All posts by z3u9t.icu

A significant Rangers transfer update has emerged regarding Scott Arfield’s future at Ibrox… 

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, Turkish duo Hatayspor and Alanyaspor are both in talks over a deal to sign the midfielder this month.

The report claims that negotiations are ongoing between all parties, with both Turkish clubs willing to offer a small fee to the Gers instead of him leaving on a free transfer in the summer once his contract expires.

Fans will be delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted with this news, as it offers the club the perfect opportunity to part ways with the veteran midfielder.

Whilst Arfield is a useful player to call upon, he is out of contract in the summer and the Gers now have two clubs willing to offer fees to sign him this month. This could increase Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s own spending power to go out and add further players to his own squad, without majorly weakening his preferred XI.

The Gers have already strengthened their options in the middle of the park this month. James Sands has arrived on an 18-month loan from New York City FC, and he could scoop up all the minutes that Arfield would accrue in the second half of the campaign.

Sands averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.91 and won 1.5 tackles per game in the MLS last year and could slot in as one of the holding midfield players at Ibrox. This would then free up Aribo or Glen Kamara to play further forward in Arfield’s role, or it could allow someone like Ianis Hagi to get minutes in the number 10 berth.

This season, the Canada international has produced only two goals in 13 league games for the club, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.78. In that time, he has missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ to score and only created 0.6 chances per game, whilst also losing 65% of his duels, suggesting that the time is right for him to be moved on as his performances have left plenty to be desired.

Therefore, Rangers fans may well be buzzing with the interest in Arfield, along with the news that negotiations are ongoing over a potential deal for him to leave this month. His exit in January would avoid the club missing out on a transfer fee if he left for nothing at the end of the season, and it appears to be the best possible solution for parties involved.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Hagi: Rangers could find new creative maestro in £1.2m-rated gem with 31 G/A…

As per Mundo Deportivo, there has been an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Dembele move…

After Spurs recorded pre-tax losses of around £80.2m for the last financial year, taking their overall debt to £706m (The Guardian), it’s little surprise to see transfer chief Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte targeting free agents.

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The likes of Franck Kessie and Lorenzo Insigne are just two other names who have recently been linked with Spurs and could leave their clubs on a pre-contract in 2022.

Another player who’s been linked, and perhaps one of the biggest names to be mentioned, is France international Dembele, whose current deal also expires at the end of this season.

90min first claimed that Tottenham had joined the race for his services, with Mundo Deportivo now providing an update.

The Latest: Spurs have ‘offer’ of signing-on bonus…

As per their information, Spurs are one of three clubs to have the ‘offer’ of a signing-on bonus at the ready should Dembele decide to leave Catalonia.

Manchester United and Newcastle are the other two contenders who can gift the 24-year-old this incentive as both the player and his agent run out of time to make a decision.

It is said that the ‘ultimatum’ Barcelona gave Dembele ‘reaches it’s last days’, with the winger now expected to respond to their proposal of an extension.

The Verdict: Interesting times ahead…

The £210,000-per-week forward would be an eyebrow-raising addition for Conte in more ways than one.

On top of his lucrative salary demands, Dembele’s history of severe hamstring problems doesn’t exactly bode well for any club interested in signing the attacker.

His obvious ability is undeniable, with former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman recently calling him ‘fantastic’ following a return to form, but it’s arguable that the finances involved and his unreliable fitness record make this a risky move for Tottenham.

Pundit Carlton Palmer certainly agrees, telling This is Futbol: “The way that recruitment of players is done now and the in-depth analysis of players and their game time and their injuries and the type of money that Dembele would be commanding, I think it would be a crazy signing.”

We wholeheartedly agree with the former England international and suggest that Spurs avoid this one.

In other news: Talks ongoing: Spurs in contact to sign ‘incredible’ £29.9m, club open to temporary deal, find out more here.

Aston Villa shared specific ticket details ahead of their FA Cup clash with Manchester United in the New Year.

And, as to be expected, the update from Villa’s official support Twitter page had a number of fans talking.

Steven Gerrard will get his first taste as a manager at Old Trafford on Monday, January 10 after the two sides were paired together in the third round for the fifth time in the 21st century.

Home teams are supposed to offer away clubs 15% of their stadium capacity for FA Cup matches – meaning Villa could have got up to 10,000 tickets.

However, the club confirmed that the allocation would be just over 3,000, with adults tickets priced at £30. Those went on sale on Thursday evening, but plenty of supporters were quick to vent their frustration at the update.

Villa fans react

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply to @AVFCSupport’s post, with many not happy and one labelling it as ‘embarrassing’.

Find all of their verdicts on the development down below:

“Absolute joke allocation”

Credit: @TomL7AVFC

“United being stingy with away tickets in the FA Cup like Tottenham it seems”

Credit: @GaryBolton91

“Embarrassing if it’s the clubs choice to only take 3k”

Credit: @htl_00

“Is this allocation a wind up? One of the few times a lot of people will get to watch villa at Old Trafford and you don’t take the allocation?”

Credit: @roberts_arron

“3000 tickets is pathetic”

Credit: @Anthony38696111

“3k? Are you having a laugh?”

Credit: @Finleysurrell1

In other news: ‘Incoming’, ‘What’s going on?’ – Many AVFC fans ‘love’ Gregg Evans transfer update

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Renato Sanches to Molineux this January.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French publication Le10Sport, who claim that both Arsenal and AC Milan have now entered the race for the 24-year-old ahead of the winter transfer market, with the Serie A side even believed to have submitted an offer for the LOSC Lille midfielder.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported that Wolves had overtaken Liverpool regarding a deal for the Portugal international, who the Ligue 1 side are thought to be open to parting with in January, as long as an acceptable offer is lodged.

Shi will be fuming

Considering the fact that Wolves were extremely close to signing Renato Sanches this summer, coupled with just how impressive the 24-year-old has been for Lille in recent seasons, the news that both AC Milan and Arsenal are now in the race for the midfielder is sure to have left Jeff Shi fuming.

Indeed, over his six Ligue 1 appearances so far this term, the £27m-rated man has registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.5 key passes per game – the most of any Lille player.

Furthermore, the £51k-per-week midfielder has also made an average of 30.8 passes, 0.5 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and has won a whopping 5.7 duels per fixture, with these returns seeing him average a SofaScore match rating of 7.26 – ranking him as Lille’s best performer in the top flight of French football.

Indeed, the former Premier League centre-forward Kevin Campbell quite clearly believes that Renato Sanches would make an excellent addition to the Wolves midfield, stating: “The young man deserves a huge amount of credit for the way he has bounced back. It is incredible.

“He has had to reinvent himself a bit but he is a fantastic player. He is strong, powerful and is a great ball carrier. I think would add a different dynamic to that… midfield. Someone who can power past people. Players bounce off him when he is in the midfield.”

As such, it is clear for all to see that the 24-year-old would be an excellent signing for Shi to get over the line this winter, although, with both Arsenal and Milan now interested, a move for the midfielder looks to have become all the more difficult.

In other news: Shi must ruthlessly axe Wolves’ £43k-p/w “near miss”, he’s becoming a real liability

Leeds United have been linked with a move for in-form FC Basel striker Arthur Cabral, although Barcelona are also believed to be keen on signing him.

The Lowdown: Cabral in sensational form

The 23-year-old has enjoyed an incredible start to the season, scoring 13 league goals in just 12 starts, with 16 goals in 19 appearances across all competitions.

His form has helped Basel to second place in the Swiss Super League, and other clubs have been monitoring his progress.

Leeds have already been linked with a move for the Brazilian, and now another significant report has emerged.

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The Latest: Leeds set to battle Barca?

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], the youngster’s recent impact at Basel has ‘caught the attention’ of the Whites as they eye up attacking reinforcements.

It may not be easy for Leeds to snap him up, however, with Barcelona reportedly opening negotiations to potentially bring him to Camp Nou in January.

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The Verdict: Hugely exciting prospect

It clearly won’t be easy for Marcelo Bielsa to bring in Cabral given Barca’s interest, but he could be exactly what the Whites need.

Patrick Bamford’s ongoing injury absence is becoming a concern, and while he should be back by January, it could take a while for him to find his best form again.

Cabral could come in and add firepower to a Leeds attack which has only scored 12 goals in as many league games so far this season – the same tally he has managed on his own for Basel.

In other news, Leeds are also reportedly tracking another in-form striker. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged on Leeds United winger Raphinha, regarding his injury following the draw with Wolves.

What’s the latest?

The Brazilian forward has posted an update to Instagram, which has been relayed by Leeds’ official Twitter account, which provides a positive outlook on his situation after he hobbled off on Saturday.

He was substituted in the 54th minute after a crunching challenge from Wolves defender Romain Saiss, with Leeds going on to draw the game 1-1 thanks to a last-minute penalty from Rodrigo.

As part of his post, Raphinha wrote: “I’m fine. It was nothing serious, so I’m back soon”

Cloud nine

Leeds fans will be left on cloud nine following this update from the player after the game. They could have been very concerned after the injury was sustained during the match as it appeared to be a major blow for the Brazilian.

At the time of the initial problem, Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson appeared concerned for the winger due to the nature of the challenge. He said: “In slow motion, it looks horrendous.”

However, it appears to be a case of it looking worse than it actually was. Raphinha’s post suggests that it is not a serious blow and that means that he may not miss any matches, which would be a huge boost for Leeds ahead of a massive clash with Norwich next weekend.

The Whites travel to Carrow Road in desperate need of a win as they sit 17th in the Premier League table. Norwich are without a win and have lost seven of their nine matches, yet a win for the Canaries would see them move within two points of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Therefore, having the winger available will be crucial for Leeds as he has proven himself to be a terrific forward at this level. He has three goals this term and managed six goals and nine assists last season, which suggests that he has the potential to be the match-winner in Norfolk on Sunday.

This is why Leeds fans will be on cloud nine after Raphinha’s post as it suggests that he will be available for selection despite his injury. With Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford already sidelined, Bielsa will surely be delighted not to lose another of his star players for a significant period of time.

AND in other news, 100% duels lost: Leeds lightweight with 0% dribble success let Bielsa down badly…

According to The Times, there has been a rather big development in the rule affecting five substitutions in world football and it will of course impact Manchester City.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic delaying the football calendar and causing heavily congested fixtures, the law allowing teams to use up to five substitutes was introduced in May 2020.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) then extended this amendment earlier this year until the end of 2022 as they aim to combat player fatigue and assist clubs across all top level competitions.

Europe’s top footballing leagues, bar the Premier League who reverted back to three at the beginning of 2020/2021, have continued to benefit from this rule.

Now, thanks to strong support from ‘several’ footballing bodies, the law allowing sides to make five subs is set to become totally permanent, according to The Times and reliable reporter Martyn Ziegler.

The law reform would apparently still allow competitions, like the Premier League, to still opt for only three subs – as they have done since the beginning of last season.

There will, however, be external pressure for them to fall in line with the rest of football next campaign and allow up to five subs once again – much like they did during the final run of 2019/2020.

Teams would still be restricted to ‘three opportunities’ to make these five changes but it’s safe to say footballing giants like City would benefit from the change, especially considering the range of cup competitions they’re taking part in like the Champions League and FA Cup as well as the English top flight.

Sky Blues boss Pep Guardiola has previously pleaded for five subs in the Premier League, blasting the fact they can currently only make three changes as ‘ridiculous’ (via Mike Minay).

Flocking to this big development, and taking into account Guardiola’s message over making changes, many City supporters have erupted over this news.

Find all of their social media verdicts down below and some hold special praise for their manager.

Man City fans flock to substitutes news…

“Big win for big clubs”

Credit: @Jorge_see

“He has done it again”

Credit: @Mikeey_254

“Absolutely fantastic”

Credit: @KaineOduah

“Pep changed football forever. My Goat”

Credit: @papomcfc

“More chances for the youngsters”

Credit: @shinsunik

“The man gets what he wants”

Credit: @abdulrahmanjg10

“Pep won”

Credit: @Guardiolan_MCFC

“VAMOS”

Credit: @Arthurtorcedor

Tottenham Hotspur’s injury problems just seem to keep mounting up…

What’s the latest?

Lilywhites defender Ben Davies is the latest name to be stuck on the treatment table after he was a surprise absentee for their UEFA Europa Conference League clash with Slovenian champions NS Mura on Thursday night.

It was a game that he would’ve undoubtedly featured in, having played the full 90 minutes in all of their three previous outings in Europe this campaign.

Nuno Santo has since revealed the reason behind his absence, via the club’s official website.

“Ben has a problem with inflammation on his appendix. He is being taken care of, had scans, but he was in pain. We wish that he recovers soon and can join us,” he said.

A surprise and cruel blow to the player and the squad.

Davies won’t be facing Aston Villa this afternoon, along with wing duo Steven Bergwijn and Ryan Sessegnon, who are also out through injury.

One after the other

The Portuguese head coach has had to contend with an array of issues since he joined the club.

Summer signing Cristian Romero arrived with a problem that he picked up during Copa America duty, Harry Kane wasn’t up to speed with his fitness, Eric Dier, Lucas Moura and Oliver Skipp have picked up knocks over the last few weeks.

It seems never-ending for Nuno right now.

On the face of it, not having Davies available in the Premier League isn’t too much of a big blow but if Sergio Reguilon gets injured – after being forced to play in midweek in the Welshman’s absence – then the Spurs boss is left in a tricky predicament.

Even more so with Sessegnon, the third-choice in the role, also ruled out.

It means that someone would have to play out of position to cover, should the Spaniard pick up any problems.

Davies can also be utilised at centre-back and after being capped 67 times by Wales, he is one of the more experienced members of this squad, so his presence on and off the pitch may well be very important at times.

Given their recent poor form in the top-flight, having lost three successive heavy defeats including the north London derby, Nuno will be fuming that these injuries problems are continuing to escalate in north London.

It’s reported that the Portuguese is under intense pressure to turn things around and further injury woes will not help his cause whatsoever.

AND in other news, Nuno could save Levy millions by unleashing Spurs’ “bright” 20 y/o prodigy this season…

Everton have had a questionable record in the transfer market in recent years, but director of football Marcel Brands has struck gold on a couple of occasions.

Back in January 2017, the Toffees splashed out £11m to bring in a largely unknown 19-year-old Ademola Lookman from Championship outfit Charlton Athletic.

The pacey winger had made just 49 appearances for his boyhood club when Everton came calling, illustrating the level of risk Brands was taking in sanctioning his signing.

“It feels great to be an Everton player. As soon as I heard about Everton’s interest I knew this would be the right place for me,” Lookman said at his unveiling.

“Everton has a big history, and I was also attracted by the manager. When you look at what he did at Southampton, and what he does with young players in terms of developing them, that was a big attraction.

“It was great playing in the Championship last season and for the last six months in League One, but I feel like I’m ready to make the step up to the Premier League,” he concluded. 

However, things didn’t go to plan for Lookman on Merseyside. The youngster made just four Premier League starts over the following 12 months, finding the back of the net on one occasion before being sent out on loan to RB Leipzig.

Lookman faired much better in Germany, though, bagging five goals and providing four assists in just 11 Bundesliga outings for the Red Bulls, prompting Everton to give him another chance at Goodison Park.

Much was expected of the former England U21 international at the start of the 2018/19 campaign due to his impressive exploits across the continent, but he once again found his playing time restricted upon his return to his homeland.

The versatile forward was awarded just 601 minutes of action throughout the entire season as he came off the bench 18 times in the top-flight, leading to growing frustrations.

Nevertheless, that didn’t stop Leipzig from returning for Lookman the following summer and ended his nightmare spell at Everton by securing a £22.5m deal for the attacker despite his limited game time.

And it’s a deal that’s looked better and better for Everton and Brands ever since. Lookman has scored just five goals and laid on four assists throughout spells with Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City since the start of 2019/20 as he’s struggled to fulfill his potential.

While at 24, there’s certainly time for him to do just that, it appears the Blues’ hierarchy did well to double their money on a player who is yet to justify such a hefty price tag.

And, in other news…Everton suffer potential injury setback after Doucoure, Benitez surely devastated 

Rangers extended their unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions as they beat St Johnstone in a tense match on Saturday.

Steven Gerrard’s side went 1-0 down just after half-time as Filip Helander was caught out from a long ball and Michael O’Halloran made the most of it to fire the ball into the back of the net.

A cooly dispatched penalty, won by Ryan Kent, from Kemar Roofe soon saw Rangers level the scores. Captain James Tavernier, returning to the side, then secured the three points with a stunning effort from distance in the 79th minute.

Despite Kent, Tavernier and Roofe being heavily involved in the goals, another player stole the show with his performance – Glen Kamara.

The Finland international produced an excellent display in the middle of the pitch as he helped to keep Rangers on the front foot throughout the match. He was able to win possession back and dictate play in the engine room, allowing the Gers to control the ball and ultimately turn that 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win.

Defensively, Kamara was excellent. Per SofaScore, he won an impressive 82% of his duels on the pitch as he came out on top in five of his six ground battles and won three of his four aerial contests. He also made two clearances, one tackle and an interception.

This shows that he was active in winning the ball back for his side and competing in physical battles against the St Johnstone midfield. By winning the vast majority of his duels, he kept Rangers in possession and that allowed Gerrard’s side to dominate the ball and continually create the chances needed to get back into the game.

Offensively and in transition, Kamara also excelled. Per SofaScore, he had 73 touches of the ball in midfield – more than Steven Davis and Joe Aribo – whilst completing 85% of his passes and both of his attempted dribbles – also being fouled twice.

These statistics highlight his control of the match in possession. He was running the show in midfield by dictating the play and allowing the likes of Tavernier, Kent and Roofe to then work their magic in the final third.

Gerrard will surely be delighted with the 25-year-old’s display and will be hoping that he can keep it going for the rest of the campaign.

AND in other news, Gerrard must seal Rangers deal for “instrumental” maestro, he won’t cost a penny…