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Football News: News Round Up As Liverpool Make A Signing And Leicester Rule Them Out

News Round Up As Liverpool Make A Signing And Leicester Rule Them Out
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1. Shock as someone surprised by Newcastle's struggles
New Newcastle United signing, Chancel Mbemba, has admitted to being just about the only person in football to not see the Toon's struggles coming. Mbemba, who joined Newcastle in the summer from RSC Anderlecht, has labelled the season a failure, as the Tyneside club sit in the relegation zone after 20 league games and already out of the cup competitions, following a defeat at the hands of fellow Premier League club Watford. Mbemba has claimed that he, despite the ownership issues, new manager and fan unrest, expected Newcastle be fighting in the top half of the table this season, rather than scrapping to stay in the top flight. "At the beginning of the season I did not expect the team to be in this position," he told The Mirror. "I don't think any of the new players expected to be where we are. We had ambitions to be up in the top 10 at least but this season has been a failure right from the very start. The players are the ones who go onto the pitch and perform. It is not the head coach or the fans who go out and play, it is us," he continued. "We have to take all the responsibility. We have to give 100 per cent to make sure we turn this around. I cannot predict the future. What I can promise is that we are doing everything to get out of this position. We need to continue to work hard, together, to get results and make the fans happy. We have to keep motivation high and work hard." So, basically, the 21 year old is admitting he had no idea about the club before signing, brings to mind the Faustino Asprilla one, when he asked, after the deal was done for him to join Kevin Keegan's entertainers, "which part of London was Newcastle in?"

2. Transfer Round Up
Kyle Cameron Newcastle United to York City on loan
Joe Davis Leicester City to Fleetwood Town undisclosed fee
Lewis Grabban Norwich City to AFC Bournemouth £7m
Jack McKay Doncaster Rovers to Leeds United undisclosed fee
Paul McKay Doncaster Rovers to Leeds United undisclosed fee
Ben Pearson Manchester United to Preston North End undisclosed fee
Henri Saivet Bordeaux to Newcastle United undisclosed fee
Jayden Stockley AFC Bournemouth to Exeter City on loan

 

3. Every dog has his day
Not something I like to see, but Andrey Arshavin had the game of his life one time against Liverpool, notching all four of his team's goals. Just thought now, with Arsenal and Liverpool set to face off once more, was a good time to remember the day he lived up to his reputation. Just a shame he flattered to deceive most of the time.



4. Hamburg coach extends contract
SV Hamburg's head coach Bruno Labbadia has extended his contract with the Bundesliga club. His contract was set to expire in the summer, but he has now added another year on to that deal. His aassistants, Eddy Soezer and Bernhard Trares, have also inked an extra year on to their contracts. "We have always said that it is only a matter of time until we extend our contracts. It will be my pleasure to reach the sportive goals with Hamburg," Labbadia told the club's official homepage. This is the former German international's second term at Hamburg, having previously coached there between 2009 and 2010. "We are delighted that we were able to extend the contract with Bruno and his coaching staff. Bruno lives for the club," Hamburg's sporting director Dietmar Beiersdorfer said.

 

5. Valbuena is happy to play alongside Benzema in Euro 2016
Despite Mathieu Valbuena being the victim of a sex tape blackmail scandal involving Karim Benzema, the French international has said that he would be willing to be part of the same team in Euro 2016. 'We will see how it goes, but yes, no problem, anything is possible. It (the blackmail incident) wasn't like it was a murder,' the 31-year-old told television station TF1. While that scenario would be unlikely to happen, especially as Benzema is currently banned from meeting Valbuena in person, and Valbuena has suffered from injuries and loss of form, while France's national coach Didier Deschamp left him out of the side in November.

6. Alli signs new Spurs contract
Tottenham Hotspur have rewarded their young starlet midfielder Dele Alli with a new contract. The 19 year old, who has been a revelation this season, has signed with Spurs until 2021. Ali was originally signed in the previous January transfer window, but was loaned back to previous club MK Dons until the summer. Since arriving at White Hart Lane he has established himself as a prominent member of the first team midfield. "When I signed here I wanted to play for Tottenham and I wasn't thinking of going anywhere else at the time," Alli told the club's website. "The managers and everyone has helped me a lot. Thankfully I've broken in and I've got a few games now, showed a few people what I can do, and established myself as a Premier League player. I'm 19 and I've still got a lot to learn and I can't think of a better place at the minute to do that."

 

7. Potters give youngster new deal
Stoke City have handed teenage midfielder Ollie Shenton a new four and a half year deal. 18 year old Shenton was last season's academy player of the year and has made 2 first team appearances so far. The youngster became Stoke's youngest ever Premier League player when he came off the bench in the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City last February. The Potters have said they will now be looking to send him out on loan to gain experience.

8. Liverpool make bizarre desperation signing
In an odd move, Liverpool make the signing of QPR defender Steven Caulker. The lumbering giant has already flopped at a number of Premier League clubs, including a season long loan spell that Southampton could not wait to cut short so he that Caulker could head off to Liverpool. His time at the Saints included a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, in a match that saw the former Swansea City centre back all at sea and in large part responsible for a shambolic defensive display by Southampton. It seems that Liverpool's desperate need for centre backs has seen Jurgen Klopp overlook that awful display, in a move that smacks of desperation.

 

9. Leicester not in the market
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has said that he does not expect the club to look to make any more signings in January. Despite the Foxes flying high and seemingly in need of something to make a push for the top four, or even the title, Ranieri is happy with what he has, after the signing of winger Demarai Gray from Birmingham City. "The transfer market is finished for us," said Ranieri. "I am only interested in my players and no-one goes away. Business is finished. There is no temptation (to make a big signing to push for the top four). You think with one big player we'll arrive in the Champions League? Possibly, but you can't be sure. Step by step we are building to try in the future to fight for the Champions League. Now this is a crazy league and we fight to achieve the maximum. There are three, four or five teams ahead of us. They are building and then slowly we arrive."

10. Bendtner runs punishment laps
VFL Wolfsburg are currently in Portugal undergoing winter training during the Bundesliga's winter break. Their former Arsenal and Sunderland striker Niklas Bendtner has been hit with a punishment after returning from his Christmas break and had not kept to the training plan Dieter Hecking had given to him. "Nicklas has to run because he obviously did not carry out our training plans 100 percent. It's evident that he did not work enough during the winter break," Hecking told reporters. "And thus he either has to catch up on those runs or pay a fine." Bendtner was joined on his punishment laps by Julian Draxler and Ismail Azzaoui.

Written by Tris Burke January 12 2016 14:56:17