ANDERSON UNDER THE HAMMER
Magpies keeper Dubravka is Tooned up & desperate for a return to action after injury..he now just has to avoid dog poo in the garden!
WEST HAM are ready to listen to offers for their £42million Brazilian attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson.
Napoli could take him to replace Jose Callejon, who is wanted by a number of clubs, but have yet to make a bid.
Anderson, 26, has two years left on his contract, but Hammers boss David Moyes aims to shake up his squad when the transfer window reopens and wants four or five new signings.
Anderson joined West Ham in July 2018 and made an explosive impact for Manuel Pellegrini, with 10 goals and five assists in his first season.
But the Brazil international has struggled since Pellegrini was sacked in December and has scored just once in 22 appearances in the current campaign. He has also been carrying a back injury.
HECTOR BELLERIN is being tracked by Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.
The La Liga pair are banking on the Arsenal defender (above) being interested in a return to his homeland after nearly a decade in north London.
Bellerin, 25, is a popular figure at the Emirates both for his performances on the pitch and for his commitment to a number of social causes.
And he still has almost three years left on his current contract.
Both Atletico and Sevilla, however, are hunting for a new full-back and have Bellerin in their sights.
Having joined Arsenal from Barcelona in 2011, Bellerin has made a total of 195 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight times and providing 25 assists, and has made three appearances for Spain.
MARTIN DUBRAVKA was sat in his house this week when he decided to put his goalkeeper gloves on.
“I wanted to remember the feeling of being a player again,” said the Newcastle keeper, on lockdown at his Northumberland home. “I just wanted to feel them and think, ‘It’s okay, I’m still a keeper!”
Soon his partner Lucia will kick balls at him in the back garden in a makeshift training routine to help his recovery from a knee ligament damage – and sharpen his reflexes.
He added: “But first, before I start diving around, I will have to clear up the dog poo on the grass!
“I also was that bored I made my own fence! It’s not massive, but it was a new thing to do and it helped fill the time.”
Being a footballer in lockdown is tough.
Dubravka explained: “I’ve been missing team-mates, staff, coaches, routine and training and also the crowd and St James’ Park. It’s just as tough for everyone in the world.”
Speaking on a video conference call, he added: “I’m hyperactive!
“If I am not able to be active I get nervous.
“It’s just me and my partner here. I am glad we are together. If I was alone I would go mental probably.”
Lockdown is doubly problematic
Born: Jan 15, 1989, Zilina, Czechoslovakia Height: 6ft 3in
CLUB CAREER
Team Apps 2008–13 Zilina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 2014–16 Esbjerg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 2016–17 Slovan Liberec . . . . . . . . 28 2017–18 Sparta Prague . . . . . . . . . 11 2018 Newcastle (loan) . . . . . . . 12 2018– Newcastle ............ 67 NATIONAL STATS
2007–8 Slovakia U-19 . . . . . . . . . . 6 2009–10 Slovakia U-21 . . . . . . . . . . 12 2014– Slovakia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 when you’re recovering from serious injury, like Dubravka, and can’t get the hands-on treatment from physios.
The 31-year-old was poised to lose his 79-game streak of Premier League starts when a clash with Southampton’s Danny Ings forced him off in early March.
He said: “I knew immediately it was bad and had to go off. But then football was postponed indefinitely and I will be fit for the resumption of games.
“I missed the physios because I could have been back earlier, with special treatments.
“They send exercise links and call me after every session at home. I’m nearly in the same shape as before. I don’t want to miss any games.
“It will be soon that my partner kicks balls for me! It is important now to stay mentally strong and look forward to these things.
“The players are all in touch every day, messaging. We all know it will be emotional to run out and play for the team again.
“It will also be emotional to see the faces in the crowd, all the friends. You can hear that I am missing the football a lot but I am quite happy that I’ll be with them soon – stay safe now.”
Dubravka insists the season has to be played out to a conclusion, adding: “I think it will take some time. We have to finish.”