All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City have been linked with Leeds United winger Raphinha recently and if he were to arrive at the Etihad this summer, it would be bad news for Raheem Sterling in terms of future under Pep Guardiola.

According to Italian football journalist Gianluigi Loncari, City have joined the race to sign the Brazilian this summer, with Manchester United and Liverpool also keen on prising him away from Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

The former Stade Rennais man has enjoyed a superb debut campaign with the Elland Road outfit, contributing six goals and six assists in 26 Premier League appearances, averaging an excellent 7.17 rating for his performances.

Whilst he has only got better throughout the season, the same cannot be said of Sterling, who after a bright start has quickly fallen down the pecking order.

So much so, that the Spanish manager is reportedly willing to sell the England international this summer in order to raise funds, and if Raphinha were to arrive then he may well be forced out at the Etihad.

After a magnificent run of form in January and February, where he hit five goals and two assists in just seven games, his form has fallen off a cliff, with no goals and just one assist in 11 City appearances since then.

Considering the 26-year-old is one of City’s biggest earners, reportedly taking home £300k per week, and he is arguably behind the likes of Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres in the pecking order at City at the moment, perhaps Guardiola should be looking to move him on.

Certainly, with the number of wingers already available to the Spanish manager, if Raphinha were to arrive at City this summer it would surely mean that one departs, and Sterling is looking like the most likely candidate at present.

Raphinha has been one of the shining lights in an impressive season for Leeds this season and looks destined for a career at the top, with Noel Whelan dubbing him “sensational” earlier in the season after a first Premier League goal against Everton.

Therefore, City sporting director Txiki Begiristain should definitely look at bringing Raphina to the Etihad, even if it means bringing an end to Sterling’s City career.

And, in other news… Man City signing “world-class” 27-goal beast is surely bad news for “fantastic” gem

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left reacting to some manager news involving Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

As per The 4th Official, sources close to the Dutchman have now confirmed that talks over potentially becoming the new manager at Ibrox have gone ‘very well’, and that the expectation is that those talks will continue.

This comes after The 4th Official revealed that ‘really really positive’ initial talks were held on Saturday, and that an announcement could be made soon, suggesting that GvB is highly likely to become the next Light Blues coach – some fans praised the outlet’s coverage of the saga so far down below.

Van Bronckhorst is loved by many Teddy Bears supporters, and also has an impressive managerial CV, guiding Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title in 18 years back in the 2016/17 season (BBC), in addition winning four other major trophies with the Rotterdam club.

Thus, it is no surprise to see so many Gers eager to get a deal done.

Rangers fans on van Bronckhorst manager news

These RFC fans gave their reactions to the manager news as it was shared on Twitter:

“Get it done.”

Credit: @VaticanRSC

“ANNOUNCE GIO”

Credit: @shanewatson95

“Very good source throughout the manager search and it looks like Gio is nearly here”

Credit: @EveryOtherSatu1

“Much as we all seem to want the same man, and it looks highly likely it will be him, I’m glad the club are still doing it all properly.”

Credit: @let55go

“56 with ease”

Credit: @IbroxLive

“Just hire the man already”

Credit: @38821090G

In other news, find out what international footage has Gers gushing here!

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

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.

Rumours of a Mohamed Salah switch to Real Madrid have reared their heads again.

The Egyptian superstar has long been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu as Los Blancos still attempt to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

Liverpool have managed to resist any temptation to sell thus far but with former Real Club President Ramon Calderon admitting that Salah would be ‘crucial’ for the Spaniards, now would probably be the best time for the Reds to accept a deal.

Of course, any move would be an expensive one, with Salah valued as much as £108m by Transfermarkt. However, that is exactly why the Reds should be tempted to sell.

Whilst still very much in his peak at 28 years of age, the Reds will still be able to ask for a considerable fee for Salah. Even allowing for a truly stratospheric season, his transfer value is only going to drop as he approaches 30.

Therefore, it makes sense for Liverpool to cash their chips in sooner rather than later or risk out on missing a considerable pay day.

After all, the Merseysiders have been impressive in the transfer market under Jurgen Klopp, one example of such a beneficial departure being that of Philippe Coutinho.

The Reds secured an approximate £142m for the Brazilian when his stock was at its highest. They certainly would not have been able to demand such a fee had they waited much longer. They could do the same with Salah.

This huge transfer fee could then be pumped back into the squad – as they have done previously with the arrivals of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker funded partly with the money earned by selling Coutinho.

Whilst it may seem silly to even consider letting Salah go, actually cashing in on the Egyptian could prove another shrewd move by Liverpool if Sporting Director Michael Edwards is given the funds to invest in younger players.

AND in other news, we take a look at Michael Edwards’ stunning business last summer.

According to reports, Tottenham are facing a battle to sign Milan midfielder Franck Kessie.

What’s the story?

MilanLive claim that the Serie A giants are intent on securing the £36m-rated star to a new contract at the San Siro, and that he is one of the players there who the club do not want to sell.

However, the report adds that the likes of Spurs, Arsenal and West Ham are all very much interested in luring him to the Premier League, and that they have “always shown interest” in him.

Mourinho’s new Essien

The 24-year-old has really come into his own this season in the Serie A, developing into a bona-fide star as a box-to-box midfielder – he’s already racked up ten goals and three assists in 36 games across all competitions, even earning some rave reviews from the likes of former Italy forward Antonio Casano.

He said: “I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, against Roma he was devastating. He reminds me of the Yaya Touré of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

And, speaking after a 2-0 win over Torino, Milan manager Stefano Pioli, said: “Franck is a complete player. He gives us physicality, energy, quality, protects the defence and knits the moves going forward too. He has this eternally positive mentality during the matches, he’s the first to help out a teammate or reassure them. This is a young side that needs guidance and encouragement, so Kessie is invaluable in that sense.”

That unique combination of being a workhorse defensively, but also with the guile and craft to stitch things together in midfield, is eerily reminiscent of Michael Essien when he was in his pomp at Chelsea under Mourinho.

The former Ghana international would patrol the back-four, but also offer a presence going forward – you only have to look at that stunning swerving strike against Arsenal to see what he could bring to the table at both ends of the pitch.

Kessie is very much in that ilk, and it’s exactly why Daniel Levy must get a deal done for the Milan powerhouse. He could bring that power and drive to Spurs’ midfield, and give Mourinho the kind of player who would have fit in seamlessly in his early Chelsea days.

Meanwhile, Spurs played a blinder by selling this man for £17m…

Newcastle United all but ensured safety in the Premier League for another season with a 1-0 win at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

A fine goal from Miguel Almiron in the first half sealed the points at St. James’ Park, but it was not always plain-sailing for Eddie Howe’s team, who gave up the majority of the possession to the visitors, and also faced ten shots at their goal (SofaScore) as the hosts retreated in the second half.

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The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to now analyse who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the hosts on the night, perhaps now looking over their shoulders regarding their long-term futures in Howe’s first choice XI…

Jonjo Shelvey

Given a 6.7 overall rating, Shelvey ranked as the North East club’s third-worst player.

The central midfielder lost out on two of his duels, and also failed to record a single shot on goal, dribble, clearance, interception or key pass, making one foul and giving the ball away nine times in total.

Joelinton

Admittedly tied with Chris Wood in terms of rating (6.5), Joelinton ranks in second here having helped keep the clean sheet as a midfielder.

However, the Brazilian lost a total of six individual duels, and was off target with all three of his shots, while he also never managed a tackle, committed two fouls and lost possession on nine separate occasions.

Chris Wood

With a 6.5 rating, Wood ranked as the Tyneside outfit’s worst performer.

The striker was unsuccessful in seven duels, and never managed a shot, successful dribble or key pass, amassing just 34 touches of the ball in total and giving it away with 15 of those.

He also missed a huge chance in the first-half only to be spared by the offside flag.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ target NUFC are now set to ‘miss out’ on here!

Some Manchester United fans have been left slamming the display of Scott McTominay despite their 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The defensive midfield player did not have the best of games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team despite his side clinching a crucial three points at Old Trafford that moved them level with the reigning champions and current league leaders in Liverpool at the top of the table.

The Scotland international was deemed the worst player on the pitch by Sofascore with a 6.1 overall rating, as he lost out on no fewer than 11 0f his duels in the clash, and also failed to make a single tackle, all while losing possession of the ball 13 times (Sofascore).

Manchester United fan reaction to McTominay display

These Red Devils slammed his performance on Twitter, with a couple of supporters even going as far to say as the 24 year-old was ‘awful’:

“McTominay 2 … Was he even on the pitch?”

Credit: @iamMichael_Iyke

“Glory Glory Man United! Bailly was super, Rashford was selfish, Pogba was magnificent and McTominay was abysmal. To the glory of God, @ManUtd is levelled at the summit. #MUNAVL”

Credit: @MajGenMoshood

#Fred & #McTominay have been awful today. #mufc_family #MUFC #GGMU #MUNAVL @ManUtd

Credit: @SkeemMC

“Fred and McTominay have not been great today one was subbed wouldn’t mind the other being subbed off as well we NEED BALL RETENTION!! #MUNAVL #MUFC”

Credit: @RocBoiJJ

“Also, it was a stupid foul from McTominay. Fred was coming over and the Villa player was going to be crowded out #MUNAVL”

Credit: @johnjbarry

“A sensible substitution. McTominay was absolutely awful today #MUFC #MUNAVL”

Credit: @UtdVira

In other news, find out which Fabrizio Romano transfer update has got these Man Utd fans excited here!

Slavia Prague president Jaroslav Tvrdik has revealed that Glasgow Rangers tried to get the Czech champions knocked out of the Europa League following the racism row involving Glen Kamara.

Tvrdik makes Rangers claim

On the same night that the Gers were beaten 2-0 at Ibrox by Slavia in March, Kamara accused Ondrej Kudela of racially abusing him towards the end of the match.

Kudela has since been given a 10-game ban from European competition (The Guardian), although Slavia themselves deny the allegations (slavia.cz). Speaking to Seznam Zpravy, Tvrdik accused the Gers of trying to get his club kicked out of the competition. He said:

“By the way, the Scottish side was working hard on this [exclusion] at the very beginning.

“It’s like reminding us that we can actually be happy in a way that Slavia is not affected in any way, and we have to draw a thick line in this and we have to work if I say it simply, not only on the signs and videos, but we have to think about it.”

Outrageous

This once again seems like another tactic from Slavia to deflect attention. They continually denied that Kudela had racially abused Kamara, even suggesting the Finland international was the only one at fault for assaulting the 34-year-old in the tunnel after the game. Kudela and those around him are sticking to their story no matter what is thrown at them.

It seems unlikely that the Gers would have really pushed for Slavia to be kicked out of the tournament. That would have set an uncommon precedent, and given UEFA’s sometimes negligent response to such claims, such a punishment was never going to happen. It seems as if Slavia are absolutely desperate to hold on to an image of themselves which is already in tatters.

In other news, Ally McCoist slams this man’s comments.

Leeds are eyeing a move for Ajax starlet Noa Lang, who is currently on loan at Belgian outfit Club Brugge for the season.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have enjoyed an impressive first year back in the Premier League and attention will already be turning towards how best to strengthen the squad ahead of the new campaign.

According to The Telegraph, the Whites have been been watching the 21-year-old, although they are set to face intense competition to try and land him in the summer transfer window.

The report added that Lang is being viewed as someone who can provide competition for the likes of Jack Harrison and Raphinha out wide.

Shades of Raphinha

Dubbed a “phenomenon” by Belgian sports journalist Peter Vandenbempt, Lang made history when he became the first player in 60 years to mark his debut with a hat-trick for Ajax, prompting Erik ten Hag to wax lyrical about him.

The Amsterdam club’s manager said: “He showed (his talent) today and I am very happy with that. Noa shows (his ability) it during training and during the reserve matches. And today he has also clearly shown it at the highest level too.”

Able to play anywhere across the frontline, Lang has shown he has a real eye for goal in his loan spell at Brugge this season, scoring 16 goals and providing a further ten assists in just 34 games, including netting in the Champions League.

Just like Raphinha, the £18m-rated Lang is a prolific dribbler, averaging 1.5 dribbles per game in the Belgian top flight, a figure which just ranks him outside the top ten in the entire division.

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With his end product too, the young Dutchman has all the tools in his locker to become even more of a star if he pitches up at Elland Road, and it’s no surprise that Bielsa is eyeing a move for him this summer.

Meanwhile, Bielsa is playing a masterclass over this ace…