All posts by z3u9t.icu

Michael Beale hasn’t taken long to move on from losing Alfredo Morelos at Glasgow Rangers, raiding Italy to sign attackers Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers ahead of next season and they surely won't be the only two forwards who arrive at the Ibrox side during the transfer window.

The Gers have also been linked with a move for young striker Benie Traore, who is currently playing for BK Hacken in Sweden and although money has been spent to sign both Lammers and Dessers recently, Beale will need to fork out around £4m if he is to add the 20-year-old to his armoury.

Much has been made of a summer overhaul of the squad, and it has perhaps arrived a couple of years too late, with Steven Gerrard failing to improve the first team following the stunning Premiership title-winning season in 2020/21, as they subsequently fell behind Celtic over the next two terms.

With Morelos departing after six years at the club and Antonio Colak attracting interest from MLS sides and Werder Bremen – with the Gers setting a price tag of £2m for anyone who wishes to sign the Croatian this summer – the Ibrox side will start next season with a totally different frontline to how they lined up under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Kemar Roofe could remain the one constant, yet last season was heavily disrupted by injury, as he missed all but six matches and that has unfortunately been the story of his spell at Rangers, missing more matches than he has played and unless he comes back fighting fit at the start of next season, Beale will have to find a heir for the Jamaican international.

What could Benie Traore offer Rangers?

The Ivorian may the perfect player to come in and eventually replace Roofe in the squad, although he tends to be a more out-and-out striker compared to the Gers attacker, who can drop deeper and can also operate on either wing, but the key similarities are that they both score goals.

Roofe has scored 36 in 78 appearances for the Light Blues, while across only 57 senior matches, Traore has already notched 24 goals, suggesting that he is lethal in front of goal and could add some more attacking dynamism to Beale’s attacking options.

That’s not to say that Traore isn’t a team player, as he has registered nine assists during those 57 games, with the 30-year-old managing to grab just six assists during his three seasons at Ibrox, clearly suggesting there is more to the youngster's game than meets the eye.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded him in May, tweeting: “Häcken's jewel. Another highly talented player from the great ASEC Mimosas Academy.”

Despite scoring 93 goals in the league last term, Beale’s side still trailed Celtic by 21 goals and this was perhaps a key factor in the trophy heading to their Old Firm rivals for the second season in a row.

The 42-year-old could take a gamble on the Hacken starlet, similarly to when the club signed Morelos from Finland, and with Roofe having just one year left on his current deal, Traore could be a perfect long-term replacement for him.

Newcastle United have reportedly held talks with highly-rated Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga over a summer move to St James' Park.

Who is Gabri Veiga?

The 21-year-old may still be a young footballer learning his game, but he has already grown into one of his side's most important and influential players.

Last season, Veiga scored 11 times from midfield in La Liga, which was bettered only by Iago Aspas (12), and he also got four assists to his name in the competition – the joint-second-most in the squad. His performances have clearly caught the eye of some of the Premier League's biggest teams, and he has been linked with a move to Newcastle before the start of next season.

The Magpies are looking to build on their excellent 2022/23 campaign – one that saw them finish fourth and qualify for next season's Champions League – and top-class new signings are on the agenda.

Are Newcastle in talks with Veiga?

According to a report from 90min, Newcastle are one of a number of big English clubs who have had talks with Veiga's agent over a summer transfer and are willing to meet his €40m release clause.

"90min understands that Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United have all indicated that they would be willing to meet this sum up front or pay a little extra if paid in instalments.

"The quartet have recently held talks with agent Zahavi regarding Veiga's future, while Marseille and Serie A holders Napoli have also registered an interest."

Veiga could be a fantastic signing for Newcastle, adding an extra spark in an attacking midfield role and acting as a nice foil for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

He could be an ideal link man between the deeper midfielders and the attack, having already registered 11 assists in a Celta Vigo shirt, and he is only going to become a more complete player as the years pass.

Veiga clearly isn't going to be available on the cheap, and the level of competition for his services will also make it difficult to snap him up, but Newcastle signing him could be a statement of intent, and they could be bringing in someone who may star at the top level for a long time.

He has been compared to former Chelsea and Spain star Juan Mata, in terms of his style of play, and labelled a "very electric player" by Fabrizio Romano, which should further excite Magpies supporters about the quality he could bring to St James' Park.

Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding their midfield after a disappointing campaign last season and now a new update has emerged on a huge transfer target that could revolutionise the centre of the pitch at Anfield.

What's the latest on Liverpool's move for Federico Valverde?

According to reports coming out of Spain, Liverpool are preparing a €90m (£77m) bid to sign Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, an offer that Madrid will find very difficult to reject.

As per the report, Jurgen Klopp has been a huge admirer of the player for a while and there are now doubts surrounding Valverde's future at the Santiago Bernabéu due to the competition that exists in the centre of the pitch.

Will Liverpool sign Federico Valverde this summer?

There is no doubt that a refresh in midfield is needed following the departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita and the club has already secured a £35m deal for World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.

Many of the remaining midfield options available to Klopp are reaching the latter stages of their careers with Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara well into their 30s at this point, whilst Fabinho will turn 30 before the turn of the year – so there is a real opportunity to build the next generation of success at Anfield.

As a result, the ambitious move for Valverde would be warmly welcomed as the 24-year-old would not only inject high energy, youth and a strong winning mentality into the heart of the team, but could finally replace Georginio Wijnaldum's deadly press and unrivalled work rate in midfield.

Before leaving the Merseyside giants in 2020 upon the expiration of his contract, Wijnaldum played a vital role in the success that Liverpool have experienced both in domestic competition and on the European stage, providing huge game-changing moments like his semi-final brace against Barcelona to lead the team to their first Champions League trophy since 2005.

Now Klopp could land his next game-changer with Valverde also a big game player who adopts the winning mentality and work ethic that is crucial to earn multiple accolades across several competitions.

The Uruguayan star – hailed "untouchable" by Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti – is an extremely attacking-minded talent who ranks in the top 16% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots in total, pass completion and progressive carries.

Wijnaldum, by comparison, ranks in the top 8% for non-penalty goals and the best 12% for shots to outline their similar attacking threat.

In comparison to Valverde's positional peers on Merseyside, neither Jordan Henderson nor Harvey Elliott were able to complete more progressive carries (70), goal contributions (11), shot-creating actions (81) or completed passes (1427) than Valverde in the Premier League last season, as per FBref.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to acquire the services of Valverde this summer as he could have a huge impact on improving performances next season and become the much-needed game-changer that the team has been crying out for in midfield since Wijnaldum departed.

Tottenham Hotspur are confident about signing Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has now identified Cameron Carter-Vickers as a potential target at centre-back, with the Australian keen to reunite with his former player, who he signed for Celtic on a permanent deal last summer.

Micky van de Ven is another option for Spurs, with the Wolfsburg defender being placed on the shortlist, following recent talks, however they will have to do battle for his signature with Liverpool, who have now joined the race.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently detailed that Adarabioyo has "decided" to leave Fulham this summer, rather than seeing out the one year remaining on his contract, potentially opening the door for a move to north London.

As a result of the Fulham defender's contract situation, Football Insider report that Tottenham are confident they will be able to lure him to N17 this summer, however he is not near the top of their shortlist, with the transfer window still at an early stage.

The 25-year-old could become a "real option" for Postecoglou later this summer, and Spurs feel he could be available for a cut-price fee, as this window may be Fulham's last chance to cash-in.

It is also detailed that Postecoglou has made bringing in a new centre-back one of Tottenham's main priorities.

Should Tottenham sign Adarabioyo?

The centre-back managed to cement himself as a key player for Fulham in the latter stages of the 2022-23 season, starting the last ten Premier League games, and he put in a string of quality performances.

In the Cottagers' final home game, the £41k-per-week defender recorded a 7.4 Sofascore match rating, winning a whopping ten of the 13 duels he contested, while he also displayed his dominance in the air by winning eight aerial duels in a 3-1 win at Everton.

Hailed as "magnificent" by members of the media, the 6 foot 4 colossus ranks in the 76th percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year, and in the 98th percentile for clearances, however he does not rank highly for tackles, interceptions or blocks.

That said, Adarabioyo's performances in the second half of last season indicate he could be ready to make the step up to a club the size of Tottenham, at least as a back up option, and it could be a low-risk move, if he is available for a cut-price fee.

West Ham United are part of a hotly contested race for Bristol City sensation Alex Scott.

What’s the latest on Alex Scott to West Ham United?

According to the Evening Standard, the Hammers are weighing up a move for the 19-year-old, who could cost in the region of £25m.

It is understood that the Irons have held “initial talks” with the player’s camp and are to make a decision in the near future.

Why would Alex Scott be a good signing for West Ham?

The youngster made 42 second-tier appearances, averaging 1.8 tackles, 1.1 dribbles, and 1.1 aerials won per game, as he has established himself as a magnificent all-rounder and one of the country’s most exciting talents. Strong in the tackle, this also a young man capable of gallivanting past opponents with consummate ease.

His sensational rise to stardom means that Scott was named the Championship Young Player of the Year and also in the division’s Team of the Season.

As such, there is a shared expectation that the Englishman will leave the Championship side this summer.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs said: “I revealed he would definitely go this summer and that is still my understanding that Bristol City will not be able to hang on to the player and they know that.

“There are, believe it or not, eight different clubs that in the last year have enquired about Alex Scott. There is a realistic possibility that they move on a fantastic player who I think could in the future be very big and consistent in the Premier League.”

This has been echoed by his manager Nigel Pearson, who added: “I believe Alex will play for England one day. I thought that when I first saw him in a training session and nothing since has changed my mind.”

Clearly, he is brimming with wondrous versatility and limitless potential, possessing the ability that could fill the impending void about to be left by Declan Rice.

After guiding the Irons to the Europa Conference League victory, the club captain is set to depart the London Stadium, with Arsenal reportedly due to make a third bid for the midfielder.

The former Chelsea academy player is of inexplicable importance to David Moyes, as he ranks within the top 20% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes, progressive carries, and interceptions per 90.

His ability to recover the ball, protect the backline, and progress the ball forward are all attributes that Scott has in abundance, and his arrival would herald a new, exciting era in East London, whilst softening Rice’s exit.

Indeed, when compared to positional peers in the next eight best leagues, Scott ranks in the top 12% for progressive carries to highlight his effervescent ball-carrying nature.

Described as “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola, the prodigy has proven he is simply far too superior for the Championship and is ready for top-flight action, perhaps in place of Rice at West Ham.

Potential new Manchester United owner Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has been handed a transfer boost as he looks to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

What’s the latest Man United news involving Jassim and Mbappe?

Jassim has been interested in taking control from the Glazers for months now and has placed five Old Trafford offers, with the last being a take-it-or-leave-it bid. Should the Qatar group prove successful, Jassim would clear all of United’s debt and have a separate fund for the club and local community.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Group are the other main party in the race to purchase Manchester United, with both bidders yet to find out if their takeover attempts have been successful.

However, should Jassim come out on top, it appears as if he has an immediate transfer plan to win United supporters over. Reports have claimed that Jassim feels that Mbappe “belongs at Man United” and is planning a sensational transfer move for the star forward.

PSG would look to sell Mbappe if he doesn’t extend his stay at the Parc de Princes stay over the coming months and value the player at £170m.

Now, The Mirror have shared a further positive update on Mbappe and a potential move to Man United, saying:

“Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to sell Kylian Mbappe to Manchester United this summer should the Qatari-backed Sheikh Jassim takeover bid at Old Trafford prove successful.”

Is Kylian Mbappe signing for Manchester United?

Mbappe making the move to the red side of Manchester would be a huge deal and one that could take Erik ten Hag’s side to the next level.

The £893,000-a-week forward has scored a whopping 212 goals in 260 games for PSG and already has 38 goals in 68 games for France.

Still just 24 years of age, the World Cup winner netted 41 times in all competitions last season, with United scoring 58 goals in the Premier League, the fewest out of the top seven sides.

You can see how Mbappe would fit into this United side and possibly star in England, however, a lot still needs to happen before we can think about a transfer.

A deal needs to be struck between the Glazers and Jassim, and with Mike Keegan claiming it could take eight to 12 weeks for an approval process, meaning that the Glazers may remain in control at the start of next season, so a transfer could be tricky.

West Ham lead to the race to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes this summer, but face competition for his signature from other Premier League clubs, as per Matt Law of The Telegraph.

The fire sale has begun at the Kingpower Stadium after their disastrous season ended in relegation to the Championship, and a host of Premier League clubs have lined up to attempt to sign some of the club’s best assets this summer.

West Ham transfer news – Harvey Barnes

It is set to be a busy summer at the London Stadium after West Ham owner David Sullivan confirmed that Declan Rice would be leaving West Ham during this transfer window.

According to Sam Dean and Law, the Hammers have priced Declan Rice at £92m.

Bayern Munich and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Rice, but Arsenal are currently leading the race to sign the Europa Conference League-winning captain.

West Ham aim to spend the windfall from Rice’s transfer to acquire English winger Harvey Barnes, according to the aforementioned report.

The Irons will face Premier League competition in the fight to sign Barnes, with Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United all expected to make a run at the 25-year-old.

It is believed that the Foxes currently value Barnes at £40m, but West Ham are likely to start the bidding at around £30m.

Should West Ham sign Harvey Barnes?

Since joining the Midlands outfit from Barnsley in 2018, Barnes has been an important piece in the side – as per Transfermarkt, he has notched 45 goals and 32 appearances in 187 appearances, primarily from a left-wing position.

The tricky winger, who has one cap for England, was a key member of the Leicester side that won the FA Cup in 2021, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Michael Cox of The Athletic once stated that Barnes’ game 'is almost solely based around the simplest concept in football: the give and go', arguing the Burnley native’s style is simple and direct, but effective.

Barnes, who Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp once hailed as an "unbelievable player," loves playing one-two passes with his inside forward, and this play style could work wonders in a David Moyes system where the striker often has his back to goal holding up play.

The speed of the player is also one of his greatest strengths.

His top speed of 35.44km/h ranked sixth of all Premier League midfielders last year, and this electric pace would surely be a significant upgrade on the left wing for West Ham over Said Benrahma.

After sealing promotion to the Premier League with plenty of time to spare, Burnley must now compile a squad strong enough to remain in the division.

A new full-back is said to be on Vincent Kompany's list of targets, with The Sun reporting that he may just get a helping hand from Manchester City in a possible transfer merry-go-round.

City are said to be interested in signing Raphael Guerreiro, who is out of contract at Borussia Dortmund this summer, which would pave the way for Sergio Gomez to depart for Burnley.

Who are Burnley looking to sign?

Burnley have been linked with a whole array of players since earning promotion nearly two months ago, including the likes of Cody Drameh, Jack Clarke, Habib Diallo and now Gomez.

Having completely transformed the club's style of play since taking charge 12 months ago, Kompany has also shown he can spot a talent when he sees one.

Indeed, from the £11m earned from Nick Pope's sale to Newcastle United, the Clarets recruited seven players in his place who played their part in a sensational campaign.

Kompany has put his City links to good use, too, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis coming in on loan last season – and possibly staying on this term – and CJ Egan-Riley arriving permanently.

Furthermore, Kompany managed Gomez during their time at Anderlecht, so it is a transfer that would make sense in more ways than one.

How has Gomez performed at Man City?

After being brought to the Etihad Stadium from Anderlecht for a fee of £11m, Gomez has frustratingly been restricted to just ten starts in all competitions this season, only two of those in the Premier League.

In classic Pep Guardiola fashion, the £50k-per-week earner has showcased his versatility across those matches by appearing at left-back six times, as per WhoScored, as well in a left-sided forward role and central midfield.

It is that ability to play comfortably not just at full-back but also further forward, even in a central position, that led to Guardiola hailing Gomez as a "perfect" player for City and likening him to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has continued to show his versatility at Arsenal.

It would be fair to say Gomez has not exactly had a proper chance to demonstrate his talents at City, reflected by his solitary assist and no goals across 23 appearances, the vast majority of those from the substitutes' bench.

But it was the six goals and 13 assists Gomez managed in 26 games for Anderlecht in 2021-22, and his seven direct goal involvements for Spain at U21 level, that persuaded City to splash out an eight-figure sum.

Described as a "full-back, playmaker, king of assists and winger" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old – who has also previously represented Barcelona B and Borussia Dortmund – will no doubt be eager for more regular football in order to hit something close to those figures again.

It is at Burnley under Pep protégée Kompany that his chance to truly shine in English football may arrive.

Tottenham Hotspur could be looking to replace Lucas Moura with a big upgrade this summer, if recent reports are to be believed.

According to 90min, the north London outfit had scouts in attendance for Villarreal’s two-legged Champions League semi-final clash with Liverpool. It’s thought that they were taking a closer look at centre-back Pau Torres and winger Arnaut Danjuma.

The Yellow Submarines were defeated 5-2 on aggregate with the former featuring in both fixtures, and the latter only playing the first leg, missing the second through injury.

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After leaving Championship side AFC Bournemouth for Unai Emery’s side in a €25m (£21.4m) deal the summer, the six-time Netherlands international has enjoyed a standout campaign across both domestic and European competitions.

As per Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old has delivered a whopping 16 goals and four assists, which included goals as a centre-forward against Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Granada, where he bagged a hat-trick.

Danjuma has been one of Villarreal’s best-performing and most consistent stars, ranking fifth (LaLiga) and second (UCL) overall for average rating, whilst no player has found the net more times.

Currently valued at £45m, the enigmatic dynamo wouldn’t come cheap but he’d be a massive upgrade on the out-of-sorts Moura, that’s for sure.

The Brazilian winger has been usurped by Dejan Kulusevski in the pecking order under Antonio Conte, hardly a surprise given his poor returns of two goals and five assists in 31 league appearances.

Danjuma outranks the long-serving Spurs star in pretty much every attacking metric, as per FBRef.

In terms of shooting output, the Yellow Submarines sensation is managing 1.26 shots on target per 90, in comparison to Moura’s 0.83, whilst for expected goals and assists (excluding penalty kicks) sees the former Cherries man sit on 0.57 per 90, compared to the 0.35 put up by the Spurs ace.

Danjuma also manages 1.88 carries into the 18-yard box, way clear of Moura’s 0.84, on top of attempting more dribbles and receiving more progressive passes in the final third, also via FBRef.

Lauded as an “exceptional talent” by EFL pundit Clinton Morrison and “unbelievable” by former manager Jonathan Woodgate, it’s evident that Conte could secure a major upgrade on Moura with a swoop to bring Danjuma back to England.

Fabio Paratici and co must look to get this done during the off-season.

AND in other news, Paratici bargain: Spurs plot bid for “extraordinary” £45m titan, imagine him & Romero…

Donny van de Beek now ‘isn’t’ available for Everton when they play Leicester City away from home in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Team news

As shared by The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland, Ben Godfrey has still not recovered from his injury, but will be back in training next week.

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However, Andre Gomes is back and available, and Richarlison should be fine after a sore ankle.

The Latest: No van de Beek

Unfortunately for the Goodison Park faithful, van de Beek ‘isn’t’ available for the game, as per Boyland.

The Manchester United loanee has not played since March, and continues to watch on from the sidelines.

The Verdict: Blow

It certainly is a blow for Frank Lampard and his team to be without van de Beek once more.

The Netherlands international ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles and passes per game in the Premier League, while his 84.9% pass accuracy is the highest out of any Blues player to have played in five or more matches in the division (WhoScored).

The Toffees have had an absolutely abysmal record away from home this campaign, and they will certainly miss van de Beek’s calming influence on the ball when they travel down to the King Power Stadium, in the hope of getting another big result.

In other news, find out what ‘serious upgrade’ EFC are now eyeing here!