All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Watford have been linked with a move for Jens Stryger Larsen recently and given his impressive performances for Denmark at Euro 2020, he would surely be a good addition to Xisco Munoz’s side ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Watford have set their sights on signing the 30-year-old after he helped Denmark to the semi-final of the European Championships this summer and given that he currently plies his trade at Udinese, the Hornets are unlikely to encounter any difficulties in a potential deal due to the link between the two clubs.

Would he be a good signing?

Stryger Larsen was a regular in Kasper Hjulmand’s side this summer at right wing-back, making six appearances in total and producing superb displays in the wins against Wales and the Czech Republic in the knockout stages.

Whilst his performances in Serie A last season were much less impressive, as he averaged a poor 6.42 rating from WhoScored across his 33 appearances in the Italian top-flight, he is capable of playing in a number of positions in defence and midfield and would offer Munoz some valuable experience ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Given that the defender is currently valued at just £3.6m by Transfermarkt, this seems like a very low-risk transfer for Watford to complete and should it not work out, then the Pozzo family could always just send him back to Udinese next summer, so the move makes perfect sense from the Watford perspective.

The versatile Dane’s contract with Udinese is also set to expire at the end of next season, so it makes sense for the Serie A side to cash in on him now on the back of an impressive Euro 2020 campaign, rather than potentially losing him for nothing next summer.

Although Munoz already has two strong options at right-back in Kiko Femenia and Jeremy Ngakia, Stryger Larsen would be a great, experienced option for the Spanish manager to have next season, so sporting director Cristiano Giaretta should definitely look to bring him in.

And, in other news… Watford should swoop for 22-goal beast loved by Aubameyang

Liverpool are prepared to let defender Neco Williams depart Anfield this summer after he struggled to get game time last season.

What’s the story?

The 20-year-old academy graduate only signed a new five-year deal with the Reds back in August 2020, but after finding opportunities in the first-team limited, he could be set to depart over the coming months.

That’s according to BBC Sport, who claim a minimum asking price of £10 million has been placed on Williams’ head, although he’s reluctant to leave his boyhood club.

He’s been shocking

With a world-class operator ahead of him in Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Wales international was limited to just 14 appearances in all competitions last season.

Only three of those outings came as starts in the Premier League, though, and after spending extended periods of time on the Liverpool bench, he appears to be destined for the exit door.

And in truth, when he has been given the opportunity to showcase his talents, the 20-year-old has often been unable to produce a telling contribution.

Williams managed a passing accuracy of just 79.6% in 2020/21, while also tackling just 66.7% of opponents who attempted to dribble past him, two statistics that only scratch the surface of showing how shockingly bad he performed.

After failing to see the player excel both with and without the ball at his feet, it’s easy to understand why Jurgen Klopp is ready to part ways with the youngster.

In order for Liverpool to bring in their top transfer targets over the current window, the Merseyside outfit may need to sell some fringe players to bolster their budget.

The likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Marko Grujic and Harry Wilson have been linked with moves away as a result, and Williams is the latest fringe player to be put up for sale.

His £10m price tag and £25,000-per-week wage packet would provide a sizeable boost to the funds available to Klopp, allowing the German tactician more room to maneuver in the transfer market.

With the versatile James Milner and Joe Gomez as part of his squad, Klopp can afford to let Williams go, safe in the knowledge that he does have cover for Alexander-Arnold.

It may be ruthless to push a player out of the door at his boyhood club, but that’s exactly what Klopp should do as Williams’ time in the first team at Liverpool have proven that he simply isn’t up to the standard required.

And, in other news…Liverpool show interest in signing “unbelievable” Euro 2020 star, Edwards must get him 

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League striker Brian Deane is confident that West Brom will challenge for promotion under Chris Wilder if they end up hiring him.

Wilder is being heavily linked with the West Brom job, with the Mirror recently reporting that the 53-year-old is the Midlands club’s No.1 choice to replace Sam Allardyce.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Mirror (via Football League World) claims Wilder has already identified his first transfer target for the Baggies in Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle.

Ultimately, with Wilder at the helm, Deane is expecting West Brom to be among the candidates to go up.

“I think if you look at the West Brom squad, they’ve got a very well-balanced squad,” the ex-Sheffield United striker said. “They’ve got a lot of pace, lot of mobility in there.

“They’re obviously going to be challenging. If Chris does go there, then he’s got a good squad to mould.”

While there are already some strong sides in the Championship, such as Swansea City and Bournemouth, who both fell short in the play-offs, West Brom should fancy their chances under a coach like Wilder – a coach who has won Premier League promotion before.

Bringing in a forward who is so prolific in this division like Gayle will also drastically boost their chances.

Many Everton fans have been left to fume as a manager update emerged from Fabrizio Romano.

As per Romano, Nuno Espirito Santo is ‘one step away’ from joining the Goodison Park faithful, with an agreement to be completed ‘soon’.

The Italian football journalist and transfer guru also added that he is expected to be announced as the new manager of the Merseyside club ‘in the next few days’.

Nuno certainly has some credentials for the role, given that he guided Wolves to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League after promotion from the EFL Championship, as the Toffees look to push on themselves to try and qualify for Europe.

However, his preferred three-at-the-back formation may not suit the Blues, especially if it ends up turning into five while defending. They will surely be looking to score more goals come the new season, having managed just 47 in the top flight last season, the fewest out of any side in the top half of the table by far (Sky Sports).

With this in mind, and also the number of potential other candidates out there, it seems as if several EFC supporters are not happy with Nuno’s likely appointment.

Everton fans on Nuno manager update

These Everton fans fumed as the manager update was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘awful’:

“What a boring, uninspiring & safe appointment, his football is dreadful to watch. This was our chance to be bold, do something different. I’ll give him 18 months then we’ll begin another 5 year rebuild.”

Credit: @Ecclesbean

“Disgusting. Gone by Christmas. Joke of a club.”

Credit: @MichaelHilditc5

“What a joke of a football club we are”

Credit: @DeanOverton

“So now we’re happy with his huge backroom team coming? Don’t think we have any clue what we’re doing here.”

Credit: @OnTaribo

“Awful”

Credit: @knerts1878

“If true, this is another uninspiring choice.”

Credit: @KenCamara

In other news, find out what other manager update has left Toffees fuming here!

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is intensifying transfer talks with Hertha BSC star Matheus Cunha.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from German publication Bild (via Sport Witness), Bielsa’s side have already expressed their interest in signing the £27m-rated forward, and a move could be on the cards after the 22-year-old received approval from Hertha to leave the capital club.

Brazilian outlet UOL now claim that the Whites have intensified talks with Hertha over bringing him to Elland Road this summer, and that despite the German club’s high demands, Leeds are promising to make a big effort and won’t give up on his signing.

Imagine him and Rodrigo

Speaking on a Facebook Live video, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross said: “Cunha, yeah I mean I think anybody that’s done a basic level of analysis or read some of the stuff around Cunha will know that he’s a bit like (Rodrigo) De Paul, really, he’s a very exciting footballer – he’s got a lot going for him.”  

Dubbed as “something special” by former Hertha BSC manager Bruno Labbadia, the £55,000-a-week Cunha enjoyed a superb campaign in the Bundesliga last season, scoring eight goals and providing another eight assists in all competitions.

With Cunha’s ability to play as a number ten, through the middle and out wide on the left, the Brazilian could strike up a partnership with last summer’s signing Rodrigo.

The duo are hugely versatile, with the Leeds man also able to play as the number nine or just behind the central striker – in fact, he was at his most prolific last season when playing in the second striker role, scoring three goals in five games.

Both have the pace, the movement, the creativity and the knack of breaking into the box at the right time to be a real attacking threat – Cunha averaged 2.6 shots and 1.8 key passes per game in the Bundesliga last season, while Rodrigo managed 1.8 and 1.2 respectively in the Premier League.

The two could either play just behind Patrick Bamford and operate as number tens, or Bielsa could instead use one of them as the centre-forward and let the other one drop deeper.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

In either case, Cunha could strike up an exciting partnership with Rodrigo were he to join Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds United facing major transfer blow…

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in signing Marcel Sabitzer this summer, despite the departure of Jose Mourinho last month…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Thursday’s print edition of Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport (27th May, page 14), which claimed that Spurs are still a ‘dangerous competitor’ in the race to land the 27-year-old attacking midfielder.

Mourinho, who is now in charge of AS Roma, is also still keen on the RB Leipzig skipper but his former north London outfit ‘remain at the window,’ as per the report.

Meanwhile, Sport Bild believe the Bundesliga club are willing to sell their star playmaker for around €42m (£36m).

Lo Celso upgrade

Tottenham have been crying out for a goal presence and creative source from midfield all season and that is exactly what Sabitzer would provide.

This campaign alone, the Austria international has directly contributed to 16 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, meaning he has averaged a goal or an assist once every 185 minutes, via Transfermarkt. That’s merely another impressive return from Sabitzer, who provided 16 goals and 11 assists in 2019/20.

It means he has delivered a total of 25 goals and 18 assists across the past two seasons, a stark contrast to Spurs’ options in the same role and, in particular, Giovani Lo Celso.

The Argentine was seemingly signed as a replacement for Christian Eriksen, initially joining on loan from Real Betis in the summer of 2019 before the north Londoners made the move permanent in a club record-equalling £55m deal.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-managerial-updates-transfer-news-rumours-gossip-and-more-levy-kane-enic” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, managerial gossip, transfer rumours and more!”]

In the same timeframe as Sabitzer’s lucrative run, Lo Celso has only given Spurs seven goals and four assists in return at an average of one goal contribution every 334 minutes, as per Transfermarkt.

That’s nearly double the Leipzig star’s ratio by comparison. It’s a massive difference.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old isn’t even among Spurs’ most creative players, managing only 0.8 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game during the 2020/21 season, whilst Sabitzer has managed 1.1 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per match in the Bundesliga this term.

He’s evidently everything that Lo Celso should’ve been for Spurs. It’s also no wonder why he’s earned many a glowing endorsement in recent times – his former boss Ralf Rangnick described him as “remarkable” and current head coach Julian Nagelsmann has previously dubbed him a “goal threat”.

Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder has even likened the attacking maestro to the Lilywhites’ former playmaker.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I think he’d bring a lot to Tottenham. He’s very similar to Eriksen, he’s that sort of player that Spurs have been missing in midfield.”

Even in the absence of a new manager, chairman Daniel Levy must ensure that it is Spurs who win the race for the £26m-rated dynamo this summer.

He would be a clear upgrade in a vital area of the pitch for whoever is appointed as the club’s next manager.

AND in other news, NO Kane? Skriniar SIGNED? How Spurs’ XI could look under Antonio Conte…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 150 appearances for Newcastle United, claims the Magpies don’t have the players require to pull of Graeme Jones’ much loved split striker system.

Jones was Roberto Martinez’s assistant at Swansea City, Wigan Athletic, Everton and Belgium before taking his first managerial job at Luton Town which ended up in him being sacked before the season finished.

The split striker system is what Martinez often uses with Belgium, however, it has been strongly discussed on Tyneside by Rob Lee who saw it first hand at Luton where it also didn’t work.

Speaking on what is required to make the system work and why Newcastle won’t be able to pull it off, Howey told FFC:

“A system can work but you need to get your players to, first of all, buy into it and second of all, be capable of actually pulling it off.

“Roberto Martinez uses it at Belgium so I think that’s possibly where he’s [Jones] got it from but Newcastle haven’t got Lukaku or Kevin De Bruyne.

“You’ve got to look at your players and try to pick the best formation which suits your team and players.”

The Magpies have managed to find themselves all but safe from relegation after a recent uplift in form, sitting nine points above 18th placed Fulham with just four games of the campaign to play.

Newcastle United have suffered a major body blow ahead of their Premier League clash against Manchester City on Friday night.

Steve Bruce’s side will be without star striker Callum Wilson after news emerged that the summer signing had injured his hamstring in the Magpies’ 4-2 victory over Leicester last week.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “Newcastle United can confirm that striker Callum Wilson will miss the remaining two weeks of the season after injuring his hamstring during Friday’s win at Leicester City.

“The striker scored twice in an impressive 4-2 victory at the King Power Stadium, but picked up the injury in the closing stages of the match.”

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s game against the newly-crowned champions, Bruce admitted that he felt like he could have perhaps prevented Wilson from getting injured.

He said: “I kick myself, really. In hindsight, I should’ve taken him off before that. It’s his other side. We’d expect it to be two or three weeks.”

The 29-year-old missed seven games earlier on in the season with a hamstring injury, and it’s been the only negative about the forward’s debut campaign on Tyneside.

Since making the move from Bournemouth last summer, Wilson has bagged an impressive 12 goals and provided another five assists in 26 Premier League games, firing the Magpies away from relegation danger. Their next-highest scorers have just five goals each in all competitions, illustrating just how priceless the 29-year-old’s contribution has been.

With the England international out of action for now, Bruce will now have to rely upon the likes of Joelinton and Dwight Gayle as his team’s striking options, and neither have really convinced at all during their time at the club – this season alone has seen them score just four goals in 44 Premier League games combined.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

It’s exactly why the news that not only will Wilson miss tonight’s game against City, but also the remainder of the season, will leave Bruce devastated.

Meanwhile, Steve Bruce must drop this underperforming player tonight…

Former Rangers star Michael Ball hopes that Ryan Kent stays at the club beyond the summer transfer window amid links with Leeds United.

Kent has been in excellent form for Steven Gerrard’s side this season, as they have won the Scottish Premiership title with barely any fuss.

Indeed, Rangers did not lose a single league game, with Kent scoring 13 goals and laying on 15 assists in all competitions, from his position on the left flank.

Speaking at the start of May, Kent admitted that he is pleased to be linked with other clubs, such as Leeds, though he maintained that his focus would remain on Rangers until the end of the season.

Still, Ball hopes that Kent will choose to stay with the club who have helped him reignite his career following his £7.5m move from Liverpool.

Before his move to Ibrox, Kent had made just one senior appearance for the Reds, having gone on various loan spells, to Coventry City, Barnsley, Freiburg and Bristol City before heading north of the border.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “You don’t want to see him wearing a different jersey.

“He looks like he’s loving his time at Rangers, he’s developed as a player.

“He cost Rangers a lot of money at the time but they know that’s a great asset to have.”

James Rodriguez stole the show against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night as the Everton midfielder proved to his doubters that he can defend as well as attack.

The Toffees were forced to settle for a point at home to Jose Mourinho’s Spurs after crucial mistakes from Mason Holgate and Michael Keane gifted Harry Kane two opportunities to register a brace.

Kane’s goals came either side of a double from Gylfi Sigurdsson, the Icelandic maestro converting a first half penalty before beautifully placing a delicate weak-foot volley into the far corner of Hugo Lloris’ net.

Referee Michael Oliver wasted no time in pointing to the spot moments after Kane opened the scoring following apparent contact between Spurs left-back Sergio Reguilon and Rodriguez, who had arrived late into the area to meet Sigurdsson’s cutback.

Rodriguez proved to be a prickly thorn for the Tottenham defence to try and put a cap on throughout the match, and he started brightly by sending Richarlison in down the left-hand channel after creating a yard of space.

Lloris was later forced to prevent Rodriguez from putting Everton ahead minutes after Sigurdsson converted from the spot when the Colombian let rip from range, and the Frenchman again had to be well-placed to thwart the £27m-rated playmaker with what should have been his seventh goal of the season.

Chances flowed through Rodriguez throughout the first half with Richarlison again allowed to adventure forward and the pair continued to combine well after the break, while the late introduction of Joshua King added another target for the former Real Madrid star to find.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-everton-news-and-views” title=”Latest Everton news and views!”]

Ultimately, his creativity would not return an assist or a goal to put Everton back ahead, but Rodriguez ended the night with a joint-game high four key passes with Sigurdsson, per WhoScored.

Rodriguez also matched Sigurdsson’s two successful tackles and made one interception while the former Spurs playmaker did not, and unlike his goalscoring colleague, he even contested a defensive aerial duel, per WhoScored.

The Colombian has averaged only 1.2 successful tackles and offered 0.7 interceptions per Premier League game in 2020/21, while contesting 0.7 aerial duels across both offensive and defensive situations.

Rodriguez is not generally a player known for his defensive contributions but rather his offensive exploits, which has previously raised suggestions that he could become a burden for Ancelotti if he cannot influence games at both ends of the field.

“Ancelotti will have to weigh up whether he’s doing enough offensively with his defensive contribution,” Darren Bent told Football Insider in January. “We know he’s not a defensive player, that’s not what his strength is.

“When you sign players like that, you don’t sign them for their defensive qualities. Defensively, we know he might leave them a little bit short, but they need to overcome that and move forward.

“These sorts of maverick players, they don’t really exist anymore because you can’t afford to be playing with ten men, especially with the energy and intensity of some teams, they’ll just keep on creating overloads all over the place.”

However, Rodriguez’s performance against Tottenham – which earned rave reviews from some Everton supporters – proved to doubters like Bent what he can do from a defensive point of view.

AND in other news, a rarely-seen Everton outcast is wanted in a £10.5m summer transfer…