All posts by z3u9t.icu

Many Everton fans have been buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Gylfi Sigurdsson.

As per football journalist and transfer guru Ekrem Konur, Al Hilal are set to make an offer worth €10m (£8.6m) to the Toffees to sign the Iceland international. He claims that the Merseyside club would probably accept that offer, but it is up to the player whether he wants to move.

Sigurdsson did not have his best season in 2020/21, often heavily criticised by Toffees supporters for some of his displays, as he managed just six goals and five assists in 36 Premier League games (Transfermarkt) – for an attacking midfield player on set pieces, you should be expecting better.

At 31 years of age, it may be the right time for the Blues to cash in on him in the summer window.

Everton fans on Sigurdsson transfer update

These Everton fans registered their delight as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“I’d snatch their hand off”

Credit: @willwallace1878

“Things are looking up”

Credit: @Hugodrax0077

“Take it. All day long.”

Credit: @EFCNovaScotia

“At last some good Everton news”

Credit: @Poggymac87

“I’ll take him there no problem! Can’t believe some of our fans don’t want to sell him! Absolutely sucks the life out of every game”

Credit: @billyking17

“Best news ever”

Credit: @fifasavedmylife

In other news, find out what manager update has been slammed by these Toffees

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has won six of his first seven matches in charge of the Ibrox giants and is yet to taste defeat.

The ex-Feyenoord boss came in after the 3-1 loss to Hibernian in the League Cup and has gone on to win all five of his Premiership outings, whilst winning one and drawing one in the group stages of the Europa League.

They now play host to Dundee United in Glasgow as they look to extend that run, having beaten St Johnstone 2-0 in midweek.

Key issue

One change that could be enforced upon the head coach is axing Borna Barisic from the XI. Van Bronckhorst provided an update on the defender after the win on Wednesday, saying:

“He’s okay. He was just not feeling well. He’s not injured.”

Whilst he did not pick up a physical knock during the match, the news that he was feeling unwell is concerning ahead of this weekend. There is no need for the Gers to make him play through poor health, assuming he is still not 100% at the moment, and that means that he could be taken out of the team to give him a rest ahead of Christmas.

Van Bronckhorst could solve this key issue by unleashing the player who replaced him against St Johnstone. He was withdrawn from the match in the 79th minute and right-back Nathan Patterson came on to see out the game in an unnatural position. However, he was quickly able to adapt to his surroundings and won all three of his ground duels during his cameo, whilst completing 89% of his passes and making three tackles.

Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor previously lauded the young defender whilst on international duty with him for Scotland, saying:

“He’s been absolutely first class. You can tell he’s a real talent – even from the first day he trained with us in the summer.

“You could see his quality, his athleticism. And it’s great to see him make such a big impact, getting off the mark with a goal. He needs to just keep his head down and keep working hard. Other experienced boys will keep him on the right track, keep him honest.”

Patterson, who Che Adams once dubbed as “amazing”, scored and provided an assist in his last outing for Scotland as they beat Moldova 2-0 in a World Cup Qualifier. He also has one assist in five Premiership appearances, having started once, this season – showing off the attacking threat he can provide from full-back.

The £4.9k-per-week gem could, therefore, be an ideal choice to come in and replace Barisic at left-back for a game if he is not well enough to start. He showed great promise with his cameo in the week and he has proven his quality at right-back in his aforementioned games for club and country, which is why van Bronckhorst must unleash him this weekend.

AND in other news, 86% duels won: Rangers beast who made 5 tackles vs St Johnstone surely had Gio purring…

Transfer insider Dean Jones has expressed his shock whilst sharing what he knows as some Tottenham Hotspur transfer news comes out of N17 involving Leicester City star James Maddison.

The lowdown: Spurs linked

This comes following reports linking Spurs with a move for the 25-year-old when the market reopens at the end of the season.

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As manager Antonio Conte and recruitment chief Fabio Paratici attempt to strengthen the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, speculation is going to be rife with multiple names linked with a move to north London.

However, it would appear that Maddison is unlikely to be making the move anytime soon…

The latest: Jones rules out Spurs switch

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones was quick to dismiss the idea of the English attacking midfielder joining the Lilywhites, whilst also expressing his surprise at the development.

He explained:

“I don’t really know where that one’s come from, it seems a bit left-field that report.

“I’ve texted two people, and they basically said there’s no chance that Tottenham are going to sign James Maddison. So, it’s pretty much as we would expect.”

The verdict: An early blow

Although the deal was far from at an advanced stage, adding a player of Maddison’s quality to the Tottenham ranks was an exciting proposition.

So far this season the once-capped England ace has scored 14 times and provided nine assists in 45 appearances across all competitions and would’ve provided much-needed creativity to an otherwise workmanlike midfield department.

Should the interest in Maddison indeed be fanciful, Spurs supporters may be hoping Paratici and Conte have a signing of a similar ilk lined up.

In other news: Tottenham ‘insider’ urges club to target Premier League striker,  find out more here.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time as Manchester United manager must surely be coming to an end.

The Norwegian is famed for scoring a goal that won them a European cup final but that counts for very little in 2021.

His side are sinking and now regularly find themselves on the end of an embarrassing result. They were battered by Liverpool in a 5-0 thrashing and then lost to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime.

They have also been a topsy-turvy side in the Champions League where Cristiano Ronaldo has regularly popped up with late goals but even he is finding it difficult to keep the Norwegian in his job.

What’s the word?

With Solskjaer’s job severely under pressure at Old Trafford, United should be looking towards replacements.

Zinedine Zidane and Ralf Rangnick are two coaches who have been linked with the role but there is another name that the Manchester club may look towards.

That’s according to The Express who claim the board already know who their next manager is.

That happens to be PSG boss, Mauricio Pochettino, somebody the Glazers and co have had their sights on for a good few years now.

Number one option

Bringing Pochettino back to the Premier League would be a hard task but it’s one that United must follow through with.

After all, the Argentine simply has to be their number one option if they do decide to sack Solskjaer in the coming weeks.

He massively overachieved with Spurs, accomplishing something that his successor and many of his predecessors failed to do. They reached a Champions League final as the 49-year-old guided his team to runners-up medals in the 2018/19 campaign after a stellar run.

Pochettino did eventually receive the sack but his qualities and reputation extend way beyond that moment. He is capable of ensuring his players produce eye-catching attacking football, while he’s also phenomenal at developing young players.

It was under the current PSG boss that Harry Kane really became a star, while he also helped the likes of Dele Alli and Heung-min Son become genuine attacking threats too.

Dele’s form has since dropped off remarkably, though, perhaps indicating the type of impact Poch had in north London.

What made his impact at Spurs even better was the lack of funds available to him. That wouldn’t be an issue at Old Trafford, however, which begs the question of what he could do when given more finances.

Crucially, he’s also got the vote of confidence from Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who clearly still has a lot of influence at United.

Speaking about him back in 2016, Ferguson described Pochettino as “fantastic.” A short anecdote from Tottenham MP David Lammy tells you what the former Man United boss really thinks of him though.

Talking six years ago, he commented: “I’m going to let you into a secret. About six weeks ago, I sat next to Sir Alex Ferguson at a dinner in support of grassroots football abroad. He said to me, ‘I think you guys have got the best manager in the Premier League.’ Alex Ferguson said that.”

With that in mind, there is surely no better head coach to appoint at Old Trafford. It’s time to say goodbye to Solskjaer, and hello to Pochettino.

AND in other news, Forget OGS: Man Utd can discover their own Klopp by hiring “professor” with 6 honours…

Newcastle United are interested in signing Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi this summer, according to German football journalist Christian Falk.

What’s the story?

According to Falk, Newcastle, as well as West Ham and Southampton, are interested in signing the 24-year-old this summer with the Nigerian having a release clause of €30m (£25m).

Awoniyi has scored 23 goals in 61 matches for the Bundesliga outfit, at a rate of once every 176 minutes, since making his loan move from Liverpool permanent last summer.

However, this term has been particularly prolific for the 24-year-old, netting 18 times and registering four assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.

The striker has been a serious contributor to the club from the capital side’s recent rise, with Union playing in the Europa Conference League this term and sat currently sixth in the Bundesliga, and could return to England this summer.

Howe will love Awoniyi

It’s no secret that a new striker will be high up the priority list ahead of the summer transfer window for Newcastle United with it being the first since PIF’s takeover of the North East club in October.

£25m January signing Chris Wood has found the back of the net just twice since joining from Burnley whilst Callum Wilson has been sidelined since December with hope that the Englishman will play again this term.

However, neither are long term options with both strikers aged 30.

Having failed to make it into the first-team picture at Liverpool, Awonyi will certainly be keen to make the move to a Premier League club to show English supporters what he’s capable of and potentially what the Reds missed out on.

Although, with Union Berlin on course for another season in Europe, West Ham may be the forward’s preference out of the aforementioned trio if the Hammers can once again qualify for Europe.

The Nigerian who journalist Lolade Adewuyi dubbed a “unicorn” has endured a plethora of loan spells during his career thus far, and was subject to serious praise when on loan at Belgian outfit Royal Excel Mouscron in 2019, with then-teammate Mergim Vojvoda saying: “He should stay his entire life here. We have to offer him a 20-year contract.

“He’s an excellent player with great qualities. If you ask me, it didn’t work with Gent because he was always in the box. Taiwo is a forward who needs to showcase his power and sometimes come deep to find the ball.”

Eddie Howe will need to add higher quality strikers to his ranks this summer and Awoniyi could certainly prove to be a shrewd purchase.

AND in other news: Howe and PIF are now heading for their first big NUFC error, it would be a disaster

Former Celtic striker Jorge Cadete believes that the Hoops could end up landing loanee Jota in a cut-price transfer, as reported by The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Jota clause

Ange Postecoglou made three signings on deadline day over the summer, one of which was Jota, who shares the same agency as Cristiano Ronaldo. He arrived from Benfica on a season-long loan with an option to buy, with the fee required to make a move permanent thought to be just over £6m.

The 22-year-old has been a regular in green and white in recent weeks, scoring the winner against Aberdeen prior to the international break.

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The Latest: Cadete’s comments

In a report from The Daily Record, Cadete had his say on whether or not Celtic will make a permanent move for Jota, hinting that the reported fee could well drop over the coming months for the ‘exciting’ winger. The 53-year-old said:

“It’s too early to talk about the value of Jota if Celtic want to buy him. It’s normal for clubs when they loan a young player abroad, they fix the buy clause at a high price.

“Jota has been mentioned at six or seven million Euros.

“But after the season, this figure is normally not the same as it was before. It might well be lower than that by then.

“I’d like Jota to stay at Celtic in the long-term because I think it can be good for both parties. The Celtic supporters have an exciting player so it keeps them happy.”

The Verdict: Looking good so far…

Postecoglou has used Jota on a regular basis over recent weeks, with the majority of his starts coming from the left wing.

The 22-year-old also showed his versatility by playing off the right against Real Betis, and at £6m in today’s market, a permanent deal for that figure could prove to be a snip.

The Hoops have had a habit of making profits on players over the past decade, most notably Moussa Dembele, so maybe Jota could be the next in line to reap Celtic an eye-catching profit in the future if a clause of £6m or less is activated.

In other news: Sky Sports pundit thinks Celtic may land seven-figure fee as transfer news emerges

Legia Warsaw right-back Josip Juranovic is keen on a move to Celtic Park, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Right-back issues in the market

Celtic have made seven signings this summer, however, they are yet to add to their right-back ranks.

Anthony Ralston has been the man used in that position by Ange Postecoglou, scoring twice in his first five games of the season.

It appeared as if Royal Antwerp’s Aurelio Buta would be the right-back to arrive in Glasgow, with a £3m deal reportedly agreed at the end of July.

However, a move is yet to go through, with Everton now in the race for the Portuguese defender.

The Latest: Juranovic update

Sky Sports shared an on-air transfer claim regarding Celtic and Juranovic towards the end of July.

They have now provided an update on a potential move, claiming the title-winning full-back is keen to join the Hoops.

The report claims that Juranovic is expected to be Celtic’s next target after Buta and would be available for around £2.5m.

The Verdict: Sign

Even though Ralston has begun the campaign in strong style, a new right-back is needed to bolster Postecoglou’s options in that area.

Juranovic is a Croatia international who has over 200 games of senior experience at just 25 years of age, a level of experience far beyond Ralston.

He can also play as a right-midfielder and appears to be at the top of his game with a career high Transfermarkt valuation of £2.25m, so a £2.5m move could be a shrewd piece of business by the Hoops.

In other news: Celtic submit offer to sign 6 ft 3 powerhouse for Ange, claims journalist. 

A key update has emerged on Rangers left-back Borna Barisic, regarding interest from English outfit Aston Villa…

What’s the talk?

Club media partner Heart & Hand Podcast has claimed that they have been told that there has been no contact between the two clubs at this stage.

Barisic has been linked with a switch to the Midlands, but the Gers insider has called any reports claiming that talks have been held are false.

They Tweeted: “Asked and been told there has been no contact between Rangers and Villa about Barisic. Any reports to the contrary are false.”

Delight

This update will surely delight Rangers fans as it suggests that there is no serious interest from the Premier League side at this stage. There is less than a month to go until the transfer window opens and you can forgive supporters for being concerned that Steven Gerrard may want to come back and raid his former club.

Whilst this claim from Heart & Hand does not entirely rule out the possibility of the Croatian international departing next month, it does show that nothing is in the works right now and there is no need to worry about his future at Ibrox for the moment.

Supporters would be delighted by him staying in Glasgow as he is a crucial player for the club and his exit would be a huge blow for Gio van Bronckhorst. He has proven his quality in Scotland over the last few years, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.28 this season after achieving a score of 7.40 last term.

Barisic has won an impressive 61% of his duels this season whilst also creating 2.0 chances per game and making 2.1 tackles and interceptions. This shows that he is able to merge solid defending with quality on the ball to progress the play from left-back, which is why fans would be gutted by his departure and will be delighted by this update on the lack of concrete interest in his services.

Hopefully, Villa will look elsewhere to strengthen their squad instead of raiding Rangers and Barisic will remain at Ibrox in the long term. His statistics show how important he is to the club moving forward and how difficult it would be to replace him in the transfer window, providing another reason for why the fanbase will be buzzing by this news.

AND in other news, 180 duels won: Wilson sealed masterclass with “important” £14k-p/w Rangers colossus…

PIF completed their takeover of Newcastle United last month to bring Mike Ashley’s 14-year reign on Tyneside to an end.

Ashley left St James’ Park after years of mediocrity on the pitch, with only one season of finishing higher than 10th in the Premier League in that time and 10 bottom-half finishes.

Ashley’s legacy

The lack of quality work in the transfer market was one of the factors behind these lacklustre seasons, with Ashley leaving behind a legacy of poor recruits for PIF to come in and clear up. One of those was the addition of Miguel Almiron in 2019.

The Paraguayan joined the Tyneside club from MLS outfit Atlanta United for a reported £21m fee in January 2019, which was a club-record deal at the time.

In 103 matches for the Magpies, he has scored 13 goals and produced five assists, which works out at one goal contribution every 5.7 games for the club. In the Premier League, he has eight goals and three assists in 91 games, averaging out at a goal contribution every 8.27 games. This is a poor return for a player who came in as an attacking midfielder for a club-record fee and it typifies the recruitment that Ashley oversaw in his tenure at Newcastle.

The midfielder also came out in March and publicly stated he would like to play for a team which ‘fights more’. Former Premier League player Carlton Palmer reacted to those comments by claiming that Almiron would create problems in the dressing room, telling Football FanCast:

“If I was Steve Bruce, I would be absolutely annoyed and angry. There’s too much, there’s too much coming out of Newcastle at the moment. I mean, the manager’s had a flare-up with one of the players, which is an everyday occurrence at football clubs up and down the country.

“Whether it’s between player and player or between player and manager, whether it’s a big player and a coach, there’s always a disagreement, but why that gets into the public domain… Him making that comment now is going to create more problems within the dressing room because players are going to turn around and say, ‘well you’re accusing me of not fighting then for the club?’”

This suggests that the 27-year-old is causing problems on and off the pitch with his displays and his comments, which is why he has been a disaster of a signing for the club.

At the time of writing (29/11/21), Transfermarkt value him at £15.75m. This is considerably less than the £21m that Newcastle paid for him and shows that he has gone downhill since arriving in England, rather than impressing and increasing his value by putting in strong performances. Therefore, the Magpies had a bit of a howler with his arrival from the MLS in 2019…

AND in other news, Howe could save NUFC’s season with “beautiful” 27-goal beast, he loves St James’ Park…

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma is not an unrealistic target for Wolves, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Midlands club recently had a proposal knocked back by the player, according to Julien Maynard of Telefoot, as they look to strengthen their backline.

Zouma made 36 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season, featuring five times in the Blues’ successful Champions League campaign.

The 6 ft 3 Frenchman is quite clearly capable of playing at a very high level, explaining why Tottenham and Jose Mourinho, now manager of AS Roma, are also interested in him.

Even so, Hatfield does not believe Zouma is the kind of player who is out of reach for Wolves. On the club’s interest, he told FFC:

“If Wolves want to carry on improving after a season which was, you know, pretty poor in their respects, it’d be a really good signing – particularly if they’re going to a four at the back.

“I don’t think it’s an unrealistic target. In the same respect, I think there’ll be a fair few teams after him, so it could be a bit of a battle if he is up for sale.”

From Zouma’s perspective, joining a Premier League side like Wolves does not sound like the worst idea.

The £28.8m-rated France international lost his starting place at Chelsea following Thomas Tuchel’s appointment, so he probably will not have a big role at the west London club this season if he does remain there.

Furthermore, if Wolves come back in again, perhaps he should give their proposal some serious consideration.