Rodgers gave some clues as to how the club intends to attack the January transfer window:

“It’s just constant, it’s continual. I’m very happy with the squad, knowing where we’ve taken them in the past eight months. If there’s someone available and we can strengthen, then the club are keen to look at. Boils down to availability and affordability of players. Can’t afford what other clubs can.”

Watch Leicester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Taking the pragmatic approach

This upcoming window is going to be absolutely crucial for Rodgers and Leicester. They may never get a better chance of finishing in the top four, although I’m pretty sure we said that their last trip to the Champions League was ‘once in a lifetime’, so perhaps they will further down the line.

The rest of the big clubs in England like Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur might not go through their respective crises for a while, so while they’re here they need to take advantage.

The Foxes could finish this weekend as many as nine points clear of the team in fifth place, a defeat could leave them only three points ahead, so they need to make sure that they keep up this sort of pace throughout the entirety of the season. That’s why January is so crucial, one wrong move and they could end up tumbling back down the league.

Whilst things might look OK right now for the Foxes, if Rodgers were to bring in someone that would make them change their style of play, or interrupt a good partnership, then it could have a serious knock-on effect on the team’s performance.

Judging by his comments, it looks as if he’s happy with the squad he has right now, and that’s a good thing. Leicester’s title-winning campaign showed that you don’t need a large squad to compete at the top end, just one that’s big enough.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

There are certain transfer rumours that crop up every single year without fail.

Back in the day, it was Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United, that then evolved into David de Gea to Real Madrid, and finally Gareth Bale to Old Trafford.

However, it seems as if the reports of the Welshman’s return to the Premier League with the Red Devils may be coming to an end, as it has been claimed that United are no longer interested in the winger.

What’s the story then?

According to reports in The Daily Mail, Manchester United have been put off from signing Gareth Bale due to his woeful injury record since signing for Real Madrid.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It’s impossible to disagree with the fact that Bale has been crocked since joining Los Blancos as he’s suffered injuries on a yearly basis, and even right now he is sidelined with a calf problem.

Any team that is thinking of moving for Bale has to weigh up whether or not it would be a worthwhile transfer, and Manchester United may have gotten this one wrong.

Can’t miss out

If Bale is available at a viable price, United shouldn’t let his injury record affect their interest in him.

The Red Devils’ squad is bereft of any genuine world-class talent, and bringing in a man who has played a key part in four Champions League wins would be a huge statement.

We mastered the trick in the video below in 8 attempts… could you do better?

Not only would it be a statement, but it would also be a fantastic signing on the pitch.

When he’s at his best he’s unplayable, and his injury record may not be as bad as many think.

He appeared in 29 league games for Real Madrid last term, and that’s despite playing under a manager who reportedly didn’t want him.

Of course, if Bale signed for United and was unable to play on a regular basis he would be panned as a poor signing.

But on the flip side, he’d undoubtedly improve their squad massively if he managed to remain fit for the majority of the season.

A whole host of West Ham United fans took to social media on Saturday afternoon to lavish praise on Robert Snodgrass for his performance against Sheffield United.

The 32-year-old made the breakthrough in the 44th minute of the Premier League affair before Lys Mousset struck in the second half as the points were shared.

Snodgrass was a late, late substitute in his team’s 2-0 win over Manchester United on September 22, but the midfielder was not actually used at all against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace or Everton.

Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini shuffled his pack for the clash with Sheffield United, though, and Snodgrass started with Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals on the bench.

It was just the 28-time Scotland international’s second Premier League start of the 2019/20 campaign.

And there is no question that he made a positive impression – boasting a 86% pass success rate, according to WhoScored.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A selection of the Twitter reaction to Snodgrass’ outing at the London Stadium can be seen below: