All posts by z3u9t.icu

A major update has emerged on Portsmouth striker Ellis Harrison, and it could lead to Danny Cowley ruthlessly axing him from the squad.

What’s the talk?

According to BBC South journalist Andrew Moon, League One duo Fleetwood and Oxford are showing an interest in the Pompey centre-forward. Both clubs are keen on a deal for the striker, who still has a year left to run on his current contract with Portsmouth.

Back in 2017, Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke admitted that he had to remove Harrison from penalty duties after two misses for the club.

He was unable to convert from the spot and forced his manager to remove him from being in the running to take them in the future as Currie told the Bristol Post: “You’ve got to stick your penalties away. That’s the last two I think he’s [Harrison] missed now, so he’ll have to come off pens and we’ll have a look at it.”

Time’s up

Time is up for Harrison at Portsmouth, and Cowley must now ruthlessly axe him this summer. He has not been good enough at League One level for Pompey and the manager must sanction the 27-year-old’s exit whilst there are clubs interested in his services.

Portsmouth should ship him off to Fleetwood or Oxford and then look to replace him with an upgrade in the transfer market, if the interest from their League One rivals is genuine and they are willing to offer a decent fee for the centre-forward.

Harrison’s goalscoring record at League One level is poor. Since the start of last season, he has scored just nine goals in 55 appearances – less than a one-in-five goals-to-game ratio. He has also provided a mere two assists in that time and recorded a distinctly average WhoScored rating of 6.68 in League One for the 2020/21 campaign for Portsmouth.

This suggests that Harrison has struggled since his move to Fratton Park and therefore it could be time for Cowley to axe him and bring in another striker this summer.

The £4,300-per-week dud is also at somewhat of a crossroads regarding his contract situation. He has one year left on his deal and must decide to either leave the club or commit his future to Fratton Park. From Portsmouth’s point of view, they should avoid pinning him down to an extension and instead sell him to another club in the coming weeks and months.

If they fail to secure an exit for the Welshman ahead of next season, they could miss out on the chance to recoup a transfer fee for the 27-year-old as he would leave on a free transfer in 2022. Now is the time for Portsmouth to cut him loose.

AND in other news, Eisner heading for disaster with “very strong” £2.7k-p/w ace, Pompey fans will be livid…

Tottenham Hotspur must reignite their interest in Luis Campos this summer…

What’s the word?

The former Lille sporting director has been targeted by a host of clubs across Europe, including some in the Premier League, according to Sky Sports.

Juventus, Manchester United and Arsenal appear to be keen, whilst the Portuguese talent spotter has long been linked with Spurs in the past.

There were suggestions that Jose Mourinho wanted him part of the coaching set-up when he was appointed in November 2019, having formed a trusted relationship over the years, with Campos being a scout during the same time at Real Madrid.

Forget any manager

It is also thought that Daniel Levy is considering bringing in a director of football – something they have not had since 2015 when Franco Baldini left the club – to accompany any new appointment (via The Athletic).

Currently, the north London club make all their decisions through only two people – Levy and technical performance director Steve Hitchen.

A move for a new presence would signal an significant change in direction, but ultimately it is one which is desperately needed at Spurs.

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

Recruitment just has not been good enough, with several names from the Mauricio Pochettino era still at the club, and that has been a large part of their downfall. It was only in 2019 that Spurs made the Champions League final, but now they are desperately battling to secure a place in Europe’s secondary club competition.

Campos, who has been dubbed “the wizard of capital gains,” has a proven track record when it comes to sourcing the ‘next big thing’ as the emergence of the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Antony Martial, Bernado Silva and Nicolas Pepe have all been down to him.

Lille are now close to sensationally pipping Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title largely down to Campos, who has recruited superbly in recent years. Despite their turnaround in profits – making in excess of £500m under the 56-year-old’s control – Lille have remained hugely competitive.

Forget your Brendan Rodgers’, Scott Parkers and Graham Potters – an appointment in the director of football role like Campos could be everything Levy needs to revolutionise Spurs.

At the time of Campos’ original links to the Lilywhites, ever-reliable reporter Alasdair Gold waxed lyrical about him, writing for football.london:

“Campos would be perfect for Spurs and Daniel Levy with his ability to work to whatever budget set for him and find uncut gems for his clubs. I wouldn’t bet against him coming to Spurs in the future, particularly as he has always said he would follow Mourinho anywhere but he will be inundated with offers should he actually decided to leave Lille.”

He’s keen on trying his arm in the Premier League, too. The Portuguese once claimed: “The Premier League is considered one of the most competitive in the world. As a competitor, I would obviously like the challenge.”

Spurs’ playing squad needs a drastic overhaul and Campos’ record is far too mouth-watering to ignore, so pairing him up with the next manager could genuinely be game-changing in N17. Levy must look to hire Campos this summer, along with his next manager.

AND in other news, Get rid: Levy must axe “pathetic” £85k-p/w flop, he’s let Spurs down for many years…

Chelsea could try and sign Tottenham striker Harry Kane this summer in a move that would cause uproar, that is according to former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie.

Sky Sports reported last week that Kane has reiterated his desire to leave Tottenham, with the north London club failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Meanwhile, ESPN are claiming that Chelsea are willing to offer players plus cash, which could include Tammy Abraham and Kepa Arrizabalaga, for the England captain.

Given the Blues’ struggles in front of goal this season, with their top scorer in the Premier League finishing with just seven goals, Hendrie believes a play for Kane could certainly be on the cards.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Kane’s future, the Sky Sports pundit said:

“You look at Chelsea and they haven’t scored enough goals in that centre-forward area. Could it be one of them? I’m not saying it would because I feel that if Harry Kane was going to go from Spurs to Chelsea, it would cause uproar.

“But you do feel that these days it is one of them where if people are going to pay the big money and they’ve got the big players, it’s certainly a big attraction.”

While it probably would not be a surprise to see Chelsea try their luck, as Hendrie alluded to, it is a transfer that would cause too much controversy, so this looks like a non-starter.

And if the west London club are going to be offering their fringe players like Abraham and Kepa, who have barely played, then shocking proposals like that probably have no chance of even being entertained.

If and when Celtic finally announce the appointment of a new manager, the man in charge will walk into a football club that is in dire straits.

The Hoops have lost their dominance on Scottish football and Parkhead will have no trophy from the 2020/21 season to celebrate.

They will also have to manage a massive rebuild of the playing squad. Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard are two potentially high profile exits while there will be a leadership void when Scott Brown heads to Aberdeen.

Leigh Griffiths could also leave while Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie have been linked with exits.

Consider Jonjoe Kenny, Moi Elyounoussi, Diego Laxalt and Shane Duffy will have to return to their parent clubs and the squad will be depleted.

If the new manager is Eddie Howe he needs to build his team around a very certain set of players. One player he simply has to unleash is Stephen Welsh.

With Ajer potentially heading for the departure lounge, the 21-year-old has the opportunity to become the real focal point of a much-maligned defence.

They have been a disaster this season and if anything sums that up it would be their 4-1 defeat to Rangers last weekend.

Welsh wasn’t at his best during that game. He was turned inside out by a 38-year-old Jermain Defoe late on as the Englishman rolled back the years to score their final goal.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

It was a moment to forget for the young centre-half but it’s crucial to keep in mind just how inexperienced he still is. Give Welsh a manager who can grow young players and he could become a real star at Paradise.

After all, the 6 foot 3 brute has already negotiated one of the toughest tests in world football; Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

After featuring in the Europa League earlier this term, Welsh commented: “In the European games, the quality you come up against is world-class.”

The Scot added: “You look at Ibrahimovic, he is a brilliant player, he doesn’t move a lot but the quality shines through in the end.”

This has been a breakthrough campaign for the youngster but unfortunately, it will be one he is keen to eradicate from his mind swiftly.

Fortunately, the arrival of Howe could be game-changing. After all, you only need to look at the way the 43-year-old developed Nathan Ake at Bournemouth.

Ake signed for the Cherries on an initial loan deal before he was snapped up by Howe in a whopping £20m deal from Chelsea.

The Dutchman went on to play 121 times under Celtic’s potential new manager and he credits much of his development at centre-back for what Howe did with him.

Speaking in 2019, Ake said: “Even if you have a few good games, stuff like that, he makes sure that we watch clips together and look for little, little things – even if I’d had a good game – he will find something to help me get better.

“That’s perfect for me because, at my age, there’s still so much more to come and he’s the right man to help me improve.”

The defender is still particularly young but it was the guidance and tuition he received from Howe that ultimately made him a player that Manchester City wanted to spend £40m on last summer.

It would be quite something if Welsh was ever worth that much but the player and manager could forge a special bond if he finally pens terms in Glasgow.

Howe has repeatedly shown himself to be a developer of young talent and so with that in mind, he must unshackle and find a way to make Welsh better.

He has a first-class attitude and will give his all for the club, a trait that plenty in the squad certainly doesn’t possess right now. “He can give it out, he competes for everything, and when it doesn’t go his way, he takes that well too. He gets back up on his feet and he’s ready to go again,” Chris Sutton once recalled.

Given how poor the Hoops have been this season from a defensive point of view it will undoubtedly serve the manager’s best interests to play him.

AND in other news, Celtic set for huge boost as Lennoxtown news emerges, McKay & Desmond will be buzzing…

Harvey Elliott has been described as ‘certified special’ by a Blackburn Rovers team-mate following a superb spell at the Championship club.

The Lowdown: Elliott shines at Blackburn

The 18-year-old moved to Ewood Park back in October, with Jurgen Klopp failing to guarantee him regular playing time at Liverpool.

While some young players can get eaten up by the physical nature of the Championship, Elliott has excelled, scoring seven goals and registering a hugely impressive 11 assists.

The forward has now completed his stint at Blackburn and will return to Liverpool ahead of pre-season training in the summer.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

The Latest: Enormous praise for Reds youngster

Elliott has clearly impressed those around him at Ewood Park, not least Rovers captain Elliott Bennett, who has waxed lyrical over the Reds man [via Anfield Watch Academy on Twitter] as he said:

“This kid is certified special. Good luck brother. Stay hungry. Stay humble. Keep shining.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-liverpool-news/” title=”All the latest Liverpool news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Very special talent

Some young players stand out from the rest, possessing outrageous technical ability and a swagger about their game, both of which apply to Elliott. To have ripped up the Championship at just 18 years of age is a standout feat and he appears to have a huge future in the game.

It would be reckless to begin calling for Elliott to start regularly at Liverpool next season given that he has rarely featured for the club, but Klopp must surely consider making him a part of the Reds’ matchday squads.

With the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi possibly moving on, the teenager could take their places as he continues to mature into a potential future Anfield star.

In other news, Liverpool have been given a major boost in their quest to sign a Premier League player this summer. Read more here.

Barry Fry has suggested in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast that Nicky Butt left Manchester United in protest at their behind-the-scenes appointments.

Butt left Old Trafford after nine years last week, amid speculation that he could move to either Celtic or Preston North End.

There has yet to be any movement on either of those roles, as there was a suggestion that he could link up with Roy Keane if he were appointed manager with the Scottish giants, or potentially become Preston’s manager.

He left after two major off-pitch appointments in March, as John Murtough was appointed as the club’s first ever Football Director, and Darren Fletcher, another former United midfielder, was given the role of technical director, per United’s official website.

It is unclear if Butt left because of those appointments, although there has been a suggestion made by The Athletic that Murtough’s hiring played a role in the ex-central midfielder leaving.

Butt had played for the club between 1992 and 2004, winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the Champions League. He first joined United as a coach in 2012.

And Fry has suggested that background politics were at play in his departure.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “Now for him to abruptly leave it means that, and I’m reading between the lines, he didn’t agree with the appointments that have been made this week.

“It’s sad really because he’s given a lot on and off the field to the club.”

Rangers are on the verge of making a massive mistake, if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Glasgow giants are set to pull out of a move for Wigan Athletic starlet Kyle Joseph amid interest from their arch-rivals.

The 19-year-old attacker has suitors from Scotland and the Premier League after he snubbed a new contract offer from the League One outfit.

The Gers would only have to pay £300k in compensation but, in ending their pursuit, the door will be opened for Celtic to strike.

Another talent missed?

Much of the Light Blues’ recent success has to be attributed to both Steven Gerrard and the club’s recruitment team as the current squad finally put a stop to their crosstown rivals’ nine-year dominance in the Scottish Premiership. However, their stance on Joseph here has to be questioned.

It’s not the first time that the Ibrox club have missed out on a potential star from the lower leagues of English football – Jamie Vardy, for instance, very nearly became a Rangers player.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/rangers-news-ibrox-steven-gerrard-ross-wilson-gers-rfc” title=”Latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more!”]

According to then-manager Ally McCoist, finances stopped the deal from happening. He told talkSPORT (via Daily Record) last summer: “I remember looking at him when he was at Fleetwood,” he said. “I couldn’t get the money to get him. I had John Brown, my chief scout, look at him two or three times. It was an absolute no-brainer but we couldn’t get the money to get him.”

The Gers legend added: “He’s been fantastic.” Indeed, since joining Leicester instead, Vardy has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s best strikers, having scored 115 times in 238 top-flight appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

The young Latics sensation is far from being on the same career trajectory as the Foxes star but there’s every hope that he could develop into something big.

Ex-Rangers academy graduate and former teammate Kal Naismith has previously tipped him to reach his full potential, saying: “He’ll be a top player, a really, really good player and he works his nuts off not just in the games but all week in training as well, he has a great appetite for the game and a great attitude.”

Injury has curtailed the majority of his season but, after making his senior debut in October, the 19-year-old hotshot went on to score five goals in just 14 appearances.

Rangers chief Ross Wilson cannot allow Gerrard to make the same mistake as McCoist. For just £300,000, the Scottish champions could land a real star of the future, and one who would likely develop substantially under the current coaching staff.

You only have to look at how Ryan Kent has turned around his career to see that. If the aforementioned report is true, then Gerrard may well be making a dangerous error.

AND in other news, Rangers could create a lethal duo by signing THIS 20-goal beast…

Sheffield Wednesday have a lot to play for before they know which division they’ll be competing in next season but that shouldn’t stop them from making a decision over the future of one of their key players.

As of now, the Owls seem destined for relegation to League One – with nine games left to play, Darren Moore’s side find themselves six points adrift of safety, although they do hold a game in hand on most teams around them.

A run of one win in nine games is hardly encouraging for their chances of remaining in the Championship, either.

Long-serving veteran Keiren Westwood is one of at least 12 first team players who are out of contract in the summer. The 36-year-old has been at Hillsborough since 2014, when signing from Sunderland on a free transfer.

To say that his time in south Yorkshire was a little ropey would be an understatement. He was the first choice between the sticks for the Owls’ back-to-back playoff runs under Carlos Carvalhal, but was exiled during the Garry Monk era.

It is only recently that he’s resurfaced as Wednesday’s main man between the sticks. It is his sort of influence on which Moore will need to lean, not just in the coming weeks but also into next season – especially if they go down to League One.

In addition to that, Westwood is clearly a fan of the new Owls boss and hasn’t ruled out remaining at Wednesday for an eighth straight season. Speaking to reporters, via Yorkshire Post, he said:

“I think the gaffer is the man for the job. From what I have seen and what he has spoken to me about and said to the lads and the way he wants to do things, 100 per cent,” before adding: “Listen, I have loved it here, I really have and I am not saying it is something I wouldn’t consider (it) because I really would, 100 per cent. Of course I would. I have been here ages.”

Westwood has made the League One ‘Team of the Year’ before, so clearly knows a thing or two about the division. Also, as noted by Yorkshire Live’s Dom Howson, he offers an ‘authoritative presence’ between the sticks.

Writing after an unlucky defeat to league-leading Norwich, the Owls reporter said: ‘Westwood more than justified his selection. The experienced shot-stopper constantly organised his defence and bellowed out instructions to his team-mates.’

According to Carvalhal, Westwood is a “fantastic goalkeeper”, and even Tony Pulis said he “calms everything down,” which echoes the above claim.

Having that sort of presence right at the back will be needed, so forget Tom Lees, Adam Reach and many more for now – Westwood should be Wednesday’s top priority this summer.

In other news, Sheffield Wednesday paying price for Aden Flint blunder…

Spurs youngster Alfie Devine has been tipped to earn more game time in the first-team next season by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

The 16-year-old prodigy was named among six other emerging prospects as players who could save Daniel Levy and the club millions in the transfer market, and it’s easy to see why.

Devine is already a record-breaker at the club, which should stand him in good stead.

He first became the youngest-ever player to feature in a competitive game, and then went one better when scoring on that senior debut, coming off the bench to find the net against Marine in the FA Cup.

Gold believes Devine is too young to send out on loan next season, so he’s likely to feature more next term, particularly in cup competitions.

The teenager’s chances of doing exactly that could be bolstered depending on the futures of some first-team players, including Harry Winks, who is thought to be wanting an exit from the club this summer.

According to Sport (via Sport Witness), the out-of-favour Englishman will insist on a summer departure, with La Liga a potential destination.

Whilst Dele Alli is another who could move on, according to the Telegraph. And Moussa Sissoko is getting no younger; he will be 32 at the start of next season.

In Devine, Spurs could unearth their next Michael Carrick, which would be a fine reward for their £300k investment in someone so young.

At his former club, Wigan, he was lauded as a “very talented” player with “huge potential” by academy manager Gregor Rioch and chief executive Jonathan Jackson.

Similarly, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was gutted to see him leave the League One outfit, dubbing him “top-class” on Twitter.

Devine has even already made his presence felt amongst the first-team, aside from scoring on debut, Japhet Tanganga has praised his impact in training. The fellow Spurs youngster told the Independent:

“He’s trained a few times with us and every time he’s come up he’s looked a real spark,” before adding: “He’s shown he can hustle, he’s shown what he can do, so hopefully from here he can kick on and get more appearances for the club.”

Carrick, albeit a little older at 23, didn’t come through the system at Hotspur Way. Instead, the club splashed out £3.5m to sign him from London rivals West Ham United.

And some similarities can be drawn here.

‘Imposing box-to-box style’ is how the Guardian described the 16-year-old gem in their ‘Next Generation’ list for 2020 and that’s how one could describe the former United midfielder. He was more defensively-minded and ‘imposing’ as his career went on, but could still get up the pitch when need be.

Carrick also played under the Special One at United (43 appearances), so that could help Devine in terms of playing style as he continues to develop at this quick rate.

If – and when – Mourinho unleashes Devine next season, Spurs could well unearth their next Carrick.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Ndombele: Levy must sanction £38m Spurs swoop for “breathtaking” dynamo…

Amid consistent transfer links to Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, with the most recent claim coming from reliable source ExWHUemployee – who claimed he is someone West Ham ‘will look at’ in the summer – plenty of Irons fans still want to see the Englishman come through the doors at the London Stadium. 

As he is reportedly at the centre of a contract dispute in west London, the Hammers have very recently been linked with Abraham by numerous outlets, with Ex, Eurosport’s Dean Jones and the Daily Star all saying that West Ham hold an interest in the 23-year-old.

The forward looks like a potentially serious transfer target for West Ham – and it’s safe to say that many supporters want to see him come through the door.

Flocking to Twitter in full debate over Abraham, one supporter claimed he would be a ‘fantastic signing’, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment given he bagged 15 goals in 25 Premier League starts last season (WhoScored).

Find some of the best verdicts below.

West Ham fans want Abraham amid transfer links

“I’d take him in a heartbeat”

Credit: @jackjooker

“Take him in a heartbeat, he would be a fantastic signing”

Credit: @Customhouseham1

“Take him all day long”

Credit: @MarkPer74361199

“Would be a good fit for our system…”

Credit: @mark9726

“Top player”

Credit: @miktol52

“Bonkers. One decent season and suddenly were too good for Abraham? He’d be class for us.”

Credit: @Hayds_

“If he’s a 100k a week player how much is Yarmolenko because he’s our highest earner with more than that. I’d say try to get him. Solid addition for me”

Credit: @bradley_eadon

“Would suit us perfect, can’t even believe the comparison to Haller. Chelsea’s main man last season and there’s a reason for that. I’d snap him up straight away”

Credit: @SamGaler1

In other news: West Ham fans loved this club announcement, find out more here.