All posts by z3u9t.icu

Crystal Palace shared a picture of Will Hughes in action ahead of the trip to Manchester United this weekend.

And a number of Palace fans have been giving their thoughts to the official club post regarding the £60,000-a-week midfielder

Hughes was brought in over the summer from Watford in a deal worth £6m, however, he’s had to remain extremely patient for a chance under Patrick Vieira.

The 26-year-old has been on the bench for eight Premier League games but finally made his Eagles debut against Leeds United in the week.

The central midfielder replaced Jeffrey Schlupp for the final 10 minutes at Elland Road as Palace conceded in stoppage time to suffer back-to-back defeats under Vieira for the first time.

Palace fans react

Palace posted a picture of Hughes in action on Twitter on Thursday evening, with some fans wanting to see the midfielder feature at Old Trafford this weekend. Here are what some fans had to say in reply…

“Santa came just in time for Christmas”

Credit: @cpfctristan

“For £5mil hopefully bargain if the season”

Credit: @keithwhitfieldk

“Hughes was a big positive for us in that last match. Hopefully starts Sunday”

Credit: @R41n4llTh3T1m3

“Looked promising & a great option with Macca out. Ran hard, worked hard & made a difference. In short time on pitch put in best corner that have seen in ages.”

Credit: @HC15OnTour

“Needs more game time I think. Could be a key part of the team while McArthur’s out”

Credit: @kade_bladeSE25

“Beautiful man”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

In other news: Many Palace fans slammed this ‘droppable’ ace vs Leeds. 

Frank Lampard will not be appointed as the next West Bromwich Albion manager this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Express & Star, who claim that, despite West Brom’s approach for the 42-year-old, Lampard has no intention of considering a move to The Hawthorns this summer.

This news comes following David Wagner’s decision to take over at BSC Young Boys in Switzerland rather than becoming Sam Allardyce’s successor at West Brom, while the club’s owner Guochuan Lai has also vetoed a move for the former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder.

The Baggies are also believed to have been in talks with Alex Neil, however, the Express & Star claim that, at present, it remains uncertain where Albion go from here in their hunt for a new manager.

Fans should be relieved

While the appointment of Lampard may have appeared on the surface to be quite an attractive prospect for West Brom, there are a number of reasons why fans should be relieved that the former Chelsea boss is not interested in taking the vacant position at The Hawthorns this summer.

Firstly, in what has been Lampard’s only experience in Championship management to date, the 42-year-old only just managed to secure a top-six finish with a Rams side that contained the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Harry Wilson, before eventually losing out to Aston Villa in the play-off final.

So, while this is by no means a disastrous season, with the West Brom hierarchy undoubtedly hoping for an immediate automatic promotion back to the Premier League next season, and with managers who have achieved this feat being available, the appointment of Lampard would not seem to offer the club assurances regarding a top-two finish in the Championship.

Furthermore, during his second season at Chelsea, after spending a whopping £222.48m on incoming signings in the summer transfer window, the former England international managed eight wins, five draws and six losses in the club’s 2020/21 Premier League campaign, results that left the Blues languishing down in ninth place in the Premier League table, before he was sacked from the position in January.

As such, while Lampard may well have been able to use his connections in the game to bring in a few additions in the transfer window, there is not an overwhelming amount of evidence that his appointment would bring positive results on the pitch for West Brom, let alone promotion.

Albion fans will be frustrated at how long it is taking to appoint a new manager, but they should be relieved that it won’t be Lampard taking over.

In other news: West Brom given huge transfer boost over “magnificent” 28 y/o gem that’ll delight fans

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing experienced Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico, as the search for a new left-back continues.

With Ezgjan Alioski expected to leave Elland Road at the end of the season, a void is set to appear in that area of the pitch this summer.

A number of players have been linked with sorting that issue, including Real Betis’ Alex Moreno, and now another name has been thrown into the mix.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Leeds interested in Tagliafico move

According to journalist Valentijn Driessen [via Veronicainside], Leeds are eyeing up a move for Tagliafico, who has 27 caps to his name for Argentina.

He claims that the Whites ‘would like to have him’ at the club, with the 28-year-old looking for a fresh challenge at another European side.

Transfer Tavern take

Tagliafico’s current Ajax deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023, putting the Eredivisie giants in a strong position, in terms of demanding a healthy fee for his services.

His experience speaks for itself, however, playing at the very top level for Argentina, including four appearances at the 2018 World Cup.

At 28, he arguably remains at the peak of his powers and could remain that way for several more years, at which point Leif Davis may have matured enough to be Leeds’ first-choice left-back.

In other news, Leeds’ rumoured interested in a Serie A player has been confirmed by a journalist. Find out more here.

Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur side will make the short trip from north to west London this afternoon as they take on Brentford at the Brentford Community Stadium, looking to boost their top-four hopes with a victory.

The Italian’s outfit are currently fourth in the Premier League but have very close competition from arch-rivals Arsenal, who are behind on goal difference alone.

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Spurs had been on a good run of four consecutive victories in the league before last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Brighton.

Now, they’ll be looking to make amends for that loss by getting back to winning ways against the Bees.

However, after last weekend’s slip-up, Conte could be tempted to make changes to his side and axe some of those who let him down against the Seagulls, with left-wing-back Sergio Reguilon certainly a culprit.

On the chalkboard

Prior to Ryan Sessegnon’s hamstring injury, the Spaniard had lost his place in the side to the 21-year-old with the Englishman offering plenty of attacking flair in the final third.

The 25-year-old was left out of the starting lineup by Conte for six out of seven league matches between late January and early March, only coming back into the side when Sessegnon was withdrawn in the 5-0 victory over Everton.

Ironically, Reguilon did score in that match and has missed just one game since with a knock.

However, Sessegnon has since recovered from his injury and has been on the bench for Spurs’ last two matches. Whether Conte has kept the £68k-per-week Spaniard in the starting lineup for tactical reasons or concerns over the 21-year-old’s fitness is unknown.

What is known though, is that Reguilon is walking on a tightrope in terms of keeping his place in the side after coming back into the starting lineup last weekend for the injured Matt Doherty, who is now out for the season.

The Spaniard, who has made 25 Premier League appearances so far this term, averages just 24.3 accurate passes a match – at an accuracy of 79% – whilst winning just over half of his duels at 52% with 4.6 a game.

However, against Brighton last weekend, the wing-back was well below par for his standards.

The 25-year-old completed just 17 passes with an accuracy of 63% and couldn’t manage to complete a dribble, attempting just one.

Moreover, it was a timid performance defensively, offering 0 clearances, blocks or interceptions whilst making just one tackle. The only positive was a 70% duel win rate.

Speaking to Football Insider, Spurs insider John Wenham recently labelled the wing-back as “average” whilst also stating that “he’s the worst of the bunch.”

With Reguilon’s popularity amongst the Tottenham faithful at a low, now is the time for Conte to axe the Spaniard with the Italian unable to make mistakes if his side are to secure Champions League football for next season.

AND in other news: Conte must finally unleash “absolutely fantastic” Spurs sensation, he’s a “big talent”

David Moyes should urge another West Ham United raid on Slavia Prague to sign striker Jan Kuchta in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Irons joined a number of Premier League clubs in eying a summer swoop for Kuchta after scouting the Slavia Prague star in the Europa League.

It is claimed that the London Stadium natives had scouts observe the 24-year-old in person during Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Rangers, where there were representatives of Newcastle United, Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion also in attendance.

West Ham already have two of Slavia Prague’s former stars at the London Stadium in eight-goal top scorer Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal, who Moyes has described as “excellent”.

Kuchta has now caught the Hammers’ attention with his efforts in the Europa League this season, where he has scored twice and assisted two goals in seven games after hitting a brace against Ligue 1 side Nice in the group stage.

He helped Jindeich Trpisovsky’s side eliminate Leicester City from the competition in the round of 32 and could be the next to make a Premier League move as talent spotters look at Czech football as a key market.

The former Czech Republic under-21 international has also ruffled the back of the net 11 times and set up five goals in 17 Fortuna Liga fixtures this term, having excelled on his return to the Sinobo Stadium following a spell with Slovan Liberec.

Kuchta had struggled to establish himself at Slavia Prague before an initial loan move to Liberec which they turned permanent last year, but has kicked on magnificently since being re-signed in the summer.

His haul of 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions has marked the 2020/21 campaign as Kuchta’s most prolific yet, eclipsing the 10 goals and three assists penned across all competitions last term.

Should West Ham sign Kuchta?

Much can change for Kuchta between now and the end of the season, but West Ham are heading on the right path by scouting the 24-year-old.

Kuchta’s return to Slavia was a mostly sombre affair in the early months of his homecoming, but he turned a corner at the start of the year to net seven of his Fortuna Liga goals over his side’s four games played in January.

If the Slavia product is able to keep up a hit rate of that level, Moyes would absolutely have to urge West Ham to launch a swoop for the forward, having seen Soucek and Coufal adapt to the Premier League so quickly and become key components of his line-up.

Trpisovsky has lauded Kuchta for his endless work rate beyond his goals as well, noting [via quotes shared by iSport] how the forward is “an aggressive player who is annoying to the defender”.

The Slavia boss has also claimed of Kuchta: “I think the hardest part is his hard work and hunger. He goes for those situations and that rewards him with goals.

“That’s how it is in football. It’s about quality, the choice of place and teammates who can find it. He works for the team, does not spare a step and is optimistic in the line.”

Coufal’s endless energy is also one of the aspects which Moyes loves most about the right-back, suggesting he could quickly feel the same way about Kuchta if West Ham were to be successful in edging out their Premier League rivals to his signature this summer.

“I couldn’t keep him off the training pitch yesterday [the day after the Aston Villa game],” Moyes told The Athletic last month. “I wanted them to have a rest and just stay in but he’s on a different level.”

In other news, West Ham are keen to sign a “special talent” who his manager feels “privileged” to have in his squad…

Tottenham Hotspur are lining up moves for Inter Milan duo Stefan de Vrij and Marcelo Brozovic, according to Inter Live.

The lowdown

Netherlands international De Vrij made 30 Serie A starts for the champions in 2020/21, while central midfielder Brozovic featured in 33 matches, scoring twice and providing six assists.

He’s a well-rounded option in the middle of the park, recording 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.4 key passes per 90 minutes (via WhoScored).

Both players are currently in action at the European Championships, with Brozovic starting for Croatia in their 1-0 defeat against England on Sunday.

Inter reportedly need to raise around €80million through sales this summer to address their financial difficulties.

The latest

The report states that Spurs are willing to spend a combined €47million (£40.5million) on the two transfers.

€25million would be committed to landing Brozovic, with €22million made available for the De Vrij move.

Fabio Paratici, who will take up his post as Spurs’ managing director of football in July, is hopeful that his good relationship with Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta will work in his favour.

The pair were previously colleagues at Juventus.

The verdict

Of the two signings, there’s a more pressing need for De Vrij, or at least a player of his calibre – Spurs’ defence is due a revamp.

The 29-year-old is probably in the bracket below the very best in his position, but he would still help to solidify the backline based on his performances this season.

The centre-back averaged two successful aerial duels, 2.9 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per match (via WhoScored).

There’s no doubting Brozovic’s ability, but Spurs already look fairly well-stocked in the middle of the park, particularly after adding Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to their ranks last summer.

The most encouraging detail here, perhaps, is that Paratici may be able to utilise his vast network of contacts to tap into Serie A’s excellent talent pool.

In other news, Alasdair Gold has revealed what Paulo Fonseca is discussing with Spurs. 

Leeds United are set to miss out on signing Fleetwood Town teenager Josh Feeney, with Aston Villa reportedly on the verge of snapping him up.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Feeney

The Whites may be eying up first-team reinforcements this summer, but they have also been linked with a move for Feeney, who is the current England Under-16s captain.

The highly-rated youngster has been watched by a host of clubs, such is his potential, with Leeds tussling with the likes of Wolves, Leicester City and Celtic for his services.

The Latest: Aston Villa set to sign youngster

It looks as though Villa have won the race to sign Feeney, however with the Birmingham Mail reporting that the centre-back has been in talks with them in recent days.

The player’s representatives were believed to be ‘impressed’ by what Villa had to offer, seeing a potential path into the first-team for him eventually.

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The Verdict: Long-term blow

While missing out on Feeney is no great issue currently, with Leeds possessing strong centre-back options in Diego Llorente, Liam Cooper, Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk, it is a potential long-term hit.

The defender clearly has a huge amount of promise moving forward going by the huge fight for his signature, and with Marcelo Bielsa hopefully looking to set the Whites up for a strong future, signing him would have been a positive.

Only time will tell if Feeney makes the grade, but having great English talent in the academy squad is always preferable, so this is a blow for Victor Orta and co.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a move for an exciting youngster – find out who it is here. 

Aston Villa should make a move for Chelsea star Tammy Abraham this summer amid Lee Hendrie’s transfer claim.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have linked Dean Smith’s side with a move for the striker in this upcoming summer transfer window, with Abraham of course having worked under the Villa boss for a season when the Midlands club were earning promotion back to the Premier League in 2018/19.

Hendrie has now thrown his weight behind a potential move for Abraham, insisting that the £36m-rated centre-forward would be a “fabulous fit” at Villa.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “I’m a big fan of Tammy, I really am. I just feel that he’s got great energy. When he was at Villa for that period of time, he was immense, he really was. He was a breath of fresh air, he gave it that belief, he gave fans a lot of pleasure and he scored a lot of goals. It might be that Tammy has to leave Chelsea, and I do feel that coming to Villa, I think it’d be a fabulous fit.

“He’s a player I’d have all day at the club because, at the moment you’re looking at the overload that Ollie Watkins has gone through this season, (he’s) played a hell of a lot of games. Imagine having those two in your squad. I just feel that’d be a massive positive push for Villa.”

Reunion with Dean Smith

Having netted a whopping 26 goals in 40 games during Villa’s Championship run in the 2018/19 campaign, it’s no surprise that Smith has previously raved about the striker.

Speaking after he netted against Swansea that season, the Villa boss said: “Tammy is a handful and he knows better than me that he should have been walking away with the match ball tonight. But he scored the winning goal, he’s a hell of a talent. Tammy put in a hell of a shift up front on his own and proved he is a fine player.”

Called the “real deal” by former Villa boss Tim Sherwood, Abraham’s previous experience in working with Smith would likely see him hit the ground running at Villa Park as there should be no need for adjusting to what the manager wants or his style of play.

The 23-year-old has since had ample experience playing at Premier League level, and has shown he can handle the step up – last year saw him bag 15 goals in the top flight, while he has netted six in 20 league games this season despite not being a first team regular..

Villa would be making a shrewd move by landing Abraham this summer.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a transfer move for this 6 ft 4 warrior…

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of one mooted managerial target if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to FCInterNews, Antonio Conte could be forced to sensationally quit Inter Milan amid the club’s increasingly worrying financial situation.

It’s claimed that chairman Steven Zhang has requested pay cuts for the playing squad, coaching staff and club employees.

Earlier this week, the 51-year-old’s press conference was cancelled ahead of their Serie A clash with AS Roma due to the speculation about his future and to avoid spreading rumours about off-the-pitch matters.

As a result, Conte’s future at the San Siro has been thrown into doubt, opening the door for Spurs, who were linked to the Italian last week via Corriere dello Sport, to strike.

Forget Parker

The North London outfit have been linked to several names since Jose Mourinho was sacked nearly a month ago, though many appear to be out of the running, leaving the likes of Graham Potter and Scott Parker among the front-runners.

Spurs’ former midfielder would be an interesting option in the dugout, even if he has seen his Fulham side relegated this season but if Conte is truly going to be available, then his stature eclipses most of the likely candidates.

Daniel Levy has to get this appointment spot on.

Many were against Jose Mourinho from the get-go and recent developments over the European Super League and further cup final heartache have led to supporters baying for blood. They recently protested against the chairman, as well as the ENIC group, who are the majority shareholders of the club.

To get them back on side, the tough negotiator must turn to Conte – he’s picked up Mourinho’s mess before.

The ‘Special One’ left Chelsea in peril before they recorded their worst-ever finish since 1996.

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In came the 51-year-old, who clinched the Premier League title in his very first season and then the FA Cup the following year.

He has since added a ninth major triumph to his trophy cabinet, clinching the Serie A title with Inter this campaign – their first in 11 years.

There are some similarities here with Spurs as the North Londoners have not tasted glory since 2008, so perhaps Conte can be the man to turn things around, as he did at Stamford Bridge and now in Milan.

Conte has left a lasting impression on some of the game’s greats, too. Back in 2018, Man City boss Pep Guardiola lauded his former nemesis for his impact in England.

“Tactically he is a master, he did it amazingly with Italy and when he went to Turin (with Juventus), he said, “I think Conte is going to leave, going to give something to English football. I’m sure of that.”

Conte’s 63% win rate at Inter is another encouraging factor, seeing as Mourinho was axed for winning 52% of his matches at Spurs, and according to Javier Zanetti, the former Chelsea man “brought a top-notch working culture” to the club, as per Ansa (via CultofCalcio).

If Levy wants to get back in the good books, then he should look to hire Conte over someone like Parker.

AND in other news, Spurs can wave goodbye to Kane if Levy appoints “stubborn” 47 y/o with 30% PL win rate…

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield wouldn’t say that Aston Villa are definitely done and dusted in the transfer window, but it’s much more likely if a player does leave Villa Park that they go back into the market.

Dean Smith has brought five new players to the football club for his first team this summer, with Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia, Ashley Young, Danny Ings and Axel Tuanzebe all penning deals at Villa Park.

Villa responded to an opening day Premier League defeat to Watford (3-2) with a 2-0 victory against Newcastle in front of their own supporters at Villa Park last weekend, with new signing Ings settling in at Villa well, as he made it two goals in two Premier League games.

Villa have added some real quality to their ranks this summer and Hatfield believes it will take a very good deal to get them to go back into the market but wouldn’t say they are definitely done and dusted even if a player wasn’t to leave Villa Park.

“If no one leaves it will take a deal which is very, very good to get Villa back in the market now I think for incomings anyway, that’s not to say it won’t happen – you never know what happens in the final week of a window, a team could finally show interest in a player which hasn’t really seen any interest over the summer and equally a deal might present itself to Villa and they think this is just too good to turn down. 

“It wouldn’t shock me if they were in for a defensive midfielder, as I said, that’s the position they really need to address I think, someone just to screen that back four and help out there, who’s mobile as well and progresses the ball. So, it wouldn’t surprise me, I wouldn’t say they’re definitely done and dusted even if a player wasn’t to go, but I think it’s much more likely If a player does leave that Villa go back into the market,” Hatfield told Football FanCast.

With only a few days left to go in the transfer window, will Villa manager Dean Smith look to make any further additions to his side?