Hillsborough stadium, credit; WikiCommons (Terry Robinson)
This weeks edition of the Talk the Football League column brings you up to date with all the latest EFL news including the ridiculous £50m price-tag being touted for one of the countries hottest teenage stars, Nile Ranger’s plea to play for free, a potential Sheffield Wednesday points deduction and Casilla’s situation at Leeds. Let’s go…
Chelsea have entered a £50m battle with Manchester United to land the 16-year-old — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 13, 2020
£50m Championship Teenager.
Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the country’s brightest talents with his rise at Birmingham City. Despite being only 16 years old the midfielder has formed an important role in the Blues Championship campaign chipping in with four goals and three assists so far. Naturally the wonderkid has caught the eye of football’s elite and with an absolutely absurd price-tag.
£50m, yes you read that right! £50m is the amount being slapped on gaining the English talents signature with Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid lying in wait. According to the Sun the Premier League duo are both prepared to fork out such a fee. While the youngster is no doubt a real hot talent £50m is pure madness even in this market. Surely it won’t go ahead…?
“I would love to come back to Southend and I’ll play for free.” – Nile Ranger, talking with Echo Sport.
Nile Ranger’s Plea to Play for Free
Nile Ranger’s career has been nothing like any other footballer of the 21st Century. The striker has been hit with one off-field controversy after another and hasn’t played football since leaving Southend in January 2018 ago following a series of disciplinary issues.
Fast-forward to two years and the Shrimpers are enduring one of their worst seasons in their history, having gained a mere 16 points in almost double the games. However, with their many financial issues and impending relegation to the fourth tier Nile Ranger has offered to play for free. The striker, still only 28, claims he has “unfinished business with Southend” and would happily play for free. With the current situation the Essex side should be jumping at the opportunity providing Ranger doesn’t disrupt the changing room – which could be easier said than done.
Sheffield Wednesday Points Deduction
Sheffield Wednesday haven’t won a game since December 23rd and are fresh off the face of another defeat this time 3-0 at home to Reading. The Owls have gone from outside play-off hopefuls, after a great start to the season, to mid-table mediocrity. But the Yorkshire side could be slipping into a unlikely relegation fight with the threat of a points deduction looming large.
Several Championship clubs are calling for a points deduction over the sale of Hillsborough. The main issues doesn’t come down to the actual sale of the stadium but the year in which it was declared. Should a points deduction it would destroy Wednesday’s season and become a case of survival. Although looking at the table that still seems very unlikely, but it would depend on the size of the points deduction.
Kiko Casilla at Espanyol, credit; WikiCommons (Giovanni Batista Rodriguez)
Kiko Casilla’s Awful Form
Leeds United’s goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has been enduring some awful form as of late after being involved in three huge goalkeeping blunders in recent weeks which have lead to goals. To say the Spanish keeper is playing poor would be an understatement and with what the Spaniard is being paid it is really inexcusable. The keeper is still on the same extraordinary wages, rumoured to be 50k-per-week, as he was on when playing for former club Real Madrid. So they really are expensive mistakes, which Leeds cannot afford to be making if they are to successfully make a return to the first division of English football.
Why not check out the previous column here discussing the billaint transfer scouting network down at Brentford, Hull’s awful transfer deadline day and Leyton Orient’s class gesture! Don’t forget to follow Talk the Football League on Twitter to hear all the latest Football League news and join in on the discussions @TalktheFL.
