All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers have experienced the highs and the lows of the transfer market over the years and Ross Wilson is the latest chief at Ibrox to navigate his way through the windows.

He has pulled off some impressive deals, including the signings of Leon Balogun, Ianis Hagi and Joe Aribo, but he has also been culpable for signings such as Cedric Itten and Amad Diallo. This illustrates how difficult it can be to have a high success rate as you can never guarantee that a player will come good.

Whilst you can look at moves over the years and judge whether they were the right ones or not, you can also look back at players the Gers wanted and failed to get.

One famous player the club missed out on a deal for was Barcelona teenager Lionel Messi. The Gers reportedly enquired about a swoop when he was 17 in 2004 and did not take it any further after they were unable to secure a loan, with the Glasgow giants seemingly not exploring the chances of a permanent move.

Thankfully, the Argentine winger didn’t amount to much and hasn’t been heard of on the world stage since… right?

Well… not exactly. The forward was valued at just £2.7m by Transfermakt at the time of Rangers’ enquiry, which – for some context – is less than Fashion Sakala (£3.6m), Amad Diallo (£16.2m) and Kemar Roofe (£3.6m) are worth now.

Since then, he has won just the seven Ballon d’Or trophies and scored 680 goals for Barcelona and PSG combined, whilst also providing 314 assists. He scored 474 goals and manage 216 assists in 520 La Liga outings for the Catalan giants, winning four Champions League titles along the way for the Spanish side.

By the age of 30, Transfermarkt valued Messi at a whopping £162m. Rangers, meanwhile, have a total squad value of £118.85m, which illustrates how big of a talent the Argentine icon has been throughout his career.

His former Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol previously dubbed him an “alien” and legendary manager Jose Mourinho called him the “god of football”, with his out-of-this-world career statistics backing up the praise. He has dominated football throughout his time on the pitch and Rangers missed out on the chance to watch him play for the Light Blues.

Imagine Lionel Messi in a Gers kit firing in goals with his left foot at Ibrox, even if it was just for one season… it is the stuff of dreams and it could have been a reality. One that got away…

AND in other news, Gvb now plotting Rangers swoop for “exceptional” monster, he’d be a bargain “diamond”…

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Manchester City face Chelsea in a vital Premier League encounter this weekend.

After cutting the gap to Liverpool to two points prior to the Reds’ clash with West Ham United on Monday evening, by virtue of their dominant 3-1 win over Arsenal, City will be out to keep up their momentum against Maurizio Sarri’s inconsistent Blues.

On the chalkboard

City are perhaps the best possession-based team in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s teams regularly strangle teams with possession, but every pass has a purpose.

The likes of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva always find their man and they are constantly looking forward, seeking to bypass the defensive line.

They had 59% possession against Arsenal and used it well, racking up 19 shots, 12 of which were on target, attempting 613 passes, with 87% accuracy.

Chelsea, by comparison, have struggled to implement Maurizio Sarri’s gameplan thus far this season.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

A 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town was an excellent clap back to their critics, but their 4-0 loss to Bournemouth laid bare their recent failings.

In that game, they had 68% possession, attempting 716 passes, with 89% accuracy.

Whereas Chelsea continue to pass the ball, from side to side, with no point to their play, City do the opposite, forever passing forward, looking to get beyond the backline.

A lesson in possession

Guardiola can teach Sarri something about the art of keeping possession.

The Italian manager has yet to show Chelsea how to hurt teams with the ball, instead boring them into submission.

Or, as Bournemouth proved, they can merely wait, counter and hit four past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

This weekend, of course, may see Chelsea cede possession and attempt to break themselves, but they would be well advised to take notes from the way City play.

Whereas Chelsea are inactive on the ball, City are seductive, forever circling the ball, weaving patterns and besting their opponents through keep-ball.

Expect them to do the same this weekend – Chelsea fans must hope Sarri pays close attention.

This has been a seriously impressive winter for Aston Villa as Steven Gerrard sinks his teeth into a transfer market while manager of the Midlands club for the first time.

Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho are the marquee additions but in the mind of Johan Lange, there is more work to be done before the window slams shut.

What’s the word?

This has been a rather momentous 24 hours in the world of Villa’s recruitment team if you believe reports.

They are still very much interested in Yves Bissouma while an offer has even been tabled for Luis Suarez according to sources in Spain.

If that wasn’t enough, they’ve now been urged to make a move for another superstar plying his trade in the Spanish capital; Eden Hazard.

That’s the word of former Dutch star Johan Boskamp who told Het Nieuwsblad, via Sport Witness: “I really hope he changes clubs this winter

“Then maybe he can play 25 games in the next few months. Because if he stays at Real, I don’t think he will play many more games this season.

“And then the World Cup is coming up. It’s a tricky situation. I don’t dare say Chelsea are the answer.”

Boskamp continued: “Eden plays better in a team that has the ball. So I don’t know if he fits into coach Thomas Tuchel’s plans. He has also brought back Lukaku, and that is not going well either.

“They could also loan Eden to Aston Villa or another club. It doesn’t matter where; he just has to play. That’s the most important thing.”

Time to revive Hazard

The Belgian sensation has rather gone off the rails since swapping Chelsea for Real Madrid but there is no denying that he is still a remarkable player.

He has scored just five goals in 59 outings since a mega £89m move back in 2019 but the fact of the matter is that Hazard is someone who not only knows English football inside out, but is a player who performed spectacularly during his time at Chelsea.

The 31-year-old racked up a supremely high volume of 110 goals while contributing a seriously impressive tally of 92 assists as well.

In the process, Hazard won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and also took home two Europa League trophies.

It was his performances that played a massive hand in securing those honours and he was met with some eye-catching praise as a result.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hailed him as a “special” player, while others mentioned the forward in the same breath as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Furthermore, he has been compared to one of the greats we’ve seen on English shores. Christophe Dugarry once said of the Belgium international: “He’s faster than Zidane, more technique than Thierry Henry.”

Of course, his stock has fallen since those appraisals, so much so that Madrid reportedly accepted a €40m (£33m) proposal from Newcastle for his services, only for the player to reject them.

With that in mind, he may well reject any potential advance from Lange and co too, but a six-month stint alongside Coutinho is surely attractive for Hazard.

His star isn’t burning quite so bright as it was but he is still special and there is never any reason to question his technique.

A fifth deal of the winter when you consider incomings and outgoings, specifically Hazard, is unlikely for Villa but if a deal can be struck, he’d be quite the coup.

AND in other news, Sky Sports journo drops exciting AVFC transfer update on live TV, fans surely buzzing…

Aston Villa have been particularly proactive in the January transfer window when it comes to bringing new players to the club such as Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen and Calum Chambers.

It now seems as though the Villa faithful can relax about the possibility of one of their current key players potentially leaving the club this month.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent Twitter post from The Athletic’s Villa journalist Gregg Evans, the Midlands club will not be selling Matty Cash during the current transfer window, after a report emerged claiming that the right-back was in talks with Atletico Madrid over a potential move to the reigning La Liga champions.

Evans confirmed that Diego Simeone’s side have an interest in Cash and will consider bidding for him when the summer transfer window opens, but the player will remain at Villa Park for the time being.

The Poland international joined Villa in 2020 from Championship club Nottingham Forest in a deal worth a reported £16m.

Since arriving at Villa Park, the defender has firmly cemented himself as the club’s first-choice right-back, with a total of 51 appearances under his belt across all competitions.

Gerrard will be buzzing

Cash has played more minutes in the Premier League than anyone else at Villa so far this season and earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.88/10 in the process, making him Villa’s fifth-highest rated player according to WhoScored. This highlights just how important the 24-year-old is to the team and why Steven Gerrard would be delighted to have him stay put for the remainder of the season.

Also, in a recent poll ran by Football FanCast, 91% of respondents suggested that Villa should not sell Cash in the summer, showing just how highly he is rated by the fans.

If Atletico make an official approach to Villa in the summer to sign their right-back, the Midlands club should do all they can to keep hold of him and see out the remainder of his contract at Villa Park, which isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2025.

For now, Gerrard must be buzzing to hear that the club have no intention of letting the 24-year-old leave in the final stages of the January transfer window.

In other news – Forget Chukwuemeka: Gerrard could land his own Grealish at Villa Park with “exceptional” starlet

Liverpool striker Divock Origi is increasingly close to joining AC Milan this summer, with the Serie A club’s board giving the ‘green light’ for the move.

The Lowdown: Origi leaving this summer

The Belgian seems a certainty to move on from the Reds at the end of this season, with his current deal expiring at that point.

Origi has been a spectator for much of the 2021/22 campaign, making just five starts in all competitions and finding himself well down the attacking pecking order.

He has been constantly linked with a summer move to Milan and it looks like a matter of time until it is completed now.

The Latest: Milan move edges closer

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], ‘the green light has arrived from the board’ of Milan, as he looks set to seal a transfer to Italy.

It is claimed that ‘only the signature is missing’ and that an ‘agreement’ has been reached, bringing an end to an unforgettable spell at Liverpool for Origi.

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The Verdict: One last legendary moment?

The 26-year-old have may become more of a bit-part player by the year but he will always be remembered for scoring some truly iconic goals for the Reds, from Everton to Barcelona.

With Liverpool still battling for an unprecedented quadruple, the hope is that Origi has one last huge moment in him – one that further enhances his legend at Anfield.

It would be a fitting way to end for him, only strengthening the argument that he is one of the Reds’ all-time great cult heroes.

In other news, David Ornstein has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

West Ham United boss David Moyes is desperate to sign a new striker target as news emerges on Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins, as per insider reports.

The Lowdown: Irons eye striker…

The Irons and Moyes, reportedly convinced that Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata had signed in the late hours of January, thereby ending West Ham’s long search for a forward, were left bitterly disappointed (The Evening Standard).

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Phone calls to the Colombian’s representatives were unanswered with the 31-year-old going AWOL, leaving Moyes stranded without a senior back-up option for the second half of 2021/2022.

Their quest to add a new central striker now continues into the next summer transfer window, and according to club insider Claret & Hugh, the Hammers boss is very keen on Premier League star Watkins.

The Latest: Moyes sets sights on Watkins…

Moyes has allegedly been ‘seriously tracking’ the 26-year-old in his quest to finally fill the striker’s position.

Watkins is the Scotsman’s top target, and despite Steven Gerrard’s side being adamant they won’t sell, it is believed that won’t stop West Ham from attempting a move.

A ‘key London Stadium insider’ told C&H: “It’s become clear Villa are not interested in selling the player but that won’t stop us trying.”

The Verdict: Move on…

There are various stumbling blocks to this move, not just Villa’s strict no sale stance, but also the fact he could cost around £60 million, according to reliable reporter Luke Hatfield.

Moyes’ interest is certainly understandable given Watkins’ status as a fairly young England international with proven goalscoring ability over the last few seasons.

He’s also been called ‘unbelievable’ by Villa pundits like Dan Bardell (via This is Futbol), but given the appear to make West Ham’s life difficult in attempts to land the striker, it could be best to move on for now and look at alternatives.

In other news: West Ham insider makes contrary Rice claim in big boost for Moyes, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Ronnie Edwards to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Daily Mail, who claim that both Spurs and Crystal Palace are keeping a very close eye on the Peterborough United centre-back ahead of a potential move at the end of the season.

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The report goes on to state that the relegation-threatened Championship side are believed to value the England U19 international at a figure of around £15m, with Posh likely being unable to keep hold of the youngster following their seemingly imminent return to the third tier of English football.

Conte can axe Rodon with Edwards

Considering the sheer amount of potential Edwards quite clearly possesses, in addition to the style of defender the centre-back is, it is easy to see why both Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte would be interested in a move for the 19-year-old this summer.

Indeed, over his 30 Championship appearances this season, the £270k-rated talent has been imperious in the Peterborough backline, helping his side keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 3.5 clearances and winning 2.8 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per game.

The £2.7k-per-week prodigy has also impressed with the ball at his feet, enjoying an average of 60.2 touches and completing 44.2 passes, 3.7 long balls and 1.5 chipped passes per fixture – with scoutedfootball listing the centre-back’s primary strengths as his composure, his elegant passing and his one-on-one defending.

These returns have seen the youngster who Barry Fry dubbed a “Rolls Royce” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.75, ranking him as Posh’s 11th-best player in the second tier of English football.

Regarding his signing of the teenager back in August 2020, Fry went on to state: “I used to watch a lot of U18s football at Barnet as well as Posh and I told [Darren Ferguson] about him. When we brought him in for a game, Darren watched him for 20 minutes and told me to sign him.

“Spurs were watching him at the time… it’s no secret how highly Ronnie is rated by other clubs and by the England set-up. We had 18 Premier League scouts watching him play for the U23s at our stadium. He’s a certainty to have an outstanding career in the game.

“A couple of good seasons in the Championship would make him worth £10m to £20m. He was outstanding on what was a great day for the club [in the 3-0 win over Birmingham City in September]. He is so calm and composed and his passing is unbelievably accurate.”

As such, considering the fact that Tottenham’s £24k-per-week Joe Rodon – who John Wenham dubbed a “real issue” for Spurs back in April of last year – has reportedly decided to quit the north London club this summer – having featured just three times under the management of Conte – Edwards would certainly appear to be a fantastic replacement for the 24-year-old Wales international in the Italian’s backline.

AND in other news: Talks underway: Paratici in negotiations for £41.5m deal, it’d be a big coup for Spurs

Having secured a 1-0 victory in their previous SPFL match against Livingston, Rangers are back in action this afternoon with an away clash against Ross County next up for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side in their latest attempt at moving a step closer to securing the league title.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Van Bronckhorst could select to be in his starting XI to take on County this afternoon, one figure that didn’t start against Livingston but ended playing a big part in the win that we feel should be in the team from the beginning on this occasion is Scott Arfield. 

After replacing James Sands in the 59th minute in midweek, Arfield managed to get his name on the scoresheet and score the vital goal that earned Rangers the three points on the day. 

With that in mind, it would be a good option to give Arfield, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £16k-per-week according to Salary Sport, the chance to potentially add another goal to his tally for the season from the start rather than the substitutes bench again. 

Also, with Van Bronckhorst recently sharing his wishes at seeing the Canadian stay at the club for the foreseeable future after his current contract at Ibrox expires at the end of the season, starting him this afternoon would be a good way of proving just how important he is for the team.

Labelled as a “reliable” player for Rangers by Kenny Miller, Arfield has racked up 165 appearances for the Scottish champions across all competitions with 32 goals and 18 assists under his belt, showing not only how experienced he is but also how capable he is in front of goal.

Taking into account how the 33-year-old has already scored against County this season back in August during Rangers’ 4-2 win, he now has the chance to haunt them again this time around and terrify them with his goalscoring ability.

Moving forward, while the midfielder proved in the game against Livingston how much of a useful impact player he can be for Rangers off the substitutes bench, it could be worth starting him this time to see if he can help his side have a more comfortable game this time around.

In other news: “Monitoring”: Journalist delivers key Rangers transfer update which Van Bronckhorst will love…

Celtic’s Mikey Johnston is being targeted for a loan move by their Premiership rivals Aberdeen, The Daily Record’s Scott Burns revealed on Sunday night.

The lowdown

The Hoops have already allowed three players to leave the club temporarily this month. Midfielders Liam Shaw and Ewan Henderson have joined Motherwell and Hibernian respectively, while goalkeeper Conor Hazard has gone to HJK Helsinki in Finland.

Johnston, who came through the youth ranks at Celtic, is valued at £900,000 by Transfermarkt and still has three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.

The latest

Burns wrote for The Daily Record that Johnston features on Aberdeen’s shortlist of attacking options. The 22-year-old’s former Celtic team-mate Scott Brown is said to be a ‘huge admirer’ and has provided a ‘glowing reference’ to chiefs at Pittodrie.

However, Ange Postecoglou may block the move to preserve the depth of his squad, with ‘a number’ of players currently absent.

The verdict

How important a player is Johnston for Celtic? He has made 18 appearances this season, including four in the Europa League and 12 in the Premiership, but only four of those have been from the start, so you’d think that the Hoops could afford to let him go and play more regularly elsewhere.

However, injuries to Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada, in addition to Daizen Maeda’s international call-up, will rightly have them thinking twice before loaning out the 22-year-old to another Premiership club.

Johnston is a threat, with 21 goals and assists under his belt as a senior player, and he has been called a ‘sensational’ talent with ‘bags of potential’ by Celtic skipper Callum McGregor. Therefore, Postecoglou is rightly reluctant to loan him out to Aberdeen.

In other news, there’s a big update on a Celtic attacking target.

Alisson Becker was frustrated that red smoke clouded his view during the first half of Liverpool’s FA Cup semifinal clash with Manchester City. 

The lowdown

Liverpool scored two goals in the first 17 minutes against Pep Guardiola’s side, with Ibrahima Konate netting a header from a corner before Sadio Mane charged down goalkeeper Zak Steffen and bundled the ball home.

The Reds were attacking the City end during the first half, with their own supporters watching from the opposite end of Wembley.

Fans threw red ‘pyro’ towards the pitch in celebration, and it left Liverpool’s starting ‘keeper Alisson ‘completely wreathed in red smoke’, potentially causing a distraction and restricting his visibility.

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The latest

The Liverpool Echo’s chief LFC writer, Ian Doyle, said Alisson wouldn’t be ‘too impressed’ with the obstruction caused by the flare.

And The New York Times’ Chief Soccer Correspondent, Rory Smith, made a similar observation, noting that the 29-year-old ‘doesn’t look desperately happy’ about the situation.

The verdict

Alisson actually endured a tricky first half, even as Liverpool stormed into a three-goal lead.

He misplaced eight passes during the first 45 minutes, including six of the 10 long balls he attempted (via SofaScore).

Liverpool writer Paul Tomkins insisted that, while the £150,000-per-week Brazilian was an ‘incredible goalkeeper’, his kicking had not been ‘as consistent lately’.

It’s hard to say whether the smoke was a significant factor, but it certainly can’t have been an assistance.

In other news, Liverpool are keen on this Real Madrid ace with PL experience.