All posts by n8rngtd.top

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now dropped a Newcastle United transfer claim on Noni Madueke.

The Lowdown: Winger wanted

As per 90min, the Magpies are prepared to break their transfer record in order to bring Moussa Diaby to St James’ Park and have been scouting many winger options.

The outlet also reported of Newcastle’s interest in PSV Eindhoven attacker Madueke, and it is unclear which player they will try to go for at this stage.

The Latest: O’Rourke claim

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke has claimed that the ‘exciting’ Madueke would likely be ‘cheaper’ than Diaby, and maybe ‘more attainable right now’ for Eddie Howe’s side.

The reporter said of the PSV winger: “I think he’d probably be cheaper than Moussa Diaby and maybe more attainable right now. He’s an exciting player, Noni Manueke, whose had a number of top Premier League clubs look at him in the past.

“Obviously, he came through at Tottenham before making the move to PSV, and he’s done quite well out in Holland as well. So, he’s an exciting player who can score goals and provide goals, and I think he’d be a good alternative if Leverkusen aren’t willing to sell Diaby.”

The Verdict: Great alternative

Madueke unfortunately suffered from injury problems last season, but still managed to score nine goals and supply a further six assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Comparing his statistics in the Eredivisie to Diaby in the Bundesliga, the England under-21 international actually averaged more shots and dribbles per game and had a higher pass success rate than the Frenchman, suggesting that he could be an ideal alternative.

Madueke is three years younger, too, so potentially signing him for a cheaper price than Diaby would represent a great piece of business from the Tynesiders.

Howe will surely want to get another signing or two into St James’ Park before the new season starts, with both players seemingly on his radar.

Some very interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer news has emerged regarding Everton winger Anthony Gordon’s personal interest in a move.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye package deal?

Sky Sports have claimed in the last few days that the Lilywhites and manager Antonio Conte are eyeing both Richarlison and the English starlet.

There have been murmurs of a possible package deal between the two clubs amid Spurs’ attempts to sign main target Richarlison as club chief Fabio Paratici aims to bolster the forward line.

Gordon has caught Spurs’ attention after his brilliant 2021/2022 campaign at Goodison Park, with a recent update now sharing some eye-catching news on the Premier League development.

The Latest: Tottenham make bid…

Indeed, it appears Paratici and co have made quite the audacious move.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest updates” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

According to The Sun, Spurs have offered a mega £100 million transfer fee – an initial £80m plus a possible £20m in add-ons – to sign both Richarlison and Gordon.

The report adds that the north Londoners have made a ‘firm move’ for the 21-year-old and Brazil’s international. The former, in a possible boost for Paratici, allegedly ‘wants to join’ Tottenham.

The Verdict: Big claim…

While it remains to be seen if this update comes to any fruition, reports of a £100m bid for two of Everton’s star players simply shows just how far Spurs have come since the Nuno Espirito Santo era.

Their qualification for next season’s Champions League under Conte has seemingly propelled them back into the mix with England’s elite and their moves in the transfer window may well be a reflection of their newly-found ambition.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has claimed that the club will target a winger alongside a move for Club Brugge attacker Charles De Ketelaere.

The Lowdown: Serious about De Ketelaere

Hay took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon, revealing that the Whites are ‘serious’ on signing De Ketelaere ‘with Arsenal stepping up interest in Raphinha’.

The 21-year-old Belgian appears to be a man in demand, with AC Milan keen on him and able to offer Champions League football.

De Ketelaere contributed to 28 goals in all competitions last season, mainly playing as a centre-forward, with Leeds viewing him as a secondary striker or false nine.

The Latest: Winger wanted by Leeds

In Hay’s story for The Athletic regarding Leeds, he also made a claim on another signing.

He stated that ‘Leeds are also thought to be targeting the arrival of a winger before the coming season’ alongside a move for De Ketelaere.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-5/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Busy few weeks

Victor Orta was straight to work after the club dramatically secured their Premier League status on the final day, with moves for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca already tied up.

However, with De Ketelaere seemingly the club’s main attacking target, Kalvin Phillips set to join Manchester City and Raphinha wanted at Arsenal, Orta may need to go into overdrive when it comes to further additions over the coming weeks.

De Ketelaere, along with a new winger and a marquee holding midfielder, would be exciting deals, and it seems as if that’s what Leeds want to do ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge at Elland Road.

Everton can sign left-back Luca Pellegrini from Juventus, according to Corrierre dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Juventus shelled out £19.8million to sign Pellegrini from Roma in the summer of 2019, but three years on, after spells on loan at Cagliari and Genoa, he’s up for sale.

It was only last season that he made the first of his 21 appearances for the Bianconeri. He made 15 Serie A starts, battling with Brazilian defender Alex Sandro for the first-choice role.

Pellegrini is still under contract for another three years, but he’s valued at just £8.1million by Transfermarkt.

Style wise, FBRef mark the Italy international out as a similar player to Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who was heavily linked with a Goodison switch last season.

The latest

According to the report, Juventus have told the player’s camp to find him a new club by scouring ‘the Italian and foreign markets to seize new opportunities’.

Pellegrini has been offered to three English sides: Everton, West Ham United and Fulham.

In terms of domestic candidates, local rivals Torino are ‘tempted’ but have yet to formalise their interest.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

Based on links with Owen Wijndal and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Everton certainly seem to be on the hunt for a left-back this summer, even though they added Vitalli Mykolenko in January.

And the Juve player’s entourage may have caught wind of that, prompting them to offer him to the Toffees.

Pellegrini can also play in a more advanced role, so could perhaps come in to play in front of Mykolenko rather than instead of the Ukraine international.

Available for a reasonable price given Juventus’ desire to get rid, he could be a good pick-up for Everton, adding to the depth of Frank Lampard’s squad while saving funds for more significant first XI signings.

In other news, Everton are now the leading candidates for this signing. 

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is now personally weighing up a move for Blackburn star Ben Brereton Diaz as an update emerges on Spurs’ hunt for a new striker.

The Lowdown: Spurs keep moving…

After completing a deal to sign midfielder Yves Bissouma from fellow Premier League club Brighton, the Lilywhites are not stopping there, as it is reliably believed that they are aiming to upgrade their striker options among other key positions.

The likes of Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus have been repeatedly linked with a move to north London as transfer chief Fabio Paratici earmarks numerous targets to potentially support/rotate with superstar Harry Kane.

As per Claret & Hugh, there has now been an update on their mission to sign a new forward, and it involves Ewood Park hotshot Brereton Diaz.

The Latest: Conte personally ‘considering’ Brereton Diaz ‘swoop’…

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

As per their information, Tottenham head coach Conte is now personally ‘considering a swoop’ for the Championship sensation, who bagged 22 goals in the league alone last season.

North London officials have repeatedly been sent to run the rule over the Chile international as Paratici dispatches his staff on scouting missions.

Claret & Hugh added that Spurs’ interest in Brereton Diaz is ‘very real’.

The Verdict: Good option?

The 23-year-old, who was called a ‘beast’ by his former manager Tony Mowbray, certainly backed up that billing with his superb goal haul over 2021/22.

It is isn’t unreasonable to believe that he could cut it in the English top flight as Tottenham weigh up the shrewdest options to gift Conte more strength in the forward areas.

Blackburn allegedly value Brereton Diaz at around £20m, and taking into account the player’s age coupled with other factors, it’s a price which could be worth paying.

Indeed, this could be an interesting development to keep an eye upon throughout the summer.

Aston Villa are said to be in talks with Ashley Young over a new deal with reporter Fabrizio Romano revealing on Tuesday that there are “very good chances” the player will continue his stint in the Midlands.

Young was initially named as one of the eight players who were set to be released, as per Birmingham Mail.

Their own Milner

At the age of 36, Young still has a lot to offer to a Premier League side who are looking to instil success as Villa seemingly are.

The sale of Matt Targett to Newcastle United has left the Villans short of depth at left full-back and with the majority of Young’s appearances coming in that position, it is a no-brainer to renew his contract.

Besides a winning mentality and stacks of experience, Young offers Villa boss Gerrard versatility, having played throughout seven different positions in the Premier League this season, featuring at; left-back, left midfield, left-wing, central midfield, attacking midfield, right midfield, and right-back – making at least one appearance in each of the aforementioned positions.

If you think of the smartest teams in the league, they have a utility man. For instance, Manchester City have Oleksandr Zinchenko and Liverpool have James Milner. Coincidentally, they both occupy the role of full-back and central midfield, a service that Young can offer to Villa.

Zinchenko has shown specifically just capable he is in those roles of late, occupying a left-sided position in Manchester City’s defence before starring for Ukraine in the middle of the park during the recent international fixtures.

As for Milner, he started out as a midfielder but like Young, has since transitioned into a consistent full-back at the elite level.

That kind of versatility is invaluable to a side and Gerrard will be aware of the “outstanding” Young’s impact on the squad, and as one of the few players in the team with genuine seniority too.

The £88k-per-week earner’s presence at the club is integral – particularly in helping the new signings to bed in – but more so, in terms of helping Villa to transition into a consistent top-six challenging team.

In other news: AVFC keen on signing £25m “great wall”, it’ll be their best business of the window 

Tottenham Hotspur are now aiming to seal an agreement for one of manager Antonio Conte’s targets with his club ready to cash-in, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs making moves…

Spurs’ summer transfer window looks set to be a busy one with the Lilywhites having already confirmed both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster’s signings on Bosman deals.

Reports suggest even more additions could be in the pipeline at Hotspur Way as club chief Fabio Paratici is tasked with backing Conte in the market – coming after their £150 million equity increase.

A Premier League top-four finish and qualification for the Champions League came as an almighty boost for the north Londoners who are now seeking to bolster Conte’s options for his first full season in charge.

The Latest: Spurs aiming to seal agreement…

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Now, according to Football Insider, there has been a very promising development out of Tottenham involving one of Conte’s targets.

Indeed, as per the outlet, Paratici and co are ‘looking to secure an agreement’ for Middlesbrough wing-back Djed Spence after stepping up their chase ‘in recent days’.

Spurs are apparently in advanced talks to sign the 21-year-old with Boro now ‘ready to cash in’.

The Verdict: Big news…

The Englishman’s possible signing will not only help to balance Tottenham’s homegrown quota books, but Spence could also provide an injection of real quality down Conte’s right hand side.

Called an ‘exciting player’ by members of the press (Marc Williams, Basford United head of media), the defender shone on loan at Nottingham Forest over 2021/2022, becoming a mainstay for manager Steve Cooper.

He seriously contributed towards their promotion back to the top flight and finished the campaign as their sixth-best performing player by average match rating (WhoScored).

Spence also delivered the joint-second most crosses per 90 from out wide whilst completing their third-highest rate of successful take-ons (WhoScored) – highlighting his real threat as an overlapping full-back.

Conte will certainly be hoping to get this deal done.

In other news: ‘Being negotiated’ – Club now want their ‘sensational’ international to join Tottenham, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are prioritising the addition of a left-sided centre-back this summer and it’s thought that they have two clear choices…

What’s the word?

According to ever-reliable journalist Alasdair Gold of football.london, the north London outfit have made Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig gem Josko Gvardiol their two main targets this off-season.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Both are likely to cost in excess of £51m, though it is the latter who could offer Spurs more, even despite manager Antonio Conte previously working with the Italy international.

In the past, The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke has stated that it could take “as much as £70m or £80m” to prise the Croatian away from the Bundesliga club. Meanwhile, Transfermarkt value him at just £27m, having cost Leipzig around £13.5m plus add-ons.

Better than Bastoni

It’s no surprise that the Spurs boss would be keen on bringing Bastoni over to England, having managed him at the San Siro on their way to the club’s first Serie A title in over a decade in 2021.

He certainly has plenty of attributes which could appeal to Conte, too. However, when comparing them to the former Dinamo Zagreb starlet, there’s evidently only one winner.

The 20-year-old colossus has emerged as one of Europe’s most talented young defenders, enjoying a run in Leipzig’s starting XI this season. Only two other players registered a better seasonal WhoScored rating than him – the free-scoring Christopher Nkunku and his defensive partner Willi Orban.

He has also offered Domenico Tedesco great versatility by also being capable of playing at left-back, being a natural left-footer – the one gap in Spurs’ backline right now.

“Since he was a child, he’s been built like a tank. He can go forward, he can jump, he can tackle – he can do everything you want,” once claimed Germania Sport assistant editor Izak Ante Sucic, who also compared him to a current Premier League monster.

“In Croatia, we like to compare him to Virgil van Dijk, because he’s built that way (6ft 1in). He’s one of his role models in football and he’s also mentioned Thiago Silva and Sergio Ramos.”

Over the course of their respective careers to date, Gvardiol outranks Bastoni in pretty much every metric that Conte should be looking for in a central defender in his system.

As per FBRef, the young colossus is performing greater defensively, averaging more interceptions (3.30 vs 1.07) and tackles (2.01 vs 1.68) per 90, whilst his passing ability is unrivalled, too.

The 6 foot 1 star makes nearly two more progressive passes per 90 than the Inter man, meaning he’s successfully playing the ball forward more, whilst an xG&A of 0.16, compared to Bastoni’s 0.09 suggests that he can be a bigger threat from set-pieces and when attacking the opposition.

That’s also backed up by the fact that Gvardiol also outranks him for aerial duels won per 90 (2.65 vs 1.97). You have to consider just how defensive the Italian top-flight game is as well, making the Leipzig talent’s numbers all that more impressive when comparing the two.

All in all, it could be very worthwhile for sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy to pay up for Gvardiol over the £51m-rated Bastoni, on the above evidence alone.

His form and potential at just 20 years of age is surely too enticing to ignore. He must be the no.1 option between the two main targets.

AND in other news, Conte could land his next Perisic as Spurs now plot bid for “unstoppable” £17m “beast”…

Aston Villa are interested in signing Sevilla defender Diego Carlos, according to a report from The Athletic. 

The lowdown: Carlos’ career so far

Signed from Ligue 1 outfit Nantes in 2019, the centre-back has amassed 136 appearances for Sevilla since arriving in Spain.

The 29-year-old also made six outings for the Brazil team which won Olympic gold in Tokyo last year and has previously been a major target for Newcastle United.

It now seems as though Steven Gerrard could be readying an approach to bring Carlos to Villa Park…

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates-2/” title=”Aston Villa latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest: Villa exploring Carlos swoop

As per The Athletic, Villa are ‘exploring the possibility’ of signing the experienced Brazilian centre-back this summer.

It’s claimed that Gerrard is ‘looking to strengthen his defensive options’ in the Villa squad as the 41-year-old attempts to build a squad capable of challenging in the top half of the Premier League table.

However, the report added that the asking price and salary for the man dubbed ‘amazing’ by journalist Dermot Corrigan following a standout display in the 2020 Europa League final could be a ‘complication’ for Villa owners NSWE.

The verdict: Make it happen

Carlos could be a potentially expensive signing given his £40.5m market value and contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), but his proven quality from 230 top-flight outings in Spain, France and Portugal would be an upgrade on Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause.

During the 2021/22 season, the powerful Brazilian earned a superb 7.09 Sofascore rating whilst winning four duels and making 3.5 clearances per game, helping Sevilla to keep 13 clean sheets whilst also chipping in with three league goals.

His overall rating was significantly higher than the three aforementioned Villa centre-backs, with Mings coming out the best at 6.91 from Sofascore.

Signing a player of the calibre of Carlos would be a stellar statement from the Midlands club as they look to move on to the next phase of their development under Gerrard.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing another defender; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

Celtic could make a move for exciting Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo in the summer transfer window, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

The Lowdown: Semenyo’s excellent season

The Robins may have had a fairly unspectacular season, finishing 17th in the Championship, but the Ghanaian stood out as one of his team’s star players.

The 22-year-old registered eight goals and 12 assists in the division, also averaging 1.1 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per match throughout the campaign.

It could be that Semenyo leaves this summer and looks for a new challenge, with Celtic potentially emerging as candidates to sign him. Indeed, the Hoops’ interest dates back to the winter, when senior scout Craig Strachan was sent to watch the player in action against Reading.

A move to Glasgow certainly doesn’t seem to be out of the question, according to one journalist.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-8/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Celtic backed to make move for Semenyo

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that he could see the Ghanaian at Parkhead next season. He stated of Semenyo:

“I think he’s someone that Celtic have been watching for quite a long time. There was talk of a possible move last summer, and also during the January transfer window, and I’m sure Celtic have continued to monitor his situation. He’s got potential, Semenyo.”

The Verdict: Could be a great signing

Signing top young talent is vital for Celtic in order to aid their long-term planning, and Semenyo is a player who could be both one for the present and the future.

He has already stood out in a notoriously tough league, being hailed as a “real threat” by his manager Nigel Pearson, and he could bring some added firepower to Ange Postecoglou’s squad ahead of a relentless 2022/23 campaign.

The fact that Semenyo only has one year remaining on his current deal means that Bristol City could be willing to sell too, in order to avoid losing him for free next summer.

In other news, Celtic are believed to be keeping tabs on one player. Find out who it is here.