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The recent publication of this year’s Deloitte Football Money League review was hardly met with untold worry by Tottenham Hotspur fans, but the news that the club had posted an overall loss in revenue would have certainly provoked a universal grunt of frustration.

You don’t need to have anything in the way of an economics degree to figure out why the club’s total revenue took a £19.3million hit during the 2011/12 season, with the glaring absence of Champions League football proving an inescapable demon for all connected with the club.

The frustration on missing out on another chance to dine on Europe’s most exclusive table was always going to hit the club’s bank balance as much as it left its supporters dreadfully disappointed. The doors that Champions League football opens in terms of both financial luxury and player recruitment hardly need preaching to a set of supporters who are reminded almost daily about its merits.

But it was within another statistic within Deloitte’s annual review that bears a similar level of perpetual frustration, yet an even more harmful word of caution to their long-term financial prospects.

Deloitte’s description of ‘capacity constraints at White Hart Lane’ might serve to do Spurs’ hallowed old ground something of a disservice, but as is always the case when the Football Money League is wheeled out, a glance down the road to fierce North London rivals usually tends to bring a brutal sense of perspective.

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Because although a £20.6million disparity in broadcasting income between Spurs and Arsenal can be accounted for amongst their failure to gain Champions League qualification, a staggering £54.1million difference in their matchday income, most certainly cannot.

It’s the elephant that’s been in the room for several years now in North London and after what feels like a lifetime of struggles to get their long-awaited Northumberland Development Project off the ground, talk of the new White Hart Lane has a touch of the taboos about it.

Not because fans harness anything in the way of anger towards the project; most supporters are well aware of the delicate need to attain naming rights before phase two of the development (the stadium itself) can even begin to be thought of as a reality. Yet with there being no immediate news in sight from a club who continue tend to give very little-away in regards to stadium developments, some have felt it easier to simply just put it to the back of their minds.

Although for however far your head may have been in the sand in regards to Spurs’ stadia-based woes, this latest round of financial figures should leave you with little doubt as to quite how important attaining an increased capacity stadium is to the club’s future.

Because while they might be on the same plateau of competition with Arsenal in the Premier League this season, financially, the Gunners are in a different postcode. And regardless of whether Andre Villas-Boas’ side achieve their target of qualifying for the Champions League this season, without the eventual development of White Hart Lane or the less-likely arrival of a sugar-daddy in N17, that fight to attain elite European football may become unsustainable.

There is a school of thought amongst some sections of fans that following their Uefa Champions League adventure during the 2010-11 season, that chairman Daniel Levy was hiding a nice chunk of money behind the White Hart Lane sofa for him and ENIC head-honcho Joe Lewis to sit upon.

Yet for all the lavish financial gains that their run to the quarterfinals brought to the club, it also brought its fair share of financial pain as well, primarily to the tune of a 36% increase in their wage bill from £67million to £91million.  If you consider that the total of Spurs’ additional revenue as a result of their Champions League run was estimated to sit at around £37million, the hit they took in wages hardly equates to peanuts.

Should Tottenham qualify for the Champions League again next year, they will of course be able to look forward to a similar slew of riches that will fall their way, although those expecting a change in attitude from Levy towards a summer of excess on transfer fees and wages are likely to yet again feel disappointed.

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The supporters know better than anyone just how volatile qualification for the Champions League may be. Some will argue that you have to speculate to accumulate and show ambition to get there in the first place. Although it’s worth noting that Chelsea harness a £170million wage bill and still finished outside the top-four last year.

Of course, they still eventually qualified for the competition. Although should that hypothetically happen to Spurs next season after splashing out on couple of big money transfers tied down to £100,000-a-week contracts, they haven’t got a Russian billionaire to balance out the books when the Champions League party reneges for another season. The point is here that while Champions League football is absolutely vital to the club in both the long and short term, it doesn’t represent a secure means of income of which to finance the sort of financial boost the club needs to take them to the next level.

As the club have proved in recent years, you don’t need a relatively gargantuan wage bill to compete for a top-four finish, yet as they continue to loose financial ground to their rivals, it’s going to become increasingly difficult to do so. Qualifying for the Champions League this season would be a massive stepping-stone en route to further success both on and off the pitch. But without securing the funding for a new stadium, the chances are their Champions League pushes are likely to become fewer and further between.

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Former Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren has suggested Magpies striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, is thriving during a loan spell with Fulham because he has been shown the love by Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic that he has never really got from Rafa Benitez.

McClaren brought the Serbia international to St James’ Park when he was in charge in 2015, with the centre-forward scoring five goals before the former England boss was sacked in March 2016.

However, he has found life difficult under Benitez since with his temperament likely to be one of the Spaniard’s biggest concerns, and he often found himself as the third-choice striker behind Dwight Gayle and Joselu this term before the arrival of Islam Slimani on loan from Leicester City on January 31 allowed him to drop down into the Championship with Fulham.

The 23-year-old has since netted seven goals in nine appearances for the in-form west London outfit, with all of those coming in his previous six outings, and 67% of Newcastle fans said they wanted him back on Tyneside in a poll conducted last month.

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It is form that hasn’t surprised McClaren, who believes it is down to his positive relationship with his manager at Craven Cottage.

The 56-year-old said, via the Chronicle Live: “He came in as a young boy at Newcastle, he needs to be loved, needs to be believed in, trusted.

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“I think Jokanovic, being Serbian, I think they’ve got that connection and once you get the best out of him, he’s not only a good player outside the box, bringing other players into it, he scores goals.”

Newcastle can move a step closer to securing their Premier League status for another season when they host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town on March 31, and Benitez will be hoping that Slimani is finally fit enough to feature in the matchday squad.

This season has been a story of catastrophe and disaster for Liverpool so far; who are now on the verge of exit from the Champions League – anything less than a win at home to Basel will see them out. Domestically the Reds have been poor too, but there were actually a few signs of positivity this evening… if you dig deep enough, and here they are.

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CLICK ON BRENDAN RODGERS TO REVEAL THE THREE

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Lambert is scoring

Goals have been a big issue for Liverpool so far this season. From the ‘SAS’ days of 101 in the Premier League, the Reds have been rather toothless, but things could be about to change with Rickie Lambert finally firing. The much-maligned Merseysider now has two in as many games, and it looks as if he may keep Mario Balotelli out of the XI even when he returns from injury.

Plenty of options

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All joking aside from the Coutinho vine, Liverpool’s bench is actually stronger than it has been for some time nowadays. As well as the aforementioned Brazilian, Alberto Moreno, Fabio Borini and Adam Lallana were on the sidelines in Bulgaria, which is a far cry from the days of youth players.

It wasn’t a loss

Going into the game the Reds had lost their last four games on the bounce and their last three Champions League clashes. So, ensuring that at least a point is heading back to Anfield is, in some ways, positive for Brendan Rodgers. The Northern Irishman was handed a big favour by Real Madrid as they beat Basel, meaning that the Premier League side will go through with a win against the Swiss outfit.

Even at this stage with Atletico Madrid second in La Liga and almost guaranteed of a spot in next season’s Champions League group stage, there remain rumours of players looking to jump ship. The problem is the “almost” and it’s the not knowing. The team are good enough to go all the way and the manager has emerged as one of Europe’s finest, but there are too many questions regarding the future of the club’s most valued treasure.

Arsenal have already been heavily linked with Adrian Lopez to fill in largely on the right side of the attack with a view to moving into the middle on occasion. But outside of the unlikely target of Radamel Falcao, it might not get more exciting than Arda Turan for potential transfers from the Vicente Calderon.

And here’s the thing: there is no one in Atletico’s strongest XI that wouldn’t be welcome at Arsenal. Koke was linked with the club during his teenage years but has since blossomed into a tremendous midfielder. Diego Godin remains a rock in defence and would unquestionably get more than a handful of games at the Emirates, while Filipe Luis is the left-back Arsene Wenger’s team are crying out for.

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Arda, however, is the attacking midfielder player the club need. Adrian Lopez managed to raise his profile last season by helping Atletico to the Europa League title and scoring 19 goals on the way in all competitions, but Arda Turan is something else entirely. With Arda, clubs will know exactly what they’re getting, having starred in Turkey and quickly becoming a key figure in Diego Simeone’s team.

It remains a mystery as to why no Premier League club went in for the Turkish international when he made the 12 million euro move to La Liga. There really are no excuses for that kind of slip-up from a whole host of teams. It’s not to devalue Atletico, rather they should be praised for landing such a talent for that fee and during such difficult financial times. But that fee will now be doubled for any suitor looking to pick up the midfielder.

It’s become a running theme to talk about players being ‘Arsene Wenger signings’ and whether they fit the bill for what the Arsenal manager wants. Arda Turan, like Santi Cazorla, falls into that bracket of players the manager should have picked up earlier before their stock began to rise. But like Cazorla now, the signing of Arda would be a monumental signing of intent by Arsenal. The player is a superstar and should be seen as one that would give the entire club a huge boost. He’s a difference maker and his signing would be a move that fans have long desired the club to make.

Arda has filled in mostly on the wings for Atletico, however he’s more than capable of playing the creative role just behind the striker. It was he who kicked off Atletico’s current La Liga campaign with their only goal in the 1-1 draw at Levante on the first day of the season, while he also played a significant role in helping his side dismantle Chelsea in the Uefa Super Cup. His attacking prowess remains impressive, but it’s his defensive work rate that really shines in Simeone’s team. It’s hard work combined with flair; it’s a reflection of his current manager and what he wants to see on the pitch. More than anything else, it’s everything Arsenal need for the apparently vacant position on the right flank.

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Moving Theo Walcott into the middle should now be done and dusted and the player should be in rotation with Olivier Giroud. But on the right side, Wenger’s intentions remain clear to add another body. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may be that player in the future, but his age owes to a number of inconsistencies in his game. Tomas Rosicky would provide backup for a number of positions on the field, yet it’s obvious something would be missing with Walcott converting to his favoured position.

Arda Turan has the pace to be a success in Arsenal’s attack and their need for a quick counterattack, but he has the technical components to be one of the most impressive signings of Arsene Wenger’s time since moving to the Emirates. He’s a player who you’d have loved to see line-up alongside Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, but as so many Arsenal fans have said in recent times, the club are not too far away from becoming real players in the race for silverware. Arda Turan would go a long way to helping the club become legitimate and realistic title challengers once again.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Bayern Munich are no longer in the running to sign Bordeaux winger Malcom, boosting Arsenal’s and Tottenham’s chances of landing the Brazilian this summer.

What’s the story?

Malcom has been linked with a move to both London clubs over the last few months but has also previously been linked with a big move to Bayern Munich too.

However, as The Daily Mail report, Bayern’s interest in the player appears to have significantly cooled with manager Jupp Heynckes ruling out a move for the 21-year-old.

As quoted by the paper, Heynckes said of Malcom: “I don’t think there is interest here. He always gets put into the shopping window but nobody really goes after him.”

That could be a significant boost to Arsenal’s and Tottenham’s chances of signing the attacker, who is rated as worth £27m by Transfermarkt.

Worth the fuss?

Turning 21 years old recently, the Brazilian winger has a bright future ahead of him and has shown at Bordeaux this season signs that he is ready to take his career to the next level.

Scoring eight goals and assists seven more in 29 appearances, the versatile attacker is producing well for a player of his age, especially when you consider Bordeaux aren’t exactly blessed with exceptional talent, currently sitting mid-table in Ligue 1.

Surrounded by better players at the likes of Spurs or Arsenal he could shine further and it’s clear from this season’s performances that in the case of Mauricio Pochettino’s side in particular they need natural width, which is something the youngster could definitely provide.

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With big clubs sniffing around his signature, neither shouldn’t waste time in attempting to bring him to London. If he moves elsewhere this summer, he has enough talent that they could come to regret not moving for him when they had the opportunity.

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Who first dreamed up the notion of the release clause? Perhaps it was a ploy adopted from the business sector – potentially incarnated by former Tottenham-owner-turned-TV-personality-turned-Lord, Alan Sugar. Perhaps it was invented by Mr. R. Clause himself. Perhaps ex-Liverpool director Damien Comolli, a relentlessly suspicious character, came up with it.

Either way, the release clause adds an interesting dynamic to the transfer market – a simple-yet-effective method of saying ‘If you want him that badly, this is how much you’ll have to pay. Don’t bother negotiating. I can’t be bothered to sit in a boardroom, sipping coffee and downing croissants, whilst debating it.’

Indeed, release clauses can often be extortionate. But here’s FIVE  buy-out fees Football Fancast thinks strikes great value-for-money and Spurs should consider activating when the transfer window reopens in January.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO TO REVEAL ALL

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WILFRIED BONY – £19m

With Emmanuel Adebayor, Harry Kane and Roberto Soldado finding just one Premier League goal between them this season, a new striker is a must for Tottenham in January.

Mauricio Pochettino favoured big-n-burley centre-forwards at Southampton, namely Rickie Lambert and Dani Osvaldo, and still appears to prefer that mould, more commonly selecting the Togolese lankster over his shorter team-mates.

And one striker also fitting that category is Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony, who was regularly linked with a White Hart Lane switch during the summer:

The 25 year-old impressed last season to bag 16 goals and four assists in his inaugural Premier League campaign, following an incredible 37-strike haul during his ultimate year at Vitesse Arnhem. Here’s Bony’s highlights from 2013/14:

//www.youtube.com/embed/L_zt5akDKGs

In addition to firepower, he far outshone Spurs’ strike-force last season in terms of hold-up play, as detailed below:

The Ivory Coast international has rediscovered his scoring touch over the last few weeks, netting twice in his last two Premier League outings – including this goal against Newcastle:

His £19million release clause is more than affordable, but Swansea are planning to tie their star forward down to a new long-term contract:

PACO ALCACER – £14.5m

Another release-clause-inspired front-man option for the Lilywhites to consider is Valencia starlet Paco Alcacer, who the tabloids claim has already popped up on Mauricio Pochettino’s radar:

The 21 year-old has been nothing short of potent over the last 18 months, as detailed below:

And that incredible influence in the final third has seen Alcacer rise to the forefront of Vincente del Bosque’s plans for the Spanish national team – he’s claimed four caps since his debut in August, netting thrice in the process. Here’s a look at the 5 foot 11 forward in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/RCKK3deKD2w?rel=0

Reminiscent of a young Fernando Torres, the Spain international bears no particular defining strength but a varied all-round-game.

Furthermore, Alcacer’s current release clause is just £14.5million, leading one Spanish publication to dub him ‘the bargain of Europe’ and leading to a plethora of attention throughout the continent. Indeed, the Spaniard has already attracted some heavy hitters:

But Los Che are planning to bump up his release clause to a whopping £40million:

EDER BALANTA £12.5m

Following a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City, giving Spurs the second-worst goals conceded record in the Premier League’s top half, as shown below…

… a new centre-back wouldn’t go amiss in January, especially with Jan Vertonghen’s White Hart Lane future shrouded in doubt:

One potential solution comes in the form of highly-rated Colombian international Eder Balanta, often linked with the likes of Liverpool, Juventus and Barcelona:

World Cup performances were expected to springboard the 21 year-old into European football, but he eventually made just one appearance as Los Cafeteros proved to be the tournament’s surprise package.

Nevertheless, the River Plate starlet looks like a real talent, with head coach Ramon Diaz comparing him to Argentine World Cup-winning centre-back Daniel Passarella. Here’s Balanta in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/NApExJhZwEY

The South American’s silky, exciting, front-footed style makes his £12.4million release clause well worth the punt, but other sources claim River Plate could be pressed to sell for as little as £5million.

TERELL ONDAAN – €1.5m

Representing the cheaper and more speculative end of the release clause spectrum is Eredivisie youngster Terell Ondaan.

Hardly a household name in England, or even for the Netherlands for that matter. But the 21 year-old winger played a crucial role in Willem II’s promotion push from the Ereste Divisie last season and he’s now turning heads in the top flight, getting off the mark against Heerenveen earlier this month:

Here’s a look at his form so far this term:

Impressive stuff from the former Ajax academy product, who has also muscled his way into Oranje’s U21 string. Here’s a short clip of Ondaan in action:

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He’s already being tipped as a future star at club and international level, and with a rumoured release clause of just €1.5m could quickly prove to be an incredibly astute investment.

ANDERSON TALISCA – €18m

Brazilian beast Talisca only joined the Benfica ranks in July this year, but a plethora of top clubs are already considering activating his €18million release clause:

Indeed, the 20 year-old has bagged an incredible six goals in seven league appearances since the summer- including this powerhouse effort against Arouca:

Measuring in at 6 foot 2, he’s famed for his surging runs, incredible strength and trickery, illustrated by this beastly charge for the Brazil U23s:

Here’s another look at Talisca in action:

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He appears purpose-built for Premier League football, but Benfica want to bump up his release clause to an outrageous £47.5million.

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Fulham boss Martin Jol has claimed that he believes Brede Hangeland will sign the new deal that he has been offered and that he is happy at the West London club.

Hangeland’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season and Fulham fans may be fearful of losing their key defender, but the manager has put their fears to bed.

The Norwegian giant has been a rock for the Whites since arriving at the club from Scandinavia and big clubs’ interest in the past has been quickly dismissed so a long term stay at Craven Cottage may be in store.

Jol has confirmed that talks have been on-going to tie Hangeland down to a new deal and he is hopeful of finding out the outcome after Fulham’s clash with Newcastle on Monday night, where Hangeland returns from suspension.

While Jol is confident the extension will be signed, he maintains that it is still all up to the player.

“It only depends on a decision so if Brede says yes it is okay,” Jol told Sky Sports.

“If he says no, then we have to wait, talk and negotiate.

“I will ask Alistair [Mackintosh, chief executive officer] what the situation is after the game again.

“I am confident he will sign because he loves it here. He is a Fulham player.

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“We took him from Scandinavia and I think he loves it here and we offered him a good contract.”

 

West Ham United suffered their 13th defeat of the 2017-18 Premier League campaign away to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.Swansea entered the match at the Liberty Stadium in 18th spot in the table, but shot up into 13th with a 4-1 victory over the Hammers in Wales.The Hammers have now conceded eight times in their last two Premier League matches, and sit just three points clear of the relegation zone after 29 games of the season.[ad_pod ]Football fans do not react kindly on social media when their team suffers a defeat, and it was not a surprise that a number of West Ham supporters took exception to comments made by defender Sam Byram in the aftermath of the Swansea defeat.Byram, who is valued at £4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, insisted that the team cannot make excuses despite some key defensive injuries, and the full-back’s words were not well received.One West Ham fan branded the Englishman ‘captain obvious’, which was one of the kinder comments in the response section on Twitter.A selection of the reaction can be seen below:

Even though Manchester United were English football’s top spenders with a total of around £150m splashed to land new talent over the summer, the club are still in need of additions.

Some likened their business to a patient in need of heart surgery being given breast implants, with the majority of the signings made addressing non-existent concerns up front, while the engine room, the real problem, was left untouched.

Louis van Gaal and co did attempt to get in targets to sort out their midfield and centre-back problems, and it looks likely that there will be efforts to get such deals over the line in January if results continue to disappoint.

Here are FIVE players we at FFC Towers believe United could/should go for in the New Year.

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CLICK ON MATS HUMMELS TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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Kevin Strootman

Although Arturo Vidal was the man United chased for much of the summer, rumours often suggested that Strootman is actually the player LVG wants. The former Holland boss made the Roma enforcer a key member of his Oranje team in the run up to the World Cup, and was left gutted when injury woes forced him out of contention for the trip to Brazil.

A deal during the last window was deemed as not doable given his fitness concerns, but there has been talk of a £20m+ offer for Strootman when January roles around. With energy, tenacity and quality in his locker, the 24-year-old appears to be the major missing link in the club’s engine room.

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Mats Hummels

Rumours of a late move for the World Cup winner during the transfer window just gone have surfaced recently, and despite the disappointment United may re-visit Hummels in 2015. The Dortmund centre-back is seen as one of the very best players in his position on the planet, and would certainly bulk out to the club’s shaky rearguard.

BVB are desperate to keep him, but, as has been shown in recent years, they will sell for the right price. Hummels himself could also be tempted by English football, but much depends on United’s chances of a top four finish.

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Arturo Vidal

Perhaps the great transfer saga of 2014 could rumble on again next year. United chased Vidal for much of the summer, but failed to get a deal over the line, despite claims that a contract had been agreed with the player. Juventus held firm to keep their midfield general in Turin, but an offer of £40m+ in January could sway them.

The Chile international has the barnstorming playing style not present in any of the Red Devils’ current options, and could be the man to turn Van Gaal’s troops back into title contenders.

//www.youtube.com/embed/r8iKLIacxxw

Sami Khedira

If United are looking to cut back on their spending, Khedira could be a cost-effective option to plug their midfield gap. The German ace – who helped his nation to World Cup glory – is currently in the last year of his contract, and looks likely to run down his deal ahead of a Bosman move.

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However Real Madrid are likely to accept offers of below £10m in January just to get some cash in for their man, which could allow United to pick up a bargain. Not a natural holder, Khedira offers something different to other targets on Van Gaal’s radar thanks to his tireless style and box-to-box nature.

Marco Reus

Even though Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao have been signed to give United more guile up top, Reus could be a target for the club in January. The German star is one of Europe’s premier attacking talents and is expected to leave Dortmund in the not too distant future as interest in his signature mounts.

A £20m release clause will kick in next summer, but United could pounce early to tempt the Bundesliga giants with a bigger offer. With Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City loitering, bagging Reus while he’s available may be something LVG would consider.

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Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong has credited hard work for the club’s recent revival, according to reports from talkSPORT.

The Canaries claimed a 2-1 Premier League victory over Sunderland over the weekend, which extended their unbeaten run to eight.

This turnaround followed a some humiliating results to the likes of Fulham and Liverpool that had led many to right off the East Anglian club’s chances of survival.

Bassong believes that their turnaround has been no coincidence and feels that the hard work being done on the training ground is paying off:

“After all the work we’ve done from the start of the season up to now we’re really delighted about how things are coming along.

“I’m not able say one thing that made us change like this. I think it’s going to be pretty basic but it’s just the work (we put in).

“We just work hard in training week in, week out, every day.

“A lot of players came in to the team this season so perhaps it took time for us to adapt and after the poor start we had I think it could only get better.”

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The Cameroonian international arrived at Carrow Road during the summer, signing from Tottenham.