All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Sheffield United have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Matt Clarke to Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by John Percy, with The Telegraph journalist revealing on Twitter that the Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back is set to join West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan deal.

It had been previously reported that the Blades were keeping a close eye on the situation of the defender ahead of a potential swoop in the summer transfer window, however, it now very much seems as if Slavisa Jokanovic’s side have missed the boat regarding a deal for the 24-year-old.

Jokanovic will be fuming

With Jack O’Connell looking in real danger of missing next season after undergoing knee surgery, in addition to the future of Kean Bryan appearing incredibly uncertain at present, the fact that Sheffield United now also look set to miss out on a deal for Clarke is sure to have Jokanovic fuming.

Indeed, having highly impressed during a loan spell at Derby County last season, the Brighton defender would have made a fine addition to the 52-year-old’s options in the centre of defence in the Blades’ upcoming Championship campaign.

Over his 42 Championship fixtures for Wayne Rooney’s side last term, the man Graham Potter dubbed a “quality” player helped his team keep 12 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 4.3 clearances and winning an incredible 8.1 duels per game.

These returns saw the £21k-per-week defender earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as the Rams’ third-best player in the division, an impressive feat considering his side finished the season just one place above the relegation zone.

As such, with the Serbian manager thought to be hoping to reshape his defensive options this summer, Clarke appears to be a player who would have certainly improved the United backline.

However, with West Brom now looking in pole position for the 24-year-old’s signature, Jokanovic will have to turn his focus in the transfer window elsewhere.

In other news: Jokanovic drops hint on “outstanding” 23 y/o dynamo, Sheff Utd fans surely buzzing

Celtic have now been linked with a move for HNK Gorica winger Kristijan Lovric, according to Croatian football expert Richard Wilson.

The Lowdown: Abada deal confirmed

The Hoops made their first big-money signing under new boss Ange Postecoglou on Wednesday evening.

Liel Abada put pen to paper on a five-year deal at Parkhead, with the 19-year-old winger costing the Hoops around €4m.

The winger left Maccabi Petah Tikva to move to Scotland, and it now seems as if Celtic have set their sights on another wide addition.

The Latest: Lovric rumours

Lovric is 25 years of age and is predominantly a left-winger. He’s scored 44 goals in 96 appearances for his current employers.

According to Wilson, a podcaster and writer on football in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, Celtic have spoken over a deal for Lovric and are willing to pay £5m for his services.

He posted this on Twitter on Thursday morning.

“Celtic have spoken via intermediaries re a deal for Kristijan Lovric (that’s been on the cards for ages) but have expressly stated the basis that they will pay £5m (£1m above the asking price) if Gorica will hang on to see if Celtic advance in Europe and afford that”

The Verdict: Exciting times

Lovric, who has one senior cap for Croatia to his name, appears to be a more experienced attacking target.

All of Celtic’s summer signings so far have been 21 years of age or younger, so bringing in Lovric could add some experience to the Hoops’ attacking ranks.

He’s made 124 club appearances during his career and nearly averages a goal every other game.

If Celtic can sign him for £5m, it could turn out to be a shrewd piece of business, especially as his Transfermarkt valuation stands above that at £5.4m – a career-high and he still has two years remaining on his current contract.

In other news: Celtic source claims move for ‘effortless’ free agent is now ‘done’. 

The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser reckons that Joe Rodon should be given more of a chance to impress at Tottenham next season.

Rodon made the surprise switch from Swansea City on Deadline Day last October, but never appeared as a regular first-choice option under Jose Mourinho last term despite those ahead of him not performing.

Both Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez, guilty of some dreadful mistakes, were regularly picked by the former Spurs boss, leaving Rodon to watch on from the bench and even the stands at times.

Rodon ended up making 15 appearances in all competitions, although that did include starts against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

He ended up playing just one minute under Ryan Mason, but having caught the eye at the Euros, the Welshman could play a big part for Nuno Espirito Santo in 2021-2022, especially with Dier and Sanchez on the transfer list, and Toby Alderweireld expresseing his desire to leave north London.

Rosser told Football FanCast that more regular game-time could see the 23-year-old develop into a great centre-back:

“They’ve also got Joe Rodon, who was impressive in flashes last season, and I think with a run in the team could be a good centre-back.

“He was one of the best players in the Championship the year before they signed him, but he hasn’t really been given the chance to kick on. So, if you can get in a couple around him.”

Matt Woosnam has revealed Everton are targeting squad players rather than first-team regulars to ensure they do not break Financial Fair Play guidelines.

Andros Townsend became Rafa Benitez’s first signing since taking over as the Toffees’ boss as the winger joined following the expiry of his Crystal Palace contract earlier this week.

The former Newcastle United man’s arrival was quickly followed by Asmir Begovic making the switch from Championship side Bournemouth, with the goalkeeper providing competition for England international Jordan Pickford by penning an initial one-year deal.

Ex-Leicester City winger Demarai Gray has also sealed his return to England, following a six-month spell with Bayer Leverkusen, by completing a £1.7million transfer to Goodison Park.

The Toffees have freed up some funds by not offering Joshua King, Theo Walcott, Muhamed Besic and Yannick Bolasie contract renewals.

Woosnam, of The Athletic, believes Everton are having to be shrewd in the transfer market to make sure they do not break regulations.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “When you look at the signings they’re making, they’re very much squad players because they’re probably quite close to the brink of Financial Fair Play and the wage cap.

“Because of that, they’re looking at players who can still contribute at that level but you wouldn’t necessarily want to play them every week and they probably haven’t got the legs or ability to play every week in the Premier League anymore.”

West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen are both interested in signing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, according to The Athletic‘s James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Phillips superb for Reds

The 24-year-old became an unlikely hero for the Reds last season, filling in admirably in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

Phillips produced some dominant performances at the heart of the defence, getting every ounce out of his ability and helping Liverpool finish third in the Premier League.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The Latest: Two clubs keen on move

Phillips has been linked with a number of clubs this summer, with Jurgen Klopp potentially letting him leave during the current transfer window.

According to Pearce, West Ham and Leverkusen are also now in the mix alongside the likes of Brighton, Burnley and Newcaslte, in the race to sign the Englishman, who Klopp hailed as ‘absolutely insane’ last season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-8/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Right time to sell

While the idea of selling Phillips may baffle some, it could be argued that his stock will never be greater than at this current point.

For that reason, receiving a hefty amount for his services would be beneficial, especially with Ibrahima Konate arriving to provide even more centre-back competition.

It could be that Phillips ultimately isn’t good enough for Liverpool, despite doing such a good job last season, with a lower-ranked team his level moving forward, so if a suitable bid is made, The Reds should cash in on the big Englishman.

In other news, one Liverpool player has been linked with a move away this summer. Find out who it is here.

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon has admitted he is ‘expecting’ Celtic to make ‘panic moves soon’ when it comes to transfers.

The Lowdown: Plenty of rumours

Ange Postecoglou has made three big-money signings so far this summer in Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi and Carl Starfelt.

There have been plenty of rumours since those three deals went through, with right-backs Aurelio Buta and Josip Juranovic and goalkeepers Joe Hart and Ben Foster linked with a move to Parkhead. There have also been rumours in France to forwards Diego Costa and Jean-Kevin Augustin.

However, Starfelt remains Celtic’s latest addition, with that transfer going through nine days ago.

Since then, the Hoops have been knocked out of the Champions League, and Nixon didn’t exactly have good news for Celtic supporters.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-11/” title=”Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Nixon’s post

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, was asked by a Celtic fan if the Hoops were close to any signings on Thursday afternoon.

He replied, admitting he has ‘not heard anything’ – a worrying three-word update.

“Not heard anything … but expecting panic moves soon.”

The Verdict: Not ideal…

With Nixon not hearing of any potential Celtic incomings, it appears to be a worrying time in Glasgow.

The Hoops get their Scottish Premiership campaign underway on Saturday evening and, to take right-back, for instance, Postecoglou has two inexperienced players in Anthony Ralston and Lee O’Connor to choose from against Hearts.

Postecoglou has also used two different ‘keepers in Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain in his two competitive games, so a new shot-stopper appears needed as well.

However, it seems as if Celtic fans will have to wait even longer for any more additions.

In other news: ‘Also…’ – Sky Sports drop live TV claim revealing £33k-p/w Celtic target; he loves Parkhead. 

Leeds United will not pay £35m for Bournemouth winger Arnaut Danjuma, says Joe Wainman, formerly of All Leeds TV.

Back in June, Danjuma told Dutch outlet Voetbal International that Leeds were a “bigger institution than Bournemouth” and joining them would be a “nice step” in his career.

The 24-year-old Dutchman really impressed in the Championship last season. He scored 17 goals, provided seven assists and recorded an average of 1.8 dribbles per game (per WhoScored).

Could Danjuma be a good addition then for Leeds? Based on that, perhaps. But with a report from the print edition of The Sun (via the Mirror) claiming that Bournemouth have slapped a whopping £35m price tag on the player’s head, it is a deal Wainman cannot see happening.

“For £35m, not a chance,” Wainman said in a chat with TT. “I think if Bournemouth are holding out for that, then they’re going to be holding out for a long time because Leeds United probably won’t pay £35m for a player in this window and definitely not for Danjuma.”

Indeed, it is one that is hard to imagine happening. £35m for a player in English football’s second tier, who did not make much of an impact during his last stint in the top flight, is madness really.

He did have his injury problems that season, but whatever the case, Danjuma does not look like a £35m player yet.

West Ham boss David Moyes is very much behind all of the club’s summer transfer business, according to a reliable club insider…

What’s the word?

ExWHUemployee delivered an exciting claim during a recent episode of his ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, where he revealed that the 58-year-old is a major part of all negotiations.

“I think the fans will like this,” he said.

“David Moyes has said that any negotiations with the likes of Will Salthouse, he wants to be directly involved. He wants no negotiations with agents to go on without him having some say in it, which I admire and I think is definitely the right thing to happen.”

A positive sign

This is another hugely encouraging sign that the Irons are becoming a very differently run outfit.

During an interview with the Daily Mail last year, Moyes delivered a warning to the club’s owners, GSB, that they were far behind their rivals in the recruitment department.

“We have a small recruitment department and that has to be addressed because that is not the situation at any other club,” he claimed. “We have to put that in place. We have to have a professional ethic about how we go about our business.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-much-more-3” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

However, since the end of last season, things have started to change, with the Scot being trusted to build his own scouting and recruitment network, in which he has hired his own son, David Moyes Jnr.

In the past, the Hammers have had some calamitous sporting directors like Mario Hussilos, who has been responsible for signings like Felipe Anderson and Sebastien Haller, whilst there has often been a reliance on GSB’s preferred agents, including clientele, who has a plethora of clientele at the London Stadium.

His agency, Unique Sports Management, has Said Benrahma, Michail Antonio, Aaron Cresswell, Ryan. Fredericks and Darren Randolph on the books, so evidently there has been some questionable decision-making.

But now, it seems as if Moyes has been trusted with complete control and this should give West Ham a massive boost from here on out. And as Ex says, it will leave fans absolutely buzzing.

The 58-year-old signed a three-year contract extension in the summer and has been rewarded with actions on his demands.

With the Irons closing in on the signing of Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina, it’s surely a matter of time before Moyes lands his next target, another player he will have undoubtedly asked for personally.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee reveals exciting West Ham transfer twist, fans will surely be buzzing…

Glasgow Rangers fans are not too happy with the news coming out that the club have rejected several bids for Ianis Hagi.

Hagi made the move to Ibrox in January 2020, initially on loan, and has done extremely well since making that switch despite some patchy periods of form.

In 61 matches in all competitions, he has scored 13 goals and provided 18 assists (Transfermarkt), helping the Ibrox outfit win their 55th league title in their history last term. However, he has come in for criticism in the past for some of his performances.

This term, though, the £5.85m-valued 22-year-old (Transfermarkt) has started fantastically, scoring twice in three games.

According to SporX, that kind of ability has attracted bids of €7m (£6m) from both Sevilla and Lazio, which were swiftly rejected, while Galatasaray had an offer of just €4m (£3.4m) also turned down.

The Gers supporters, though, do not believe this news at all, continuing their mistrust of mainstream media sources.

The news was shared on Twitter by The Scottish Sun’s official account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Hagi news

“Anyone else bored of this monstrosity yet”

Credit: @johnmcg1990

“Let me guess another made up exclusive for the MSM”

Credit: @G18BYK

“They are dedicated, more made up drivel”

Credit: @AHW140

“SPOOF !!!!!”

Credit: @ColeraineTB_RSC

“Lies lies lies lies lies………..it’s so boring.”

Credit: @camrankin2

“Papers trying everything to unsettle Rangers players cause they ain’t allowed in. Scottish media absolutely fuming and its great to see.”

Credit: @ScottyTrfc

In other news, Rangers fans were livid with this interview.

An update has emerged on Sunderland target Daniel Jebbison…

What’s the talk?

According to the Sheffield Star, Sunderland have been put off by Sheffield United’s loan fee demands for the 18-year-old striker.

The report claims that the Black Cats have held talks over a swoop for the forward, but they are baulking at the Championship’s side £1m loan fee that they want in exchange to send him out on loan.

Fans will be livid

Sunderland fans will be livid with this news as it seems to all but rule out a deal for Jebbison before the end of the window, unless Sheffield United decide to lower their demands.

A £1m loan fee for a player with four senior league appearances for his name is steep, as there is no solid evidence to suggest that he will be a star player in League One.

Transfermarkt value him at a little less, around £900k, for example.

That is not to say he does not have the potential to be, but Sunderland would surely want a degree of certainty about what they are getting if they are shelling out seven figures to have a player for less than a year.

Therefore, the club’s stance on this move is understandable. It has the possibility of being a waste of money, which may be why they are not interested in meeting United’s demands for the player.

This will not stop fans from being gutted that Jebbison may not be coming to the Stadium of Light, though, as he is a talented young player.

Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards hailed Jebbison as the shining light in Sheffield United’s squad as they were relegated from the Premier League. He told Sky Sports (via the Examiner):

“I really like the look of him. He just gets in the right areas, and they needed that with all the negativity that’s gone on at the club.

“You want to bounce back straight away, and you want to go to the end of the season with positivity.

“They’re playing for pride, and he’s the shining light.”

He scored one goal in four Premier League appearances for Sheffield United at the backend of last season, winning 1.3 aerial battles and 1.5 tackles per game.

This is an impressive return for an 18-year-old striker and suggests that he could have the quality to make an impact in League One, which is why fans would be excited to see him come through the door.

However, you have to consider the financial element that comes along with it and – as it stands – the deal would be too much of a gamble for it to make sense for Kristjaan Speakman and Lee Johnson to pull the trigger.

So, the fans will be livid but it looks to be the correct decision on paper.

AND in other news, Forget Stewart: £3.6k-p/w SAFC beast who won 87% of duels stole the show vs MK Dons…