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Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has been slammed after walking straight down the tunnel on Sunday as his teammates offered their appreciation to the travelling fans.

Will United still finish in the top four?

It was a dismal display at St. James' Park from Erik ten Hag's side who comfortably beaten by Newcastle United and that was acknowledged by the Dutch manager: “Today the best team won, I hate to say it,” he said after the defeat.

The loss on Tyneside saw Eddie Howe's men climb above the Red Devils in the table and up to third spot with Tottenham Hotspur playing their game on Monday night.

United still have games in hand over the north London club so the defeat has not put too much of a dent in their hopes, however, it was the manner of the defeat which will hurt most.

And for the travelling fans, the least they will expect is to be thanked by the players on the back of such a poor display away from home.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Alex Crook learned the £250k-per-week Martial was a player to ignore the fans as he headed for the dressing room which enraged the pundit:

(0:35) "That is shocking from the Manchester United players. If they're not wanting to salute the away fans, Martial in particular, where have you been all season, fella? You make one appearance and think you can skulk off down the tunnel. Unbelievable!"

Does Martial have a future at Old Trafford?

The Frenchman's big-money arrival from Monaco has failed to really match the expectations set on him, however, this is something which is unlikely to go down well among the fans.

Martial now has just over one-year remaining on his current deal with the Red Devils and it could certainly be envisaged that a potential move could be lying ahead in the summer.

Having made 10 appearances this season in the Premier League, Martial has returned three goals and two assists (via Transfermarkt).

Considering he has only played 489 minutes of league action, this is actually not too shabby of a return, however, it is evident he is not in the immediate plans of Ten Hag.

It is apparent why Martial will have frustrations over his lack of game time and on the back of a dreadful display from all in a red shirt.

He came on with around half an hour remaining, but he failed to provide much of an impact having only recorded 16 touches of the ball (via SofaScore).

But failing to acknowledge the travelling fans will certainly fail to endear the Frenchman with the United faithful ahead of what could be a pivotal summer in his career.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a potential swoop for Real Madrid starlet, Eduardo Camavinga, as Erik ten Hag seeks to bolster his midfield options this summer.

What's the latest on Camavinga to Man United?

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils have reportedly 'registered an interest' in the France international, with the Premier League giants said to be 'in the market' for a new midfielder ahead of next season.

The report suggests, however, that it could well prove difficult to prise the 20-year-old from the Spanish capital as he is deemed 'not for sale' by Los Blancos, with the youngster seemingly tipped to be a key figure of the future at the Bernabeu.

The piece goes on to add that former Stade Rennais sensation – who made the move to Madrid on a £34m deal back in 2021 – would be valued at a similar fee to that of Borussia Dortmund hero, Jude Bellingham, with reports in Spain suggesting that Camavinga's asking price could be as much as €130m (£114m).

Who could Camavinga replace at Man United?

The Old Trafford outfit did of course prise another midfield maestro from the La Liga side last year in the form of Casemiro, although Ten Hag and co seemingly appear intent on securing the services of a player to line up alongside the influential Brazilian in the centre of the park.

At present, the injury woes of Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen have seen Fred typically take on that role alongside his compatriot, albeit with the jury out still out on whether the diminutive machine is of the quality required to truly flourish at the elite level.

Although the former Shakhtar Donetsk man has enjoyed notable standout moments in recent months – notably scoring a vital equaliser in the Europa League, second-leg win over Barcelona – rarely can the 30-year-old sustain a performance across 90 minutes.

That inconsistency was evident in the win over Leicester City last month with the 32-cap menace producing 'another nightmare' display in the first half – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – only to go on to register an assist for teammate Marcus Rashford after the break.

Such frustrating outings will have likely left Ten Hag perplexed at times, hence the need to focus on acquiring a possible upgrade this summer in the form of the highly-rated, Camavinga.

While the latter man has been forced to operate in a left-back berth in recent times under Carlo Ancelotti, it is in midfield that the left-footer is truly at his best, having been described as an asset who "plays with a cigar in his mouth" by Sky Sports reporter Nubaid Haroon such is his composure on the ball.

The Angola-born gem – who has also been lauded as "special player" by Haroon – does appear to be a true all-round package, showcased by the fact that can provide quality in a defensive sense as he ranks in the top 6% among his European peers for tackles made.

Equally, the emerging superstar is also truly gifted on the ball as he ranks in the top 4% for pass completion, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 10% for progressive carries, showcasing his ability to simply glide forward with a surging, driving run from deep.

By contrast, while Fred also ranks in the top 6% for tackles made, the 5 foot 7 dud is far less comfortable with the ball at his feet as he ranks in just the top 63% for pass completion, the top 34% for successful take-ons and only the bottom 29% for progressive carries, proving something of a liability in possession.

With there also a need to freshen up the midfield with a youthful addition – with Casemiro, Eriksen and Fred all into their thirties – it does seemingly make sense to plump for the exciting Camavinga in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major boost in their hopes to bring Mauricio Pochettino back to the club…

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

Antonio Conte's future in north London seems rather dubious, with the 53-year-old unlikely to remain in the dugout much past the current season, even suggesting himself that he may be sacked before then.

Former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettio has since been heavily linked with a return and according to journalist Paul Brown, the Argentine is "open" to a comeback.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

"[Daniel] Levy usually gets what Levy wants. If both those conditions are met, I think you're quite likely to see Pochettino back at Spurs.

"But you have to wonder what other options Pochettino might have. He's always seemed pretty open to a return and to finishing a job he feels he never really got to see through the first time around."

Is Pochettino coming back to Tottenham?

Spurs have endured a tumultuous time ever since they sacked Pochettino after a five-year spell back in late November 2019 as not even Jose Mourinho or Conte has been able to replicate similar consistency that saw them achieve three successive top-three finishes and being runners-up in the Champions League, despite being well-backed to do so.

The 51-year-old made a name for himself at Tottenham and whilst silverware eluded him, he regularly had the team punching above their weight both domestically and in Europe and most importantly, players loved him.

Reports have recently emerged suggesting that several key stars and staff at Hotspur Way have pleaded for Pochettino and his progressive style to return to north London, which says a lot.

Since his departure, the Lilywhites have been strangled by dogmatic, defensively-minded and quite frankly boring football, with the two aforementioned managers plus Nuno Espirito Santo sucking any excitement out of the team through their stubborn set-ups.

That is why a return for the "world-class" – in the words of talkSPORT's Jamie O'Hara – former Paris Saint-Germain manager is needed to get the club rocking once again.

There were some scintillating moments under the stewardship of the Argentine, ranging from that night in Amsterdam to defeating heavyweights like Real Madrid and handing Pep Guardiola his first taste of defeat on English soil

Then when you throw in the two finals they made, without much financial backing at all, the job he did was pretty remarkable. Nothing of the sort can be said about the Mourinho or Conte eras, that's for sure.

A lot of Pochettino's touch still remains around north London, particularly when you consider the likes of Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Heung-min Son are all still starting each and every week, so he'd need very little time to slot back in, you'd imagine.

It was ultimately one bad season that cost him his job and it's likely one of Levy's biggest regrets, given how things have gone since.

As such, it's time for the Spurs supremo to make the right decision and bring Pochettino back to Tottenham Hotspur. It could be his final roll of the dice in what has been a controversial and lacklustre reign indeed.

AND in other news, Worse than Sanchez: Spurs disaster who lost the ball 34x is "a massive waste of money"…

Anthony Martial will reportedly leave Manchester United in the summer as the club will not trigger the one-year extension option in his contract.

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Martial to leave Man Utd in the summerClub won't trigger extension clauseCurrently out of action after undergoing surgeryWHAT HAPPENED?

The French attacker, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, is all set to depart as a free agent as Manchester United have decided against triggering the one-year renewal option in his deal, according to . The journalist claims that the injury-plagued Frenchman does not feature in manager Erik ten Hag's plans for the future.

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Last month, Martial was ruled out of action for at least 10 weeks after he underwent groin surgery. The 2023-24 campaign has proved to be another disappointing one for the French player, who has appeared in 19 matches across all competitions but clocked only 629 minutes on the pitch. He has scored twice and provided as many assists.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 28-year-old's nine-year-long stint at Old Trafford has been nothing short of a disaster. Martial made a bright start to life in Manchester but has been unable to stay fit in recent seasons and has not consistently delivered the goods in the final third. Since joining United from Monaco in 2015, Martial has scored 90 goals and provided 53 assists in 317 appearances.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

The Red Devils are on a roll at the moment without Martial, having won their last five matches across all competitions. Ten Hag's side are now back within sight of the Premier League's top-four and will aim to extend their winning streak on Saturday as they take on Fulham at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have joined the race to sign NK Kustosija teenager Dino Klapija this summer, but a fresh report has revealed they aren't the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Who is Dino Klapija?

Klapija is naturally a striker who began his career with New York City’s academy before joining Dinamo Zagreb’s U17s, to now being a regular feature of NK Kustosija’s youth side, as per Transfermarkt, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move before the end of the window.

Croatia’s youth international still has another three years remaining on his contract with Petra Mandic’s side, but after training with the senior first team on several occasions, he’s already caught the eye of Manchester United, where Fabrizio Romano recently delivered an update on the 16-year-old’s future. Taking to X, he wrote:

“Understand Manchester United and RB Leipzig are both negotiating to sign top talent Dino Klapija — also an option to close the deal now for January. Decision on player side expected soon as 2007 born striker will leave Croatian side Kustosija soon.”

Are Chelsea signing Dino Klapija?

According to Sportske Novosti (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are also "showing an interest" in Klapija and are set to battle it out with Manchester United having entered the running to secure his services. The Premier League pair are "in the hunt" for the centre-forward who is viewed as a "top quality talent" and a "jewel" by his current club.

NK Kustosija sources have revealed that "numerous scouts" have been in attendance at some of their recent games and have "made their presence" known, with Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan and RB Leipzig also firm contenders.

The European clubs have already "expressed their desire" that they would be willing to offer more than €5m (£4m) for their target, though it's unknown as to whether the top-flight clubs would be willing to do to the same.

How good is Dino Klapija?

Chelsea are reportedly looking to bolster their attacking ranks with young up-and-coming talents who will be able to develop and push to compete for a first team place in years to come, and whilst he’s not a household name, Klapija is set to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

The USA born gem made his debut for Croatia’s U17s during their 2-0 victory over Montenegro back in December 2022, and has since gone on to pick up a second cap, with his nation clearly seeing the potential he has to offer and rewarding him for his efforts.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

With the exciting prospect still only being a teenager, it would make complete sense for him to be immediately sent out on loan should he put pen to paper in order to give him the necessary game time, experience and exposure so that he'd be ready to return and challenge for a spot in the senior fold.

Mauricio Pochettino is clearly open to handing opportunities to the younger players who deserve it with the likes of Levi Colwill and Carney Chukwuemeka having been regular features at the start of this season, and Klapija could follow in their footsteps in the near future.

Barcelona boss Xavi claims Real Madrid are "conditioning" referees in Spain through their TV channel.

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• Xavi attacks Real Madrid TV
• Says they are 'conditioning' refs
• Claims Barcelona at disadvantage

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Previously, Barca manager Xavi claimed La Liga referees are favouring Madrid, making it very difficult to challenge Los Blancos in the title race. Now, the former Blaugrana star has doubled down on that stance and while his own club's Caso Negreira scandal has not helped their cause, he alleged that Madrid puts pressure on match officials through its TV channel.

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  WHAT XAVI SAID

  He said at a press conference: "I already said that I don't like that they [Madrid] condition the referees, but they continue to do it every week. The referees are going to whistle conditioned. The 'Negreira case' hasn't helped us either, but that's what we have to compete with. I agree one hundred percent with the president's words. It's a reality and we can't deceive Barcelona fans."

  Xavi added: "Even a blind man can see what is happening. [Atletico Madrid boss Diego) Simeone said it the other day, that we are not stupid. Everyone is seeing it, but it is the media that has to say it."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona and Xavi are under pressure. They sit 10 points behind league leaders Real Madrid and the manager, who is leaving this summer, is desperate to rescue a season that could prove to be a very unfruitful one.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona are back in La Liga action on Saturday evening when they travel to Alaves, followed by a home clash against Granada on February 11. Before returning to Champions League football on February 21 and a last 16 double-header against Napoli, they take on Celta Vigo in the league four days prior.

Six months after his horrific head injury in a televised T20 Blast tie at Edgbaston, Luke Fletcher will pick up a bat and face quick bowling for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2017Sturdy Nottinghamshire seam bowler Luke Fletcher has been given the all-clear by his hospital consultant to resume full training next month – exactly six months after sustaining a serious head injury.Fletcher, one of the most crowd-pleasing figures on the county circuit, was hit by a return drive by Sam Hain in a televised T20 Blast game at Birmingham Bears.One of the most horrific injuries seen in the county game, it left him grateful to be alive.He is already back bowling the nets but will be able to take part in complete sessions, including batting, from January 8 when he expects to confirm that he has not suffered any lingering, deep-seated anxiety over the blow.Fletcher has spent his spare time taking a Level 3 coaching qualification as well as acting as an expert summariser on BBC Radio Nottingham. He will also return to driving, having ridden to Trent Bridge on his bike for much of the autumn.”It’s very pleasing to finally get the nod to start full training again,” said Fletcher. “I’ve felt pretty good throughout once things settled down, but it’s nice to get the official word that everything is OK.”It will be great to be able to play football again with the rest of the lads, face bowling in the nets and ease back into my programme.Luke Fletcher shows the after-effects of his head injury•Getty Images

“The consultant says he’s really happy with how things are looking. I have passed all the computer tests I have been doing at the hospital and there has been improvement since the injury back in July.”Fletcher has worked closely with Nottinghamshsire;s physiotherapist, James Pipe, who helped him from the field when the incident happened before accompanying him to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.Pipe is delighted with the way the player has bounced back from his injury, which forced him to miss the second half of a season in which Nottinghamshire won both limite4d-overs trophies and gained promotion to Division One of the County Championship.Pipe said: “How Fletch has reacted to the situation is a real testament to his professionalism and a mark of the man. He’s shown his physical as well as mental strength to come through this as he has done in what has been a difficult journey.”Throughout it all, he has been upbeat and stayed very positive, coming in with a smile on his face. He’s been the perfect patient.”

Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo has an "offer from Tottenham" on the table but it is believed he prefers a move to Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco.

Who will Spurs sign?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has already seen a trio of new signings come through the door since the beginning of his tenure, namely goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

The three stars join Pedro Porro, who signed permanently from Sporting Lisbon, and winger Dejan Kulusevski who was confirmed as a permanent Tottenham player after 18 months on loan from Juventus.

Spurs are widely believed to be targeting a new central defender next for Postecoglou, with reliable media sources claiming they want two senior stars to bolster that area of the squad.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, even admitted that is something chairman Daniel Levy and co are currently attempting behind-the-scenes.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach when asked about new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

There have been a wide array of centre-backs linked with a move to north London, a long list which includes

It was a novel twist on that age-old debate but Bernardo Silva was not being drawn into taking sides between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

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• Bernardo Silva asked about nicknames
• Says he prefers just to be himself
• Scoops 'Figure of the Year' award for Portuguese outlet

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Named as the Figure of the Year 2023, Silva gave a lengthy interview to the Portuguese newspaper, touching on a range of topics. One of the more light-hearted moments came towards the end of the chat, when the Manchester City star was asked which of his two nicknames he preferred.

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  WHAT BERNARDO SILVA SAID

  When asked if he preferred to be called the 'Messi of Seixal' (the area of Lisbon that Silva comes from) or the Ronaldo of Manchester, Silva played his straight down the line.

  "I don't like either of them," he laughed, "Because comparisons are always made… I like being Bernardo. Of course it's a source of pride sometimes to be compared to one player or another, but I don't like either of those nicknames."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The interview touched on a range of different subjects, with Silva making the admission that he feels a little overlooked by football fans in his own country. The 29-year-old left Portugal before breaking into the Benfica first team and missed his country's Euro 2016 win due to injury. “Am I undervalued? No, people value me a lot. Maybe in Portugal not as much as abroad. I think people value me a lot more in France, where I played, and in England than in my own country, but maybe it has to do with the fact that I left quite early."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BERNARDO SILVA?

  One place that Silva is not not undervalued is the Etihad, where City host bottom side Sheffield United on Saturday looking to keep up the pressure on leaders Liverpool and Arsenal.

Everton sits in dangerous territory. The Toffees survived on the final day last season thanks to a thunderous half-volley from Abdoulaye Doucouré, which secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Bournemouth.

Whilst discontent swirls around the continued ineptitude of the board and ownership – whose leadership has overseen two nervy relegation battles in the last couple of years – the club must attempt to mold a more reliable squad.

Last season, Everton’s most damaging issue was a lack of potency and goals. In the division, Sean Dyche’s men managed the 12th-most shots (429) and missed the 10th-most big chances (47), whilst only netting 35 goals, which was the second-lowest.

No clinical edge or a consistently-scoring focal point nearly sealed an unwanted fate. A new frontman must be targeted to avoid similar troubles for the upcoming campaign. Leeds United’s Rodrigo has been tipped to solve this problem.

What’s the latest on Rodrigo to Everton?

According to the Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor, Everton are interested in a quartet of Leeds players, which includes Rodrigo.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said:

"There's a lot of interest from Everton, in particular, in a lot of their players. Gnonto, Rodrigo, there's Jack Harrison. There's one more as well, Crysencio Summerville.”

This follows a previous report by TUTTOmercatoWEB, who claimed that the Merseyside outfit is chasing Rodrigo to bolster their attacking options.

Who can Rodrigo replace at Everton?

Recently, Everton’s frontline has been weakened dramatically. Richarlison and Anthony Gordon have sought new challenges away from Goodison Park, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s abysmal injury record is very worrying.

The Englishman has missed 26 of the last 76 Premier League games through injury, to leave Dyche vastly depleted in forward areas.

The former Burnley manager is on a desperate hunt for a proven, reliable and experienced goalscorer for a reasonable price so Everton can dodge any FFP complications. Rodrigo is a man who emphatically fits this bill.

The 32-year-old was a shining light in a hugely troubled Leeds United as he netted 13 league goals in 23 starts. To put this commendable record into perspective, Everton’s top-scorer was Dwight McNeil with just seven. The injection of this “class above” asset – as once lauded by BBC Sport's Pat Nevin – could provide much-needed relief for a nervous fanbase.

The £100k-per-week ace ranks impressively across the continent as he sits within the best 12% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals per 90.

These numbers hugely differ from Everton’s Neil Maupay, who appears hideously off the pace. In 29 appearances, the Frenchman has scored just once and is devoid of any threat.

He also dismally resides within the lowest 17% for touches in the attacking penalty area, shot-creating actions, progressive passes, and non-penalty goals, all per 90.

This awful reading has prompted GIVEMESPORT’s Paul Brown to label Maupay as a “total disaster” and “absolutely woeful.”

In the past, Calvert Lewin has demonstrated he is a worthy striking option, but with his patchy fitness record and the dreadful reality of relying upon Maupay, it is logical and necessary for Everton to pursue a deal for Rodrigo.