All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to a report by O Jogo, as relayed by Sport Witness, some transfer news has developed this week as Tottenham and Fabio Paratici eye FC Porto forward Luis Diaz.

The Lowdown: Spurs in forward hunt?

Given how light Spurs are in the forward department, it’s little wonder Paratici and co are looking at targets already.

Steven Bergwijn and Son Heung-min have suffered injury problems already this season, perhaps a stark warning to Nuno Espirito Santo and co that they need more depth, while Lucas Moura is slowly approaching the twilight phase of his career at 29-years-old.

Spurs have been linked with a few attacking options since the last transfer window and O Jogo have spotted club chiefs on a Tuesday mission concerning Diaz.

The Latest: Spurs eyeing Diaz?

As per their information, via SW, Tottenham chiefs scouted the FC Porto star mid-week as his side took on AC Milan in the Champions League group stages.

Diaz ended up scoring the winner and would have undoubtedly done no harm in enticing the interest of Spurs officials.

He also won Man of the Match in all-round electric individual display with Paratici apparently keeping his eye on the player since his Copa America performances for Colombia.

If Spurs opt to swoop, however, they may need to pay big money considering he is protected by a €80m (£67.5m) release clause.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 29-cap gem has been nothing short of a revelation in Portugal and it is clear to see why Spurs chiefs were sent on a Tuesday scouting mission.

Over his eight Primeira Liga starts this season, Diaz has netted six goals and an assist with his teammate, Sergio Oliveira, branding the player ‘extraordinary’ after his latest mid-week heroics (via italynews24.com).

While the 24-year-old’s release clause comes as a financial obstacle, it may be worth the plunge if Paratici can get it done.

In other news: Growing frustrated…Alasdair Gold says ‘special player’ could now ‘potentially leave Tottenham’, find out more here.

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…

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has claimed that Newcastle United are set to sign Santiago Munoz on transfer deadline day.

What’s the story?

Reports on Tuesday morning claimed that the Magpies could seal the loan signing of Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury – although it now appears that the deal may be off – with Edwards instead revealing more positive news on Munoz.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Young Mexican forward Santiago Munoz is also set to sign, although the 19-year-old will initially go into the Academy squad. Very much a Steve Nickson signing and will be allowed to settle before being considered for first team.”

Exciting news for Newcastle fans

While Munoz is unlikely to come in and make an immediate impact on the first team as Edwards himself has said, the arrival of the talented Mexican is certainly an exciting one for Newcastle fans.

The 19-year-old is a centre-forward by trade and has shown flashes of the kind of impressive potential which would have seen the club’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson take note and drive this signing.

As per Sofascore, Munoz has averaged more than one shot per game in the Liga MX Clausura this year, while also completing more than 50% of his attempted dribbles – to put that into context, Allan Saint-Maximin boasts a 71% completion rate on his dribbles.

Munoz is direct, and generally clinical in front of goal, with Sofascore registering him as missing only one big chance in the 18 games he has played in the league this year.

If the Mexican can integrate and adapt well to his new surroundings when he officially puts pen to paper on a deal at St James’ Park, then there’s every chance he could well force his way into Bruce’s thinking in the first team sooner rather than later.

The Magpies aren’t exactly blessed with striking cover outside of Callum Wilson, so Munoz may fancy his chances of springing a surprise and rising through the ranks fast.

Edwards’ update is very exciting for Newcastle fans.

Meanwhile, Lee Ryder has dropped an intriguing Newcastle United transfer claim…

Celtic are unlikely to sign Manchester City centre-back Ko Itakura on loan this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Itakura links

Celtic were linked with a move for Itakura at the end of June, with the Japan international high up on a list of targets.

However, the Hoops had to play the waiting game over any potential temporary transfer, with the 24-year-old representing his country at the Olympic Games.

Itakura, who former Dutch footballer Haans Kray described as ‘incredibly fast’, isn’t in Pep Guardiola’s Etihad plans, but it doesn’t seem as if a move to Glasgow will materialise.

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The Latest: Joseph’s post

Joseph took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to share an update on any possible move for Itakura.

He said that the centre-back is now unlikely to join on loan before the window closes at the end of the month.

“Also, I’m told Manchester City centre-back Ko Itakura is unlikely to move on loan to Celtic in this transfer window. The Hoops were tracking the 24-year-old defender while he was playing for Japan at the Olympics this summer.”

The Verdict: No more centre-back signings?

After bringing in Joe Hart and James McCarthy, Ange Postecoglou still wants to sign a right-back and a winger.

There hasn’t been much mention of a new centre-back, so the Hoops may well be done when it comes to that area of the pitch this summer, especially following Joseph’s claim on Itakura.

It remains to be seen if it was Celtic, City or Itakura’s decision on a move to Scotland not gathering pace, but with Postecoglou having four senior options at the heart of Celtic’s defence when Christopher Jullien returns from injury, he may well be content for the current campaign.

In other news: Ange’s phone call: Celtic set sights on 6ft ‘phenomenon’; he likes the sound of a Parkhead move. 

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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.

Sunderland manager Lee Johnson has revealed exactly how the club brought Ross Stewart to the Stadium of Light back in January.

What’s been said?

In recent comments cited by the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats boss shed light on the club’s pursuit of the centre-forward, as well as revealing that the 25-year-old turned down a number of Championship clubs in order to join the Mackems.

Discussing the January swoop for the Scot, Johnson said: “Rossco turned down Championship moves to come here, as well. The fact that he initially had a hamstring injury probably helped keep him under the radar a little bit, though, to be honest, we didn’t initially think it was as bad as it actually was.

“The journey he’s had really excited me as well because he’s progressed bit by bit. He’s been a bit of a late developer and that’s something I always like because that physicality comes with it. I think Ross could play until 36/37 to be honest, as long as he steers clear of injuries. He’s got that agility.

“So in the end the club made the decision it was the right thing to do [to make that investment]. It wasn’t necessarily a succession plan for Charlie [Wyke] because we absolutely saw them playing together, but, of course, it was part of the thinking, it had to be.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Stewart has been for Sunderland so far this season, the news that the Black Cats managed to land the 25-year-old ahead of a number of second-tier sides in last season’s winter transfer window is sure to have the Stadium of light faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his nine League One appearances this term, the £450k-rated centre-forward has scored seven goals and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.4 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the player Stuart Kettlewell dubbed a “handful” earn a rather extraordinary average SofaScore match rating of 7.49, ranking him as Johnson’s best performer in the third tier.

So, despite the fact that the club’s 2021/22 campaign is still very young at present, with Sunderland topping the League One standings and Stewart currently ranked joint-second in the division’s top scorers chart, the signing of the striker very much looks to have already been vindicated, while the Mackems fans could also have a new cult hero at the Stadium of Light.

In other news: Johnson drops fresh injury update on “one of the best”, Sunderland fans will be gutted

Rangers maintained their 100% winning record under Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the Premiership on Saturday afternoon, securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Dundee United at Ibrox.

A second half penalty from James Tavernier secured the win for the Gers, extending their lead at the summit to seven points.

Despite Tavernier scoring the decisive goal, there was another hero for Van Bronckhorst’s side – Ianis Hagi.

The Romanian was instrumental on the right wing, enjoying a 77% passing accuracy with two key passes, as well as completing half of his long balls and crosses.

He was heavily involved throughout the contest, having 77 touches across the 90 minutes. Moreover, the 23-year-old also contributed defensively, making two tackles and winning six of his nine duels as the Premiership leaders picked up a fifth consecutive clean sheet in the league.

His overall match rating of 7.4 was the third-highest from SofaScore of anyone on the pitch, a reflection of how he helped to run the show for the home side at Ibrox this afternoon.

Hagi has had a slightly mixed campaign so far for Rangers, starting 13 of their 19 league games amid an ankle injury and testing positive for the global virus, which also saw him miss the club’s opening Europa League group game against Lyon.

The winger often looks dangerous on the flank but must add goals to his game to improve, scoring just three in 23 matches across all competitions this season, with a further four assists.

Moreover, the Romanian hasn’t scored in the Premiership since the opening day 3-0 win over Livingston. The playmaker will need to improve on this return, with reports suggesting that the Gers are looking to sign his fellow countryman Olimpiu Morutan of Galatasaray as an alternative to the 23-year-old.

Regardless of his lack of goals, Hagi is a vital cog in the Rangers setup and could prove a key player in the Scottish champions’ bid to retain their league title this season, particularly with impressive performances like the one against Dundee United today.

In other news: Van Bronckhorst reveals huge Rangers boost which will leave fans thrilled 

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.

Leeds United must finally sell Tyler Roberts amid his latest disaster-class against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

What’s the story?

The Wales international has endured a nightmare start to the campaign thus far, scoring no goals and providing no assists, and following his performance in mid-week, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross revealed what he saw from that night.

He said: “Roberts remains a divisive figure among fans, but Bielsa evidently likes him and plays him because he sees a lot of potential in the Wales international. The only way Roberts improves is by playing more and developing as a player on the pitch. That’s the way Bielsa will see it.

“It was interesting to see the flashpoint which convinced Bielsa to go for Gelhardt last night, though. Roberts received the ball in a promising position last night with Arsenal out of shape and rather than look to turn Maitland-Niles, as he had the time to do, he waited and looked for contact from behind to go down. The referee waved played on and the hosts took the ball away. Bielsa was furious and barked immediately for Gelhardt to come on.”

Time for Roberts to go

Here on FFC, Roberts’ performance on Tuesday against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup was heavily scrutinised, and with the January transfer window looming, it’s perhaps high time that the Wales international finally heads for the exit door.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan insisted that the £12.6m-rated forward hasn’t shown enough in the Premier League to “convince” Bielsa – he managed just one goal in 27 top-flight appearances all of last season, and even that came in the penultimate game against Southampton.

The 46-year-old said: “With Leeds this season, he’s been given a long spell of games to convince Bielsa he’s worth keeping. In my opinion, I’m still undecided. I don’t think he affected the game during his time on the field.”

Whelan added: “Is he good enough? In my opinion he isn’t. I would love him to go out there and prove me wrong because I want everyone to succeed. I need him to show me more. He needs to show more fight and desire. I just do not see that.”

The quite shambolic goal-scoring record that Roberts has at Elland Road, even for someone who’s relatively young at 22, should surely be the end of the straw for him under Bielsa.

The Whites desperately need greater end product from someone occupying that attacking midfield role just behind the striker, and Roberts simply hasn’t cut it.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United star is now attracting big interest…

An update has emerged on Sevilla gem Diego Carlos, regarding Newcastle United’s interest in his services…

What’s the talk?

According to The Telegraph, the Brazilian defender is one of a number of players on the club’s list of potential centre-back signings.

The report claims that Eddie Howe wants a mobile player in that position who can play with the ball at his feet, with Carlos on his list of targets.

Coloccini 2.0

Eddie Howe must complete a deal to sign the £40k-per-week La Liga defender as he could be a superb addition to the side.

He has averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.12 for Sevilla this term, making 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 64% of his duels. This is an improvement from the 1.6 tackles and interceptions and duel success of 53% he managed last season, showing an improvement over the past 18 months.

Does a South American centre-back who loves a challenge remind you of anyone? By signing Carlos from the Spanish side, Howe could land the next Fabricio Coloccini for Newcastle. The Argentine defender played over 200 times for the Magpies in the top-flight and the ex-Bournemouth coach could find the club’s new long-term defensive boss this window.

Spanish football analyst Domagoj Kostanjšak previously lauded the Sevilla destroyer, saying:

“He’s a really physical player – he’s built like a tank and they don’t call him ‘The Beast’ for no reason. He’s really good in the air and he’s decent on the ball as well – you have to be under Julen Lopetegui.

“He’s been in my top three or four centre-backs in Spain this season, along with Raphael Varane and Inigo Martinez – he’s been a bit of a revelation. He’s playing the best football of his career and he immediately settled in. I would say there is a shade of Kalidou Koulibaly about him – not the same quality, of course, but I would compare him to him.”

This suggests that he has the physical strength required to deal with Premier League forwards. Kostanjšak’s comment on Carlos’ ball-playing skills also shows that he fits the profile of player Howe wants for his side, as he is capable of playing out from the back and starting attacks with his passes. 

Therefore, he could be the perfect signing for Newcastle in January. He has proven himself to be a top performer in La Liga and could arrive to help the Magpies to more clean sheets in the second half of the season, with the potential to be at the club for many years to come – much like Coloccini was.

AND in other news, Howe can seal “absolute treat” for NUFC in swoop for monster who’s “Beckenbauer level”…