All posts by z3u9t.icu

Nuno Santo will surely be nervously waiting for Tottenham Hotspur to make it through the January transfer window as a worrying report emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Spanish publication Defensa Central, La Liga giants Real Madrid are keen to try and bring Sergio Reguilon back to the Bernabeu but want to renegotiate their buy-back clause.

It’s thought that the current deal allows them to secure his return for around €40m (£34m), though that expires at the end of the current campaign and the Spanish outfit want to reduce that by around €10m (£8m), as per the report.

Madrid veteran Marcelo has lost his place to Ferland Mendy, whilst backup Miguel Gutierrez is vastly inexperienced, so the league leaders are considering a move for their former youth graduate.

Both Los Blancos president Florentino Perez and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy have done plenty of business in the past, despite the latter’s tough reputation when it comes to transfers.

Hammer blow

Heading into 2022, this is surely enough to leave Nuno and co absolutely sweating, for a number of reasons.

It is believed that Spurs are targeting attacking reinforcements in January, as per The Athletic, so it would be considered a setback to have to find a new left-back on top of these much-needed additions.

Creativity and goal threat in the final third has perhaps been their biggest Achilles heel so far this term.

Whilst, Reguilon is a key player under the Portuguese coach, having started and played the full duration in all seven of their Premier League outings this term.

His backup, Ben Davies, is far from inspiring and offers a lot less of an attacking threat than the Spanish international. Similarly, third-choice Ryan Sessegnon has been dealing with injuries and has been rarely utilised since his £25m move from Fulham a little over two years ago.

Reguilon is currently Spurs’ fourth highest-rated player (6.96) on the season and he has proven to be a major influence at either end of the pitch for Nuno, having averaged a squad-high 2.4 interceptions, on top of 2.1 tackles and 0.9 key passes, via WhoScored.

Therefore, the fact that Madrid are snooping around for his signature is cause for concern. They can activate that clause at any point between now and the end of the season, so Spurs must be praying that doesn’t happen as they’ll lose one of their key stars.

It’ll leave much of the Lilywhites faithful worried, concerned and probably a bit angry that the club even made such an agreement as his impressive form would have undoubtedly kept the La Liga outfit keen.

Whether the Spanish side do come calling or not very much remains to be seen at this stage.

AND in other news, Signed for £15m, now worth 200% more: Levy played a huge blinder with Spurs’ “monster”…

According to The Athletic, Tottenham can sack Nuno Espirito Santo on the cheap if they fail to finish in the top six this season.

The Lowdown: Mixed start to the season

Spurs have so far had a mixed start to the campaign. They started well, winning their first three Premier League matches 1-0, including a victory over champions Manchester City (Sky Sports).

However, they then lost three league games in a row, conceding three goals in each, before returning to winning ways on Sunday against Aston Villa.

The Latest: Levy’s backup plan

As per The Athletic, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has a contingency plan in case things do not go as they hope with their current manager.

The report stated: “The Athletic has learned that chairman Daniel Levy succeeded in reaching the agreement on his terms, notably including a clause that would benefit Spurs if their season does not go to plan.

“It is understood that should Nuno fail to deliver a top-six finish, Tottenham would be able to sack the 47-year-old midway through his two-year deal without having to pay any compensation.”

The Verdict: Great news

While there was little fanfare around the hiring of Nuno, it looks like Levy has pulled off an impressive deal here. It is a win-win situation for the north London outfit – should they finish in the top six, the season will be a success; if they fail, they can bring in another manager without it costing them an arm and a leg.

In Nuno’s case, they do have a manager with Premier League experience who has twice finished in the top seven with Wolves. To get such a deal for a solid manager is impressive from Levy and illustrates his ability to find value in the market.

In other news, this man turned down the chance to manager Spurs in the summer.

Nigel Adkins’ Charlton head into their clash with Oxford United in League One this weekend in need of a positive result.

The Addicks began their league campaign with a fairly uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend before losing 1-0 to AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup in midweek, which represents a subdued start to their season.

They now face an Oxford side who were held to a 1-1 draw by Cambridge in their opening league match and beat Burton Albion on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

On the Chalkboard

With Charlton finding goals hard to come by so far, Adkins has the opportunity to dip into his squad to shake things up against Oxford on Saturday.

Diallang Jaiyesimi played the full 90 minutes out wide against the Owls and struggled to catch the eye. He received a WhoScored rating of 6.46, failing to create a single chance for his team-mates whilst also being dispossessed four times and losing the ball three times through poor control. This suggests that he does not deserve his place in the side on merit heading into the next match.

Therefore, Adkins should unleash the club’s latest signing Charlie Kirk on Saturday. The attacker joined on a permanent deal from Crewe earlier this week and he should be handed his debut against Oxford to try and solve a key issue for the former Southampton boss, namely the lack of goals from Charlton.

In Kirk’s official unveiling, Adkins commented on the signing by stating that the 23-year-old is an exciting ‘forward-thinking’ addition to the squad.

He told Charlton’s official website: “I am delighted that Charlie Kirk is joining us. He is a very talented and exciting, young, forward-thinking player and I’m really looking forward to working with him over the coming years.”

Adkins also added in his pre-match press conference that the winger will want to get involved as soon as possible. The manager said: “He’s been at the training ground this afternoon. We’ll just take stock of the whole thing. We’re delighted he’s with us and he’ll be wanting to play as quickly as he can.”

Charlton must bring him straight into the starting XI for Jaiyesimi in order to alleviate their goalscoring woes, as the ex-Norwich man was unable to score a goal himself or provide his teammates with a chance to do so. Meanwhile, Kirk racked up six goals and eight assists for Crewe in League One last season, which suggests that he has the quality to make things happen at this level.

Between his record for Crewe last term and Adkins’ effusive praise of his talents, the evidence is there to suggest that Kirk could help solve Charlton’s goalscoring problems against Oxford this weekend. That is why he should be handed his debut for the club tomorrow.

AND in other news, Just 7 passes: Charlton disaster who lost 67% of his duels surely left Adkins livid…

Crystal Palace are not expected to make Jean-Philippe Mateta’s stay at the club permanent after a disappointing loan spell from Mainz 05.

What’s the story?

That’s according to journalist Tom Barclay, who revealed he doesn’t believe that 23-year-old is in Palace’s long-term plans.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Mateta, I don’t see being in the long-term Palace plan. I imagine when his 18-month deal is up, he’ll probably go back if not sooner, so that would open a spot up.”

Crystal Palace fans will be delighted

The former France U21 international arrived at Selhurst Park back in January 2021 on an initial 18-month loan deal with an option to buy, with the Eagles paying an initial £2.7m loan fee.

Palace also have an option to make the move permanent for a further £13.4m, although that only becomes an obligation if the versatile forward has started 15 Premier League games.

However, that prospect now appears to be extremely unlikely following several underwhelming showings for the south London outfit.

In seven top-flight outings last term, the 6 foot 2 beast found the back of the net on just one occasion under the tutelage of former manager Roy Hodgson, and things have gone from bad to worse during Patrick Vieira’s short reign.

Mateta has been awarded just 124 minutes of action by his compatriot throughout 2021/22 and has failed to start a Premier League game since the opening day of the season when he was hauled off just before the hour mark.

With summer signing Odsonne Edouard and the in-form Christian Benteke ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s hard to imagine the £7.2m-rated flop’s fortunes changing any time soon.

Therefore, large sections of the Palace supporters will be delighted at Barclay’s latest revelation as the capital club appear set to avoid a potentially expensive mistake in the transfer market.

And, in other news…Palace “lining up” swoop for “complete” £12.6m-rated gem, Vieira surely buzzing

Celtic are interested in Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Foster’s love for Parkhead

Foster, who has been with Watford since 2018, has less than 12 months left on his Vicarage Road deal.

The 38-year-old, on £33,000-a-week in London, recently shared his love for Parkhead.

He described Celtic Park as ‘the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in my life’, with Foster featuring for Manchester United in a 1-1 draw back in 2008.

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The Latest: Sky Sports claim

Sky Sports, cited by Football Daily, shared an update live on TV on Thursday regarding potential Tottenham outgoings.

They mentioned Celtic’s interest in Joe Hart before saying the Hoops ‘also have an interest’ in Foster.

It appears as if it’ll be one of the other out of Hart and Foster, with Ange Postecoglou already having Vasilis Barkas, Scott Bain, Conor Hazard and Ross Doohan on the books.

The Verdict: Foster or Hart?

Foster and Hart hardly featured for their respective clubs in 2021 but both have over 300 games of Premier League experience under their belt.

Hart is four years Foster’s junior, so perhaps favouring a deal for the Spurs man would be a shrewd option.

It seems as if Celtic don’t want to pay a fee for Hart, though, so Foster could be an alternative target if those negotiations fall through.

Either way, it is clear Postecoglou is desperate for an old head in between the sticks – it has certainly served arch-rivals Rangers well with Allan McGregor.

In other news: ‘Celtic are finally closing in’ – Devlin’s transfer post on ace with ‘excellent final ball’. 

A major update has emerged in Manchester City’s pursuit of a £58.5m-rated beast, and it could lead to Txiki Begiristain striking gold for the club.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, the Premier League champions are actively considering a move for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice this summer.

In The Athletic’s “The Radar” feature, Manchester City and Manchester United have both been named as clubs who are heavily interested in the 22-year-old. Chelsea are also thought to be in the running for the defensive midfielder, who is currently away with England at the European Championship.

Jim White claimed earlier this year that David Sullivan told him it will take more than £100m for Rice to leave West Ham this summer. The presenter told talkSPORT: “Sullivan has already told me it’s got to be north of £100m or they won’t entertain it.”

Back in March, England manager Gareth Southgate lavished praise on the “outstanding” Rice as the 50-year-old highlighted the youngster’s impressive defensive work, but admitted that he needs to work on how he builds attacks from the defensive midfield position.

Southgate told West Ham’s official website: “He’s outstanding at recovering balls in midfield. I think there are only a couple higher in the league in terms of recoveries in those midfield areas.

“I think there is still more to come with the ball, that building of attacks, that receiving from defence and transferring the ball quickly forward. We see evidence of it and we see at times he has the athleticism to drive forward with the ball as well.

Bye-bye Fernandinho

Brazil international Fernandinho is due to leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the month and it is time to say goodbye to him and welcome in a fresh, young, replacement in the form of Rice.

The 36-year-old is in the latter stages of his career and is not able to commit to being City’s defensive midfielder for another few years at his age, whereas Rice could be their starting man for the next decade. At 22, the Englishman has almost his entire career ahead of him, and City could land a key player for years to come by bringing him in.

Begiristain, City’s director of football, could strike gold by sealing a deal for Rice and must now attempt to sign him this summer. The England ace enjoyed a terrific season in the Premier League with West Ham and has proven in recent seasons that he is a top-class defensive midfielder. The 22-year-old has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.93 or higher in each of his last three Premier League campaigns, with a score of 7.01 for the 2020/21 season.

The £58.5m-rated beast is active on the defensive end in the Premier League. He made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game in the season just gone for West Ham, having averaged 5.1 in the 2019/20 campaign. Fernandinho averaged 2.6 last season and 2.5 in the previous campaign.

Therefore, Rice could be a superb replacement for the Brazilian, and City must work hard to get this deal done over the summer.

AND in other news, Pep handed major Man City boost over “exceptional” £140k-p/w star, fans surely buzzing…

Sheffield United are closing in on a deal to bring Robin Olsen to Bramall Lane.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist revealing on Twitter that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side are nearing a deal for the AS Roma goalkeeper, who is expected to join the Championship side on a season-long loan as Aaron Ramsdale’s replacement.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Robin Olsen is close to [joining] Sheffield United from AS Roma, here-we-go soon. He’s expected to be Ramsdale’s replacement, deal agreed on [a] one-season loan.”

Fans will be buzzing

While the loss of Ramsdale will have come as a major blow to everyone involved with Sheffield United, if Jokanovic manages to secure the signing of Olsen prior to Tuesday evening’s transfer deadline, it would undoubtedly soften the hit of losing the English stopper.

Indeed, the 31-year-old Swede impressed over his seven Premier League appearances while on loan at Everton last season, with the £2.7m-rated ‘keeper keeping two clean sheets, conceding an average of just 1.3 goals and making three saves per game.

These metrics saw the man who Alexander Isak dubbed an “incredible” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as the Toffees’ 12th-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering that Olsen’s level of performance would more than likely improve upon dropping down a division – on paper, at least – the signing of the Sweden international would be quite a coup for the Blades.

Furthermore, with Jokanovic desperately requiring a boost to kickstart Sheffield United’s Championship campaign – as the 53-year-old has seen his side pick up just two points over their opening five league fixtures of the season, leaving them languishing in 23rd place in the table – the last-minute signing of a player who boasts the quality and experience of Olsen could well prove to be the spark the Blades manager has been craving.

In other news: Witcoop drops SUFC transfer claim on “exciting” £2.6k-p/w ace, fans will be buzzing

Kurt Zouma is one step closer to becoming a West Ham United player…

What’s the word?

According to ExWHUemployee, the Chelsea centre-back is expected to undergo a medical within the next day or two and it comes after a €30m (£26m) fee was agreed for the 26-year-old.

“The club now believe that they can get the medical completed within the next 24-48 hours,” he told ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon page.

“There are a few steps to go plus obvious medical. The deal is now more advanced than the [Nikola] Milenkovic one ever was. Let’s hope we finally get an outfield deal over the line. As soon as I hear it’s complete, I will post.

“I have been told that not only does [David] Moyes feel he is securing his number one target, a top-quality centre back but also a very good lad who will settle into the changing room superbly and be part of the great team spirit that has been created.”

Imminent arrival

Much of the London Stadium faithful have been crying out for West Ham to sign Zouma this summer.

When reports first emerged linking the Irons to the France international, many could not contain their excitement – for example, one supporter claimed “what a signing” it would be, whilst another suggested it was a “big upgrade” on Craig Dawson, as relayed by Hammers.News.

This is hugely understandable as Moyes let Fabian Balbuena run down his contract at the end of last season, so there’s a place in the squad for the 26-year-old.

He’ll surely slot right in given his experience.

Zouma has played over 200 times across the Premier League and in Europe, and last season, none of Moyes’ current options – Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Dawson – could match his impressive returns.

Via WhoScored, the £28.8m-rated colossus won a whopping 3.6 aerial duels per game and only three other centre-backs in the whole league were better with the ball at his feet, having averaged a 90.6% passing accuracy.

Premier League legend John Terry also once hailed him a “beast of a player”, which is a huge glowing endorsement on his ability, and if that doesn’t provide further encouragement to why the Hammers are receiving a top-quality player, then nothing will.

The Irons faithful are surely buzzing by this latest development from Ex as it means Zouma is very close to becoming a West Ham player.

AND in other news, talkSPORT’s Jim White drops huge West Ham transfer claim…

Rangers’ hopes of signing Ryan Gauld this summer have taken a blow after it was revealed that SC Farense have triggered an extension to his contract, meaning that Steven Gerrard will no longer be able to bring him to Ibrox on a free transfer.

The former Dundee United man has been linked with a move to Rangers in recent weeks and it had seemed as if he would be available on a free transfer, as his contract was set to expire in the summer.

However, Portuguese news outlet O Jogo have now revealed that Farense have taken up their option of extending his contract by another year and will only let him go for €4m (£3.5m) this summer.

It is no surprise that the Lions of Faro are keen to receive a fee for the 25-year-old, although they will perhaps be resigned to seeing him leave following their relegation from the Portuguese top flight, especially with a number of Premier League and Championship clubs also reportedly showing an interest.

Despite his price tag, which would likely make him the third-most-expensive signing of the Gerrard era at Rangers behind Ryan Kent and Kemar Roofe, his performances in recent seasons certainly suggest that this would be a deal worth doing for Ross Wilson this summer.

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Farenese’s former manager Sergio Vieira was full of praise for Gauld last season, saying: “He has given us fantastic individual quality, played most of every 90 minutes and has been crucial in contributing with assists and goals.

“He’s a great player, technically very developed and, with the ball at his feet, capable of realising actions that only the best players do.”

Gauld contributed an impressive nine goals and seven assists in 33 league appearances this season and has averaged a solid 7.19 rating from WhoScored, which certainly suggests that he could be a stellar addition to Gerrard’s side ahead of their return to the Champions League next season.

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Therefore, despite this setback, Wilson should definitely act quickly if he wants to bring Gauld to Ibrox this summer.

In other news… Gerrard dealt Rangers blow with “very dangerous” 32-goal beast, time is running out

Liverpool attacking midfielder Harry Wilson has completed a permanent move to Fulham, as per a report from Goal. 

The lowdown: Wilson’s career so far

Wilson has been with the Reds since 2013, having joined as a youngster before advancing through the academy ranks on Merseyside.

The Wrexham-born star racked up 32 goals and 14 assists for the Liverpool under-23s and made a senior debut against Plymouth in the FA Cup in 2017.

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However, the Wales international only made one more competitive first-team outing and was sent out various loan deals to Crewe Alexandra, Hull City, Derby County, Cardiff City and Bournemouth.

The latest: Finally found a home

As per the report from Goal, the 25-year-old winger is set to turn the latest loan switch into a permanent one this summer.

Speaking to the outlet, Wilson has confirmed that he’s delighted to finally have ‘stability’ following a career of temporary switches to date.

The report claims that Liverpool will receive £12m and hold a 15% sell-on clause for the player, who was once described as ‘magic’ by Neil Harris after a stellar display against Birmingham City whilst on loan at Cardiff.

The verdict: Unfortunate timing

Truthfully, given the strength in depth at Anfield, the Welshman has always faced an uphill battle to force his way into Jurgen Klopp’s long-term plans. Despite often shining during pre-season, the 34-cap star never truly appeared ready to make the necessary step-up to this current Liverpool squad.

Wilson has flourished once more in the Championship this season and currently boasts an excellent return of 11 goals and 18 assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for newly-promoted Fulham.

Ultimately the right-winger may end up simply being a victim of circumstance as, in previous incarnations of Liverpool, the cultured left-footer would almost certainly have been given a try. However, when sharing a position with the mercurial Mohamed Salah, regular opportunities were never likely to be forthcoming.

Attention will now turn to how Liverpool’s incoming sporting director Julian Ward can best spend the early budget boost in the summer transfer window.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.