All posts by z3u9t.icu

As per Football Insider, former England number one Paul Robinson believes that Nathaniel Phillips is more likely to be allowed to leave Liverpool than Joe Gomez, amid strong interest from West Ham.

The Lowdown: West Ham’s centre-back crisis

West Ham are now running short in the defensive department due to injuries sustained by centre-backs Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma.

Ogbonna is expected to be out for the rest of the season after suffering from a cruciate ligament rupture on the 7th of November, whilst Zouma sustained a hamstring tendon injury during the Hammers’ 3-2 victory against Chelsea.

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The 27-year-old Frenchman is especially important to West Ham’s defensive success, as he leads the team’s statistics with 5.2 clearances and 0.5 offsides won per game. The Italian defender also deploys the high-line to perfection, sitting second with 0.4 offsides won per game.

As a result of this huge blow to David Moyes’ plans, Liverpool player Phillips has been shortlisted as a January transfer target, and it is believed that a fee around £12m would be enough to secure his services.

The Latest: Robinson reacts to Phillips links

As reported by Football Insider, Robinson, a regular pundit on Sky Sports, believes that there is more chance of Phillips leaving Liverpool in the January window than Gomez. The former Spurs keeper said: “Phillips has got more chance of leaving than Gomez has, that’s for sure.

“I still think a deal will be difficult to do though given the injury crisis Liverpool had last season.

“Phillips was brilliant at the end of last season but whether he is of the same level as Zouma and Ogbonna, I would question that.

“It’s an area that Moyes probably need to address though.”

The Verdict: Phillips a possibility

The Sunday Mirror have reported (as shared by Football Insider) that the Reds will block any attempt at luring Gomez away from Anfield.

However, it is understood that Jürgen Klopp will listen to offers for the 6 foot 3 Phillips, who is deemed to be lower in the pecking order at Liverpool. This could open up the possibility of the 24-year-old making the switch in January.

The Englishman may not be as technically gifted as Zouma and Ogbonna, exemplified by not having made a key pass when playing in the League cup this season, but Klopp has hailed his heading ability, saying that “in the air, he’s a monster!”

Therefore, Phillips may just be the perfect addition to help reduce West Ham’s defensive crisis and simply add a bit more depth and solidity where Moyes needs it most.

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…

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.

West Ham’s top four hopes were dealt a blow on Sunday night as they turned in a limp performance in a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.

David Moyes opted to field three defensive midfielders – Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek – as well as a back five as he looked to frustrate his former club.

However, they struggled to create opportunities, with home goalkeeper Dean Henderson facing no shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes.

Noble struggling to make a positive impact

Soucek and Rice are regulars for the Irons, but this was club captain Noble’s first start since the 2-2 draw with Brighton just before the turn of the year and just his fourth of the season in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

The Hammers’ record when he plays from the off does not make for pleasant reading – they have picked up one point from a possible 12, with the veteran of 521 club appearances also starting in comprehensive defeats to Newcastle and Chelsea.

The 33-year-old announced last week that the 2021/22 would be his last at the club and, judging by last night, he is in danger of going out on a whimper. His total of 38 touches was the third-lowest among the Irons’ starting XI, while he was beaten twice in the dribble by opponents (Sofascore).

Responding to a tweet from fan feed The West Ham Way highlighting the unenviable win record with Noble starting, these supporters gave their verdict on what he has offered this year. One described his Old Trafford performance as “anonymous”, while another feel that he “kills the way we play”, which may explain the Irons’ poor record when he starts.

These West Ham fans were critical of Noble

“Noble is a club legend and rightly so but should be nowhere near the starting 11….another season carrying him in these games vs the ‘big’ boys. Moyes doing a fantastic job but has an inferiority complex in these games. Man City performance should be the rule, not the exception.”

Credit: @Lipdogz

“His first move is to turn goal side to buy time. He moves the ball to either a cb or a fb or at best to rice or soucek. Any momentum stagnates. This level has been beyond him for some time now. At times it was painful watching fred and mctominay bypassing him with such ease.”

Credit: @apl63

“Noble starts we lose. Great servant, love the bloke but coming on to hold on or kill a game is one thing. He just kills the way we play”

Credit: @unbiasedhammer

“As soon as I saw he was starting I knew we wouldn’t win, we haven’t won a game when he has started and it shows. Great bloke, but times have changed and he shouldn’t start any more games. Sad but time catches up with everyone in the end.”

Credit: @Tiger2806

“He was totally anonymous last night, players glide past him with ease now, he is only useful for a game in last 15 or 20 minutes due to players tiring but starting no”

Credit: @tayloriw

“Love him but the team has moved on. He’s not good enough to be starting anymore. As a sub to see a game through to the end then yes. But not as a starter.”

Credit: @billhrpr

“The problem is he shouldn’t even be an option. He is taking up an academy players slot and not for the first time.”

Credit: @gallivantor2020

“And that point was because he was subbed off at half time. He is a huge problem. Last 10-15 min player tops. Should never ever start league games, he’s way past it.”

Credit: @henn88

“He has one strength now, and that’s slowing a game down to close it out.”

Credit: @ZentaviusTV

In other news, one West Ham player has signalled good news on the injury front.

Eric Dier once again failed Tottenham Hotspur and their supporters with a shocking display as the north London outfit crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday night.Jose Mourinho’s side were embarrassingly beaten by Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb after Mislav Orsic bagged himself a spectacular hat-trick, leading the managerless outfit to a 3-0 win after extra time.In the absence of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – aÂ’captain without the armband‘ – someone needed to step up and fill his leadership void and, in this case, the Portuguese boss turned to Dier – one of their longest-serving current players, in defence over someone like Toby Alderweireld, who appeared to be rested.This was a decision which ultimately cost them dearly as the 27-year-old dropped a pathetic performance in the heart of Spurs’ backline.Dier’s mistakes against Chelsea, Manchester City and then West Ham in the Premier League had been enough to finally see Mourinho axe the Englishman from his starting XI, so perhaps his inclusion in such a big game should’ve come as a surprise.However, according to the ‘Special One,’ his defenders were well prepared for the threat of Orsic.

The £22.5m-rated centre-back was the epitome of the side’s overall struggles and he continued the recurring theme of individual defensive errors costing the club greatly.

Evening Standard reporter Dan Kilpatrick summed up Dier’s outing pretty perfectly in his post-match ratings column, where he graded the 6 foot 2 colossus as Spurs’ worst player. He wrote: ‘Defensively all over the shop and passing was poor. Gave away silly fouls.’

This echoed the thoughts of Alasdair Gold at football.london, who claimed Dier was ‘all over the place’ when the ball was played into the box, and that merely reinforces the fact that he was particularly error-prone throughout the 120 minutes.

The £85k-per-week star was still among Spurs’ most influential players in the match, as he recorded the second-most number of touches (98). Having someone who has let the club down time and time again on the ball so much is a recipe for disaster.

And indeed it was.

Dier made only three of his nine long balls (33%), lost possession 11 times and committed a game-high four fouls. In fact, that was double the number of any other visiting player on the night, as per SofaScore.

The Spurs defender was hugely wasteful in giving the ball back to Zagreb, both through his misplaced passes and his inability to successfully prevent the opposition from getting through – he also won only eight of his 18 duels (44%).

This was a genuine chance for Spurs to go one step closer towards ending that barren run without silverware. They held a two-goal advantage going into this tie and should have seen this off with ease.

Dier should know all too well how much it means to the Hotspur faithful – after all, he’s been here since 2014 and in that time, the closest he’s ever come to winning a trophy was that Champions League final in 2019 – that competition now seems a distant dream.

Once again, Mourinho was badly let down by several of his key players and Dier has been one of the chief suspects.

AND in other news, Levy could land Mourinho his own Van Dijk in Spurs swoop for £13.5m-rated “role model”…

One of the leading tech hubs in Germany, TeamViewer has joined arms with one of England’s prime football teams, Manchester United. Though both sides are from two different worlds, a contract has been signed and has finalised a sponsorship deal between the two European giants. The partnership will see both sides augment their profits through the widening of TeamViewer’s market.

The TeamViewer logo will be embedded onto the Man United shit. We were accustomed to the Chevrolet badge, but that will be removed, which only means that United’s and Chevy’s contract has come to an end.

The Chevy deal had lasted for seven years and was considered United’s largest signing for just shirt sponsorship. The deal with Chevrolet was worth £64 million a year compared to the TeamViewer deal which is worth £47 million. This means United will witness a drop of £17 million from the new deal. The Chevy deal got monetary funds for the club and gave cars to the entire football team.  The automaker gave the players their Chevrolet Camaro, which we saw Daley Blind driving and the likes of David De Gea, Mata and Evans were captured in the Captive SUV. These are smooth cars. Check out the Chevrolet deals here for a sneak peek at what you could also be cruising around in. We like the 2021 Chevy Colorado with 308 horsepower from its V6 engine; great for off-roading.

What does TeamViewer have to offer? Well, United signed a five-year deal with a dynamic global software company.  The collaboration will connect fans all around the world through remote software developed by TeamViewer. Fans will get to experience a virtual stadium, unique behind the scenes content, and augmented reality at play at Old Trafford Stadium.

Man U players also stand to benefit from the deal. Old Trafford will be upgraded with enhanced training and performance systems through augmented reality (AR). AR will also allow remote access to players for scheduling and training, and medical examinations.  Fancy this; scouts will also be able to use the tech. All this mechanisation will be put in place to strengthen the squad’s performance and hopefully push the team from second place and into winning the Premier League title.

The partnership will also see the business at the Stadium stepping up. There will now be enhanced accessibility and IT support in all offices. The tech will also increase security and provide solutions for stadium controls to optimise safety, thus seeing a smooth flow of ticket sales. The system is also intelligent enough to give alerts when there are faults. All this will be done through the control of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Since this deal is supposed to be two-way, it is meant to benefit both sides. The deal will expose TeamViewer’s technology to a new and broader market; the Manchester United fan base. Because the brand is versatile, it is suitable for private, commercial and industrial use; thus, the partnership will help to market the tech hub’s comprehensive solutions portfolio to all customer segments globally.

Though it may take time for TeamViewer to start booming in profits as a result of this collaboration, analysts say the deal is worth it in the long run. It’s pretty obvious that the large market needed by the software developers will soon go their way as Manchester United is the most popular football club anywhere you go. So, we are right in calling it the loftiest deal TeamViewer won in 2021.

Leicester City managed to book a place at their fifth FA Cup final as they overcame Southampton 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

The performance was not exactly sparkling from Brendan Rodgers’ men, with Kelechi Iheanacho’s solitary goal proving enough for the Foxes to get beyond the Saints.

Whilst the Nigerian proved to be the match-winner for Leicester, it was a man at the other end of the pitch, Wesley Fofana, who was arguably more pivotal.

At just 20 years of age, the young French defender might well have been overawed by the occasion but there was simply no sign of that.

According to WhoScored, the former Saint Etienne man contributed two tackles and two clearances as he continued to keep Saints frontman Danny Ings quiet.

However, it was in Fofana’s anticipation of danger where he came in most key. Throughout the 90 minutes, he produced a game-high six interceptions – only Jan Bednarek on each side replicating that number.

For comparison, the rest of the Leicester team could only produce six interceptions in total between them – highlighting just how alert Fofana was at Wembley.

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Even when the Saints attempted to bypass the Leicester man, he proved a formidable wall.

Of the 19 duels that Fofana attempted, he won 12 of those, only being beaten in the air on three occasions throughout the entire match according to SofaScore.

His performance did not just end with his defensive work though. The centre-back, who has been hailed as “incredible” by Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers, also completed 57 passes in the match – a figure only beaten by Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu in the Leicester side.

Meanwhile, he also had 80 touches of the ball – no player in the Foxes’ squad matching that figure.

So, whilst Iheanacho will claim the plaudits having guided Leicester through to the fifth FA Cup final in their history, Fofana certainly played his part too.

AND in more news, read our player ratings from Leicester’s FA Cup semi-final success against Southampton…

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.

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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…

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC pundit and commentator Noel Whelan has been left thrilled by a report that goalkeeper and club mainstay Hugo Lloris is planning to remain at Spurs for at least another year (Football Insider).

The Lowdown: Lloris linked with exit

The Frenchman, having made 372 appearances for Spurs in all competitions since signing from Lyon in 2012 (Transfermarkt), is another big name that has been linked to a Tottenham exit this summer.

Lloris has just one year left on his contract and is yet to agree a renewal, with French news outlet L’Equipe (via TEAMtalk) even claiming Man United could look to sign him this summer to replace David de Gea.

However, Football Insider have now shared that Lloris has his heart set on remaining at Spurs for the 2021/2022 season despite his contract status and has even held talks with chairman Daniel Levy.

The Latest: Whelan thrilled by ‘great news’ involving Lloris

Reacting to this development over Lloris, Whelan has been left thrilled whilst branding it ‘great news for Tottenham’.

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“Lloris is hugely important to Tottenham,” explained the pundit to Football Insider.

“He is their leader, their number one and he is a fantastic goalkeeper. There are not many goalkeepers around, that’s the thing. He has so much experience as well.

“If he is going to see out his contract that is great news for Tottenham. They do not need to venture into the market and spend money in that department just yet.

“His experience and leadership both on and off the field is invaluable. He is one of the best goalkeepers out there, even though he has been hit and miss over the last couple of seasons.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Spurs…

With the ongoing Harry Kane exit saga arguably casting a shadow over the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs fans could be welcome to any form of consolation.

News of Lloris allegedly committing his short-term future to Spurs certainly comes as that small slice of good news with tensions surrounding the club at an all time high.

As Whelan explains, the shot stopper is a hugely important member of the team and Tottenham will need all the help they can get for what is set to be a very interesting 2021/2022 season.

In other news: Tottenham could be offered this £250,000-per-week ace for Kane, find out more here.

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…