All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recently and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side this summer he could prove to be his own version of Jude Bellingham.

According to Football Insider, Villa have turned their attentions towards signing the former Arsenal man ahead of next season, with the 28-year-old reportedly available for a cut-price of just £10m, as he seeks regular first-team football away from Anfield.

Since joining the Reds in a £35m deal in 2017, he has gone on to make 133 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, in which he has contributed 17 goals and 15 assists.

The strength of the German’s midfield meant opportunities were hard to come by for Oxlade-Chamberlain last season and it is perhaps no surprise that he is seeking a move away, and Villa could be the ones to benefit.

Although Villa fans might not take too kindly to a potential signing being compared to Bellingham, given that he started his career at fierce rivals Birmingham City, there seems little doubt that he will become one of the best midfielders in world football.

At 18, he is already a fully-fledged England international and a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, with his performances in the German top-flight last season earning him an impressive 7.12 average rating from WhoScored.

FB Ref suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham have very similar styles of play, with both excelling at progressive carries and dribbling, which suggests that the Liverpool man could add some real dynamism and counter-attacking threat to Gerrard’s side next season.

WhoScored also suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham like to dribble, so it seems clear that both midfielders like to carry the ball and use their athleticism to go past opposition defenders.

Therefore, while the “fantastic” £16.2 million rated Liverpool man in the words of Gerrard, might have ten years on Bellingham, he could perform a similar role to the teenager in Gerrard’s squad next season for a much cheaper fee, so Villa should definitely consider bringing him in.

And, in other news… Gerrard already has his dream Watkins heir at AVFC in “bullish” rarely-seen 20 y/o

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Tribal Football has now shared a major Tottenham Hotspur transfer update on the club’s pursuit of Everton striker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move…

The Lilywhites are reliably believed to hold a serious interest in Brazil’s international attacker as manager Antonio Conte reportedly sets his sights on an alternative to star man Harry Kane.

According to reporter David Ornstein of The Athletic, some sources at Goodison Park even believe a Spurs move for Richarlison is inevitable and Everton could be forced to accept a fee lower than their desired asking price.

Now, as per Galetti, it appears the north Londoners could be about to seriously ramp up their Premier League transfer chase.

The Latest: Galetti shares major Richarlison update…

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According to the reporter, Tottenham now ‘want to speed things up’ for Richarlison and ‘decisive days’ lie ahead.

Galetti also explains that the Toffees value their star 25-year-old at ‘€65/70 million (£56/£61m)’ but Spurs would ‘like to shell out a little less’.

The Verdict: Get moving…

As backed by WhoScored, Richarlison stood out as one of Frank Lampard’s most crucial assets over 2021/2022 when at his very best.

He finished 2021/2022 as their best-performing player by average match rating whilst also racking up Everton’s most goals and assists combined (10G, 5A).

Richarlison attempted a threatening 2.4 shots at goal per 90 in that time, more than any of his teammates, leaving little surprise Conte and co want him through the Hotspur Way door as soon as possible.

Called ‘unplayable’ by Sky pundit Andy Hinchcliffe, the South American could be a real asset at Spurs.

In other news: Sky journalist: Tottenham hold ‘negotiations’ as Paratici also eyes ‘perfect player for Conte’! Find out more here.

Manchester United are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion forward Leandro Trossard, according to reports in Belgium (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: A new dawn

Following the official appointment of Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, United have been linked with a plethora of players in the ensuing weeks.

Most notable are the links with a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, however, the Dutch manager is expected to take a close look at every department of the squad.

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In order to bolster the attack, the 52-year-old could be about to make a surprise attempt to prize a bring a rather under-the-radar Premier League star to Manchester…

The latest: United ‘interested’

As per a late-night report from Voetbalkrant, translated by SW, the Red Devils are believed to be keen on the 27-year-old attacker.

It’s claimed that Ten Hag is ‘interested’ in signing Trossard – who was described as an ‘underrated player’ by journalist Alessandro Schiavone this week in the wake of a brace against Poland in what was a stunning 8.4/10 rated display with a 100 per cent pass success rate (Sofascore).

The report makes no mention of a fee but having been signed for £15million (Sky Sports), Brighton would likely demand a profit on their ace despite the Belgian international’s admission of a desire to take the ‘next step’ in his career.

The verdict: Worth the gamble

Capped on 17 occasions by Belgium at the senior level, Trossard certainly appears to be entering the peak of his career right now.

Last season, the supremely versatile forward scored eight times and provided three assists in 32 Premier League outings for a side that struggled to score for the most part. He was also man of the match, per Whoscored, destroying his new suitors in the Seagulls’ 4-0 thumping of Ralf Rangnick’s United.

Capable of operating as a centre-forward, number ten and on either wing, adding the former Genk man would be a smart move from Ten Hag, particularly following the departure of Juan Mata, who was equally useful at carrying out numerous roles.

Heading towards the final 12 months of a deal on the south coast and sharing stylistic similarities with Jonathan Ikone, Said Benrahma and United’s own Jadon Sancho (Fbref), making a genuine move the diminutive forward would be an affordable and worthwhile venture.

In other news, Erik ten Hag could be key in luring this star to Old Trafford

Wolves are reportedly interested in making a move for St Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Ruddy moves on

Bruno Lage is sure to have a busy summer ahead of him, as he looks to bolster his squad options ahead of what will hopefully be a successful 2022/23 season.

John Ruddy will leave Wanderers when his current expires at the end of next month, meaning a replacement in his squad role will have to be found.

Now, a new claim has emerged regarding the hunt for a Jose Sa deputy.

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The Latest: Vasilj link emerges

According to a recruitment source speaking to Football Insider, Wolves are one of three clubs eyeing up a move for Vasilj in the coming months.

Celtic and West Brom are also battling for his signature. The trio will send officials to watch the 6 foot 4 giant in action for his country in this month’s Nations League games, with the 26-year-old winning five caps for Bosnia to date.

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The Verdict: Perfect Ruddy replacement?

Vasilj would be an ideal replacement for Ruddy but the only stumbling block could be whether or not he is happy to be on the substitutes’ bench most weeks.

In Sa, Wolves have a fantastic goalkeeper who isn’t going to be dislodged any time soon, so it could be domestic cup appearances at best for Vlasilj.

His experience speaks for itself, though – he made 33 appearances in the Bundesliga II last season and has kept 47 career clean sheets in 160 total games. He could be an ideal squad option for Lage if a back-up role is what he desires.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly in the running to sign one striker. Find out who it is here.

Everton avoided relegation from the Premier League by the skin of their teeth following a stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Crystal Palace earlier this month.

Frank Lampard will be aiming for better things next season, if he is still in the job by then, and this may require a few new faces in his squad.

The likelihood is that there will be some outgoings as well, with Brazil forward Richarlison attracting interest from European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

It would be a blow to lose the 25-year-old, and with two years remaining on the player’s contract, Lampard doesn’t need to make an immediate decision on his future, although there could be an ideal replacement being lined up.

Chelsea forward Armando Broja is firmly in Lampard’s sights, and despite a price tag of £58m being placed on his head by Thomas Tuchel, it could be a wise piece of business to bring him to Goodison Park.

The 43-year-old gave Broja his senior debut whilst Chelsea manager and the Albania international has been in splendid form on loan at Southampton this season, scoring six Premier League goals.

Everton’s next Richarlison

Although a move for the 20-year-old would depend on receiving transfer funds from player sales, Lampard could unearth the new Richarlison with a move for Broja.

Both players are similar in their style of play, although the Everton star is slightly more versatile than the Chelsea forward.

Both men are nearly identical in their pass completion percentage (61.9% for Broja and 61.8% for Richarlison) whilst in terms of shooting, the Brazilian takes more shots per 90 (2.5) than the 20-year-old (2.19).

Richarlison (10) has scored more goals than the on-loan Southampton forward (six), but it seems beyond doubt that the young Albanian would net more frequently if he were in a team with higher-quality players providing him with better service.

The statistics show the two forwards are alike, and if the Brazil international does move on from Everton, then Broja – who has been described as “dangerous” by Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl – would appear to be the perfect replacement.

AND in other news, Everton plotting summer swoop for £17.5m “fabulous finisher”, Lampard will love him

Eddie Howe can sign off the season feeling accomplished as Newcastle United finish 11th in the Premier League despite losing their first 14 games in an incredible U-turn the manager has inspired.

The Magpies are the first team in Premier League history to avoid relegation after losing their first 14 league games, which has been a huge achievement for Howe and his team as they finish just seven points off a European spot.

However, there is now work to do to take the side to the next level and despite the victory over Burnley, there were some unconvincing performances within the team that will give Howe food for thought this summer.

Despite the game ending in relegation for Burnley, Newcastle United were unable to dominate possession (49%), had fewer shots on goal and made fewer passes over the game, but ultimately took their chances when they needed to, to win.

Callum Wilson was the star of the show scoring a brace on his second game back after a long-term injury proving that he needed no time at all to get back to goal-scoring form leading the forward line successfully but did lose his temper with one of his team-mates.

Miguel Almiron reportedly angered the striker for making a tight attempt on goal, and unfortunately, this wasn’t the only frustrating moment from the Paraguayan at Turf Moor, with the attacking midfielder struggling to impose himself on the hosts.

Instead of squaring the ball for the striker to prod home, he decided to shoot from a tight angle and ultimately miss his attempt, proving wasteful in possession.

According to SofaScore, Almiron lost 100% of his aerial duels, in fact, he only won 33% of his duels in total and made no tackles at all over his 87-minute performance today, illustrating the player’s disappointing performance in the final game of the season.

With that being said, now that Newcastle are the richest club in the world and in a position to strengthen their team at any cost, players will need to make sure they are doing their best to compete for their spot in the team and can positively impact games to be part of the project at St James’ Park.

Almiron will need to convince Howe that he is worthy of holding onto his place in the team with the summer transfer window the main focus for the Magpies now the season has ended.

AND in other news: Signed for £20m, now worth £9m: Ashley had a howler on “struggling” £50k-p/w NUFC dud 

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur loanee Cristian Romero.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that Fabio Paratici is set to activate Tottenham’s £40m clause to turn the centre-back’s season-long loan deal a permanent move in the coming days, with the 24-year-old said to have already penned a deal lasting until the summer of 2026.

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Concerning Spurs’ deal for Romero, the transfer insider said: “Tottenham will activate £40m obligation to buy clause in the coming days for Cristian Romero. ‘Signing of the season’, according to Jamie Carragher. Fabio Paratici wanted him as key player and Romero will be part of the project – he has already signed until June 2026.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Romero was for Tottenham this season, Romano’s claim that Paratici and Daniel Levy are set to make the defender’s move permanent in the very near future is sure to have left the Spurs faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 22 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated centre-back proved a revelation in the Tottenham backline, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 2.8 tackles, 3.3 clearances and winning 5.9 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

These returns saw the £31k-per-week talent average a rather sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.15, ranking him as Antonio Conte’s best-performing defender and sixth-best player overall in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the Argentina international also ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for tackles made per 90, in addition to the top 3% for pressures, the top 6% for blocks, the top 10% for interceptions, the top 11% for dribbles completed, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 20% for shot-creating actions.

As such, it is clear for all to see just how talented a player Romero is, with the 24-year-old very much appearing to be a player who Conte can build his Tottenham backline around in the summer transfer window – something that leads us to believe the news Paratici looks set to sanction the £40m purchase of the centre-back is fantastic for everyone involved with Spurs.

AND in other: In talks: Conte can land a new £83m talent as Spurs move for “unbelievable” signing

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte holds a ‘massive advantage’ as he prepares his side for their blockbuster Premier League clash against Arsenal this evening.

The Lowdown: Season defining…

The Lilywhites face off against their bitter north London rivals tonight in what is, perhaps, the most crucial derby between both teams in recent memory.

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Spurs and the Gunners will be competing in the race for Champions League football and all riches which come with that, not least the major financial windfall through revenue for 2022/2023.

Qualifying for Europe’s most coveted competition could also present either side with a bigger pull in the summer transfer market, a more crucial aspect for Spurs, as they look to appease Conte and back his reported overhaul.

The north Londoners will need every boost possible against Arsenal and Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson says they have one ‘massive advantage’ ahead of the clash.

The Latest: Conte has ‘massive advantage’…

Speaking to Football Insider, the ex-Spurs goalkeeper claims playing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of supporters could give Conte’s men a real boost.

However. he doesn’t personally believe this game is ‘season-defining’ despite what could be at stake – claiming both teams’ inconsistency could mean there are more twists to come.

He explained: “It’s a massive advantage being at home in a game of this magnitude.

“Is it a season-defining game? I’m not totally convinced that it is. If we were talking about Liverpool and Man City then we could presume that it is season-defining. But Spurs and Arsenal are so unpredictable you do not know what is coming.

“I was at the Arsenal game at the weekend and they struggled to beat a 10-man Leeds. It was not convincing by any stretch of the imagination. Spurs are exactly the same. They’re both too inconsistent.

“Listen, the north London derby is a huge game for both sides. But I wouldn’t put my house on both sides winning their two games after that.”

The Verdict: Correct call?

Arsenal could seal their place in Europe with victory over Spurs, while Conte’s men quite simply need to win all of their remaining games to claim fourth spot – including the looming derby (talkSPORT).

Taking this into account, we’re inclined to disagree with Robinson as this could certainly come as a season-defining encounter.

However, we do concur that the roar of Tottenham supporters at home will come as a big boost for the players who could certainly do with the ‘twelfth man’ for such a pivotal match.

In other news: Meeting held: Tottenham enter London talks with club chief as he offers out five players! Find out more here.

Pundit Alan Hutton has made a claim on injured Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Bamford set to return to the pitch this week

Bamford and Leeds have both had seasons to forget this year, with the striker limited to just seven Premier League starts. The last of those came back in March against Wolves, where the 28-year-old ruptured his foot.

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Jesse Marsch was hopeful Bamford could return for the final two games of the season and provided an update before the defeat to Manchester City, revealing he was due to return to the pitches at Thorp Arch this week.

The Latest: Hutton reacts

Hutton, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI about Bamford and a possible return to action after hearing the update from Thorp Arch.

He admitted he understands that a fully fit Bamford would help Marsch massively, however, Hutton feels the forward could be used just as an ‘impact sub’, which would do him the ‘world of good’.

“I just think don’t rush it. With everything that he’s gone through, everything that’s happened this season, you’ve got four games left.

“I understand that having a fully fit Bamford who’s firing would help you, there’s no doubt about that. Can he come on and affect games, if he’s fit and ready, for maybe the last 15, 20 minutes?

“I think that’s probably the part that he will play moving forward. It will be very difficult just to throw him in at this level, against the teams they’re coming up against.

“I think if you can get an impact sub out of him, I think that would do him the world of good.”

The Verdict: Needed?

Marsch may have been hoping that he wouldn’t need to call upon Bamford after he suffered another injury back in March with the Whites all but safe, however, it looks as if he will be required.

The Whites are in serious trouble with just four Premier League games remaining and it looks as if they need to pick up points against Arsenal and Chelsea over the next seven days.

Having Bamford back to use as an impact substitute, as Hutton suggested, could be a huge boost in the club’s attempts to avoid the drop, especially with Leeds failing to score in their last two.

In other news: Leeds want to sign ‘X-factor’ attacker despite possible relegation.

Manchester United face Brentford this evening in the Premier League, in which a win for the home side is necessary if they aim to finish in the top six and guarantee Europa League football next season.

What’s the news?

Manager Ralf Rangnick has been given some good news ahead of the tie, as both Fred and Edinson Cavani could be fit to face Brentford.

Fred has been missing for the previous four matches since coming off injured against Everton with a calf injury as United only won one of these four games so a return tonight would be good news for the manager.

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Cavani could also make a return for the first time in a Red Devils shirt since the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and will be desperate to get back amongst the goals for the Premier League side.

With his contract expiring at the end of the current season, the Uruguayan forward needs a solid last few matches to convince new boss Erik ten Hag to offer him a new deal.

The side have been plagued with injuries recently which hasn’t helped their form whatsoever. One step forward seems to be met with a couple of steps back and ten Hag will have a massive job to do in the summer.

Rangnick can secure Europa League football by winning their last three games, with a very faint chance of Champions League qualification, but this would require Arsenal and Tottenham to fade away significantly.

Any continental qualification will be a bonus for the incoming manager to get his teeth into, but the main aim is for three points against Brentford and see what happens from there.

Having both Fred and Cavani back will give the team and supporters a big boost.

AND in other news, Ten Hag plots major MUFC deal for “unbelievable” £29m “weapon”, he’s Beckham 2.0…