All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst may have some work to do in the January transfer window if some speculation comes to fruition.

A number of players have been linked with moves to and from the Gers in recent weeks, with attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi one of those who has been touted with an Ibrox exit.

Galatasaray are reportedly keen on the deal for the former Genk man and it remains to be seen whether or not they will come in with a tangible offer for him in January. If they do and it is acceptable to Ross Wilson, van Bronckhorst may have to identify a player to come in and replace him.

Bye-bye Hagi

Rangers are reportedly leading the race to sign Xavi Simons from PSG and the teenager could be the perfect replacement for Hagi next month, who the club could be waving bye-bye to.

The Romanian international joined with experience playing first-team football in Belgium, Italy and Romania, but was only 21 at the time of the move. Transfermarkt valued him at £4.05m upon his permanent arrival at Ibrox and he has gone on to produce 14 goals and 21 assists in 83 matches for the Gers in all competitions.

At the time of writing (30/12/21), Transfermarkt value him at £5.85m. This shows that Rangers have been able to improve the £21k-per-week beast throughout his spell in Scotland whilst he has been making valuable contributions on the pitch with his goals and assists, making him an excellent signing.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano described Simons as “more than a talent” and his form for PSG’s youth team makes it easy to understand that praise. He has racked up five goals and six assists in 12 matches for the French side’s under-19 team, whilst he has also made three senior appearances.

Simons does not have the vast first-team experience that Hagi had under his belt, but – like the Romanian – he would arrive as a young player with the potential to improve. Transfermarkt currently value the 18-year-old sensation at £1.35m and the Gers could bring him in with the hope that he follows in Hagi’s footsteps and is able to grow his value whilst performing in the Premiership.

His performances at youth level are extremely promising and he could be the perfect replacement for the 23-year-old, as he has the potential and age to be a similar signing. There is no guarantee that he will be as successful, but his statistics for PSG’s under-19’s and the fact he has been picked by Mauricio Pochettino at the age of 18 suggest that he has a good chance of being a great signing for Rangers.

AND in other news, Contact made: Report delivers major Rangers transfer update that’ll leave fans excited…

Manchester United are yet to make any moves in the first week of the January transfer window, but there have now been further claims made on two midfielders that Rangnick could bring in at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

Sky Sports journalist, Dharmesh Sheth, took to The Transfer Show to confirm that Manchester United are interested in Ruben Neves and Boubacar Kamara.

Speaking on the Sky Sports’ show dedicated to transfer rumours, he said:

“Make no mistake about it, Man United have been in the market for a midfielder, even in the last transfer window.”

“Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara, and Wolves’ Ruben Neves, who performed so well at Old Trafford on Monday, are two of a number of midfielders that Manchester United are looking at.”

Kamara is out of contract in June 2022, so there is potential for Manchester United to swoop in on a pre-contract agreement with the view to sign the player on a free transfer in the summer, however, Neves is contracted to Wolves until 2024.

Fans will be buzzing

Fans of the Manchester giants will be buzzing to hear that there seems to be some interest in signing players in such a key position for the side to improve, with many of them taking to social media to highlight the importance of adding midfielders to the current squad.

One fan Tweeted;

“It is clear and obvious that we need a better engine in the midfield. current midfielders are not trusted by the backline and frontline hence passes are avoided to them. we have the best strikers and good defence if they sort it out we are back in the game. Pls #MUFC.”

The Portuguese midfielder, Neves, has the fourth most key passes in the Premier League this term with 23 in total, and 22 outside of the box with only Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander Arnold and Bruno Fernandes ahead of him, according to One Versus One.

That shows he’d certainly add an extra dose of creativity to Rangnick’s squad.

In terms of Marseille’s midfielder, Kamara, according to SofaScore, the 22-year-old has won the majority of his duels (56%) and has been successful in the majority of his dribbles (63%) for the Ligue One side, which would be welcome at United as their current side are losing the majority of their defensive battles (50.9%) in the Premier League.

It will be interesting to see how Rangnick moves in the January transfer window, whether he will persist with the current squad until the summer or make new additions to revive the second half of their season.

However, the addition of either Neves or Kamara would surely leave the Old Trafford faithful jumping for joy considering their talents.

In other news: Rangnick could sign Icardi

Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on the future of Tanguy Ndombele, and Tottenham Hotspur supporters will want to hear it…

What’s the word?

Following their FA Cup win over Morecambe on Sunday afternoon, the Italian transfer guru issued the following claim on Twitter:

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January. Rumours about AS Roma but no talks so far as [the] Italian side are working to sign Sergio Oliveira,” he said.

“Spurs are also open to discuss swap deals including Ndombele as part of the negotiation.”

Finally the end?

It’s hard to imagine any way back for the French midfielder, who was signed for a club-record £55m back in the summer of 2020, after the weekend’s antics at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 25-year-old star trudged off when substituted by Antonio Conte in the 69th-minute to a chorus of boos, and the raucous atmosphere only made him walk slower, despite Harry Kane’s attempts and visible frustration as the Lilywhites were losing 1-0 at the time.

Once he reached the side of the pitch, he did not go and sit in the dugout but instead, he went straight down the tunnel. “It’s hard to think of a worse way to endear yourself to the fans,” claimed The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke following the match.

Meanwhile, Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan slammed his attitude and form at the club.

“The fans are voicing their disapproval, and rightly so. His attitude and performances are woeful,” he said.

“He’s their record signing, let’s not forget. That’s four managers now who have had the chance to get the best out of him and improve him.

“He’s shown disrespect to the fans, the club, and the manager by walking straight down the tunnel. Quite frankly, I don’t think there’s any way back from that. I think his time’s up.”

Now valued at £34.2m by Transfermarkt, the former Lyon man has managed only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances – that’s a direct contribution of just once nearly every five games. A shocking return for an attack-minded player.

On the above evidence, the frustrated Lilywhites faithful will surely be delighted by Romano’s latest update. It seems as if Ndombele’s time at Spurs is finally coming towards an end.

Whether or not the north Londoners find a viable solution remains to be seen, but at the very least, the intent is there to get him out of the club.

AND in other news, Sky Sports reporter drops huge Spurs transfer claim live on air, fans will be buzzing…

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has made a claim regarding Tottenham centre-back Joe Rodon, as per GiveMeSport.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen

The defender is yet to make a Premier League appearance under Antonio Conte, who has regularly used left-back Ben Davies as part of a three-man defence.

Leeds United were name-checked with an interest in the 24-year-old over the Christmas period, with reports suggesting that Spurs were likely to give the green light to a temporary exit.

The Wales international recently featured against Morecambe in the FA Cup, but it doesn’t appear as if he is a player in demand this month.

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The Latest: Bridge’s claim

Bridge was talking to GiveMeSport regarding the Tottenham centre-back and claimed that there hasn’t been much interest in Rodon’s services over a loan for the second half of the season.

The journalist outlined: “One thing I have heard is that there hasn’t been a lot of interest from a Premier League side about a loan deal at the moment.”

The Verdict: Not looking good

Spurs insider John Wenham thought that Rodon would ‘definitely’ leave this month, but that is now appearing less likely halfway through the transfer window.

You could make an argument that regular game-time would benefit the defender – who was labelled ‘special’ by Welsh football journalist Ian Mitchelmore – over the next five months, but Spurs will need clubs to approach them for that to happen.

It doesn’t look like the 24-year-old will feature much under Conte in the second half of the season either, and if he doesn’t seal a loan exit, it could be a long 2022 for the player.

In other news: Alasdair Gold drops ‘positive update’ as Tottenham close in on first piece of major January business

An update has emerged on Newcastle United, regarding their interest in free agent Christian Eriksen… 

What’s the talk?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, the Magpies are open to signing the Denmark international if they receive encouragement from his side, after he left Inter.

He told GIVEMESPORT when asked about the club making a move for Eriksen: “The one I’ve really heard about recently was that Newcastle are interested if he was willing to consider it.”

New Cabaye

Eddie Howe can find Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye 2.0 with a deal to sign Eriksen on a free transfer before the window slams shut.

Cabaye was a free-kick specialist during his time on Tyneside, scoring directly from a dead-ball situation on five occasions in 93 games. Eriksen is cut from the same cloth as the Frenchman scored 12 free-kicks in 303 matches for Tottenham whilst in England.

This suggests that the Denmark international could come in and be the club’s new set-piece king, just as the ex-Crystal Palace man was for the Magpies in his spell at St. James’ Park previously.

Eriksen could also be an excellent signing for what he offers aside from free-kick situations. Mauricio Pochettino, his former boss at Spurs, previously hailed the way he makes the side tick, saying:

“Christian is doing, in my few years, always an important player for us. He always steps up and I think he’s this type of player who represents our philosophy.

“He’s a player who links the team and he was fantastic. The team was great, but he was fantastic.”

On top of that, he’s also been celebrated as a “ruthless” player on the pitch by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

He has over 200 games of Premier League experience under his belt and provided 51 goals and 67 assists for the London-based club in the top-flight.

Former Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter previously lauded the Dane, saying: “He is an unbelievable player — a world-class player — he deserves all the credit he gets in the Premier League and international-wise.

“We’re going to have to stop him from trying to do what he does, but it is important not to just concentrate on him. To concentrate on ourselves is probably the most important thing and then try to take care of them.”

This suggests that the Magpies could be bringing in a player who is able to regularly perform in the Premier League as he has shown his quality throughout his career, which is why they should now look to complete a deal for him.

Finally, it will be fantastic to see him back playing again – whether that is for Newcastle or another club – after the horrific ordeal he had to go through in the summer at the European Championships.

AND in other news, NUFC could finally replace Lascelles with “flawless” £24k-p/w gem, “nothing fazes him”…

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has delivered an update on Kyogo Furuhashi’s status ahead of his side’s Scottish League Cup clash against Alloa Athletic.

What’s the story?

The Japan international has been out of action for the Hoops in four of their past five Premiership games, and it appears he isn’t set to be coming back anytime soon.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Alloa, Postecoglou said: “It’s not going to be a quick return. I’m reluctant to put a timeframe on it. We’re still looking at a number of weeks at the moment.”

Big blow for Celtic

With an impressive 16 goals in his first 26 games for the club, as well as another five assists to his name too, it’s fair to say Furuhashi has well and truly hit the ground running.

Whether any Hoops fans imagined the Japanese ace could have taken to life at Parkhead like this is up for debate, and former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has raved about the kind of impact he has had.

He said: “Wow, what a phenomenal impact he is having on that football club. When a player has confidence he can produce goals like that.

“Let’s be honest, he has been the difference for Celtic this season. They are a different team when he plays. They need him fit and available every week. He can carry the team and that is what he has done. He has been nothing short of awesome since he has signed. You have to give Postecoglou credit.”

Being without Furuhashi once again comes as a major blow for Postecoglou as his side look to kick on in the second half of the campaign, and while he will feel his team should have more than enough against Alloa, it’s the fixtures up ahead which could be a worry.

Celtic fans and Postecoglou alike will surely be gutted at seeing the Japanese talent miss out once more.

Meanwhile, Celtic could strike gold with this Ligue 1 star…

Speaking to Anfield Watch, reliable reporter David Lynch has shared what he believes on defender Joe Gomez’ future at Liverpool amid links with a move away.

The Lowdown: Clubs queuing…

As per recent reports, Gomez could be a man in demand this summer as many clubs keep tabs on the England international’s situation at Liverpool.

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90min recently claimed that ‘half the Premier League’ are keen on signing the centre-back with West Ham, Tottenham, Leicester City and Newcastle United all credited with interest.

Gomez’ lack of game time has thrown his future at Anfield into disrepute ahead of England’s World Cup quest with Lynch now sharing what he knows on the situation.

The Latest: Lynch shares Gomez update…

Speaking to AW, the journalist fully expects Gomez to push for an Anfield exit this summer to enhance his chances of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Qatar later this year.

When asked what the future holds for Liverpool’s 24-year-old, he explained:

“Joe Gomez’s lack of football this season isn’t a reflection on his quality, as Jurgen Klopp put it, he has simply been unfortunate that his slightly slower return to full speed following injury has coincided with Joel Matip enjoying a perhaps unexpected run of fitness and Ibrahima Konate hitting the ground running.

“But that doesn’t mean things are going to get any better for him next season at Liverpool and so, if he truly harbours World Cup hopes, I expect Gomez to push for a move this summer.”

The Verdict: Blow for Klopp?

Liverpool’s head coach, branding Gomez ‘world class’ earlier this season, clearly rates the defender and it could be a blow not to have him as an option for 2022/2023, especially considering the damage a lack of depth at centre-back did at Anfield last season.

That being said, if the Three Lions contender is to make Southgate’s cut in time, he could be better served moving on to pastures new for guaranteed game time rather than having to compete with the likes of Matip and Konate.

In other news: ‘Told…’ – Journalist leaks major Salah update from the Liverpool ‘dressing room’, find out more here.

Wolves are still keen on Sporting CP’s Joao Palhinha, though they will face a challenge to bring him to Molineux going by the latest reports.

What’s the latest?

Filipe Dias via Football Daily, revealed that Wolves are “interested” in Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha last summer.

And whilst they were aware of Spurs’ reported interest in the holding midfielder, they may face further difficulties in acquiring their target, with the latest reports from Portugal revealing that Manchester United have been scouting the 26-year-old.

Bruno Lage has been upfront about his star man Ruben Neves’ future at the West Midlands side, claiming that he is unsure as to where the future lies for the 25-year-old. A move for Palhinha could provide a more than viable replacement option for the Old Gold side.

Palhinha could fill Neves-shaped hole

With star midfielder Ruben Neves linked with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to name a few, a move for Palhinha would surely be welcomed by Bruno Lage.

A move for the midfielder dubbed “all-round” by Squawka would be an astute deal for Wolves with the fee to prise him away from Sporting CP said to be as low as 30m euros (£25m), which in this market for that calibre of player is an absolute snip.

Despite the links to fellow Premier League outfits, Manchester United and Spurs, Wolves would surely hold an advantage given their Portuguese transfer philosophy, Portuguese manager and links with super-agent Jorge Mendes, having worked closely with his Gestifute agency over the last few years.

Whilst he has been described as one of the “most complete ever” by Copa 90, Palhinha shines brightest defensively speaking, having put himself within the 99th percentile for pressures and successful pressures, showing his best work within the midfield and defensive thirds of the pitch.

Should Neves depart the Old Gold side in the summer, a move for Joao Palhinha could fill the void for a fraction of the potential fee that they will receive.

In other news – Forget Otto: 12-pass Wolves gem proved he’s fulfilling his “enormous potential” v AVFC – opinion 

The defensive line at Celtic has had a tendency to house some of the very best in Europe in years gone by.

Parkhead has been a home for the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Kieran Tierney before their mega moves across the border while more recently, Norwegian Bhoy Kristoffer Ajer played in the green and white hoops.

He arrived in Scotland as a plucky 17-year-old but left last summer as a stalwart and titan of the Premiership.

Few could pass the ball out from defence like he could, nor could they maraud forward in such eye-catching fashion.

Yet, as with van Dijk and Tierney, the Premier League came calling as he departed for Brentford in a deal worth £13.5m.

As the centre-back entered the final year of his deal at Celtic, it was cut-price for someone who the Hoops valued at closer to £20m back in 2020.

It was still a good deal and indeed, with Ange Postecoglou replacing him via Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt, there have rarely been any problems.

Celtic sit top of the SPFL, have won the League Cup and are in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, an accomplishment they owe greatly to their defensive pairing for.

However, there will always be a lingering afterthought; who could be the next Ajer in Paradise?

Well, Dane Murray is likely a good place to start.

The 18-year-old savoured his first taste of senior football this season and it came in the Champions League no less, as he played against Midtjylland. Speaking after he caught the eye in that outing, Postecoglou said: “Coming on to the pitch, a young guy who was born in 2003. I can remember 2003 very clearly.

“You know how young he is and he is not just coming on the pitch, he is facing a formidable opponent and with 10 men. But you know what? My gut instinct told me he wouldn’t be fazed by it.

“I watched him in training and he is a young kid, not just with football potential, but personality and character that belies his age. I was quite happy to trust him out there and it was an important part of the game, we were down to 10 men and we had to work very hard.”

Like Ajer, Murray’s attitude is clearly an impressive aspect of his game but he hasn’t been trusted too often to play since that moment.

He has featured just three times all season but you sense it’s only a matter of time before the teenager breaks through for good.

Similarly to his former Norwegian teammate, he is comfortable in possession of the ball, completing 87% of his passes against Midtjylland. He also won 100% of his aerial duels and prevailed in 50% of his ground duels, appearing wise beyond his years.

Described as “remarkable” by his coach at U10s level, Martin Miller, he has clearly come a long way since then, so much so that he could become the club’s next mega-money talent. Watch this space.

AND in other news, Ange is starting to unearth Celtic’s new Stuart Armstrong in “silky” £405k-rated gem…

Tottenham are set for a frantic summer with the futures of Antonio Conte and Harry Kane far from certain.

Spurs will do their utmost to keep the pair but you sense it could come down to whether they finish in the top four come May.

What’s the word?

The north London side have been linked with a variety of signings in the upcoming summer window, including Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez.

However, Ledley King seems to think one particular addition in midfield would be a very good idea, referencing Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.

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King, speaking to Reece Mennie on his podcast, said: “The one player that I really like is Jude Bellingham.

“He is going to be some player. I’d selfishly love to see him in the Premier League, but only at Tottenham of course! He’s going to be a fantastic player, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s starting at the World Cup.”

The new Dembele

A move for Bellingham feels unlikely this summer given his reported price tag of a whopping £101m, but if King’s wish is granted, he’d be a marvellous capture.

Indeed, if they can lure the former Birmingham man back to England, Conte could unearth the club’s new Mousa Dembele.

Spurs haven’t been the same since the Belgian departed with the Belgian midfielder proving to be a key cog when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge.

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke wrote a piece highlighting his importance last month, with one passage reading: “He was not just responsible for his own actions, but for the functioning of the whole system. He was the mainspring of the clockwork, the keystone of the arch, the rug that tied the room together.”

It’s evident that Dembele was crucial to the side and in Bellingham, they could finally replace him after all these years.

Like the Belgium international, he has the utmost composure on the ball, is confident in picking his passes and can drive past a man with ease.

During his final two campaigns in the capital, Dembele completed 92.2% and 89.6% of his passes. In comparison, the 18-year-old who King would like to see sign, has been successful with 83.3% of his passes in the Bundesliga and 92.8% in World Cup qualifying for England.

It is in their ball carrying where they are most alike, however. Dortmund’s teenager sensation, who has been dubbed “scary” by Roy Keane, has racked up 1.8 dribbles per match in the German top-flight and 3.2 dribbles per outing in the Champions League.

Dembele, on the other hand, completed 2.4 dribbles during his final full campaign in England.

Whether or not Bellingham would become as vital to the Tottenham cause as the now 34-year-old is an important consideration but ultimately, a move does feel difficult to envisage.

If by any miracle they can convince him to come to Spurs, he would be an outstanding piece of business.

AND in other news, Conte can form “dangerous” duo as THFC plot bids for £156m pair who “really get along”…