All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolves may have their work cut out this summer as they strive to get back on track after a dismal campaign that saw them finish in 13th place.Nuno Santo failed to engineer a top-half place and then left his job over limited finances.On the chalkboardAs a result, Bruno Lage may have his work cut out in the transfer window. He is faced with the potential of Ruben Neves and Adama Traore leaving for pastures new but he should at least have Raul Jimenez back.The Mexican hasn’t been seen since fracturing his skull in a sickening clash of heads with David Luiz last November.Jimenez has fortunately made a full recovery but will have to don protective headgear for the rest of his career.It’s unknown whether the forward will rediscover the immense form he’s shown during his time at Molineux and if he doesn’t, Lage will need to find a new attacker.Fabio Silva is still very raw while a return for Willian Jose is unlikely after his one goal spell at Wolves in the back half of 2020/21.Rampant RomanOne player the Old Gold were linked with earlier this year was Gent striker Roman Yaremchuk.The Ukrainian was in scintillating form for his club last term, racking up 23 goals as he took his tally for the Belgian outfit to 61 in 152 outings.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-transfer-news-alena-dike-neves-barisic” title=”Real the latest Wolves transfer news!”]West Ham have since registered an interest in Yaremchuk and after his dominant displays at Euro 2020, it’s easy to see why.The 25-year-old scored in Ukraine’s opening match against an imperious Netherlands defence and then bagged a second goal of the tournament during his country’s win over North Macedonia.Taking to Twitter after that strike, journalist Zach Lowy said: “Roman Yaremchuk has had a phenomenal tournament so far. Definitely going to get a move to a top 5 league soon.”If Wolves act quickly then it could be Lage and the Molineux faithful enjoying his performances next season.A tall figure at 6 foot 3, the attacker is capable of bullying defenders and towering high above the opposition.He scored three goals with his head in 2020/21 but proved adept with both feet. Seven of his goals came with his weaker left foot and ten came with his preferred right.For such a tall individual, he possesses plenty of athleticism. You could see that in the way he raced away from the North Macedonia defence on Thursday afternoon, bursting through on goal and then sliding the ball into the back of the net with supreme confidence.Yaremchuk isn’t afraid of the big stage and the way in which he uses seismic frame gives us plenty of Jimenez vibes. He can dribble – attempting four take-ons v North Macedonia – and he can win physical situations, prevailing in 100% of his aerial battles against the Netherlands.The Mexican has enjoyed enormous success in England with a similar playstyle so the Ukraine international could have parallel success. Lage must bring him to the Midlands.AND in other news, Lage could discover his new Joao Felix if Wolves sign “outstanding” £71m magician…

Celtic are watching attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld ahead of a possible cut-price move, according to reporter Manuel Veth.

The Lowdown: Gauld set to be a free agent

Gauld is currently under contract with Portuguese side Farense until the end of the month.

The 25-year-old, who was dubbed the ‘baby Messi’ back in 2013, scored nine goals and registered seven assists in 33 league appearances last season.

His Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed from £360,000 to £4.5m in just over a year, and it seems as if a club could get a real bargain by possibly signing Gauld on a free transfer next month.

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The Latest: Celtic’s interest

Transfermarkt and Forbes reporter Veth shared an update on Vancouver Whitecaps’ move for Gauld.

In his social media post, Veth name-checked Celtic, claiming the Hoops are watching the attacking midfielder.

“More on Ryan Gauld to VWFC. Several clubs, including Sporting are interested in Farense’s playmaker. Another club watching him is Celtic. That would explain Vancouver’s substantial bid for the player.”

The Verdict: A perfect Christie replacement?

Should Celtic manage to pip Vancouver Whitecaps to a deal for Gauld, they could have found a perfect Ryan Christie replacement for nothing.

Christie has been linked with a €5m move to French side Monaco, and statistically, Gauld matched the Celtic man last season, as per WhoScored.

The pair both picked up six man of the match awards last season. Gauld scored five more in the league, whereas Christie registered one more assist.

Gauld edged Christie when it came to average amount of key passes, dribbles completed and fouls earned, so if the Hoops firm up their interest and land Gauld’s services, they could be better off both on the pitch and financially with Christie’s reported exit.

In other news: Leeds make bid for Celtic defender, find out more here. 

Leeds United are set to miss out on reported target Jacob Murphy as he is close to signing a new deal with Newcastle United [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Leeds United gear up for 2021/22 as rumours swirl

With 2021/22 pre-season fast approaching, many excited Whites supporters will be keen to see how Marcelo Bielsa plans to improve on their commendable ninth placed finish last term.

In recent times, the Yorkshire club have been linked with moves for Wolverhampton Wanderers wide-man Adama Traore, alongside Calgiari midfielder Natihan Nandez.

However, one man who definitely will not be making the move to Leeds is former Norwich City man Murphy.

The Latest: Murphy close to penning long-term Newcastle United contract

The 26-year-old is said to be close to penning a long-term contract in the North-East, following months of speculation surrounding his future [Football Insider].

The Elland Road side were known to hold admiration for the winger, whilst Porto and Burnley were also rumoured to be interested in his services [Sky Sports].

The Toon had triggered a 12-month option in his deal to keep him at St James’ Park until 2022, but have now decided to open talks with Murphy in order to provide further security over his future, with a source telling Football Insider that talks are ‘advanced’ for a ‘long-term’ deal.

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The Verdict: Bitter blow for Bielsa, Murphy would have slotted in nicely at Elland Road

Upon reflection, this news will come as a bitter blow to the Leeds United hierarchy. Impressive in 2020/21, the right-sider chipped in with seven goal contributions in 31 fixtures for the Geordie outfit; three goals and four assists [Transfermarkt].

He averaged 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes across the season [WhoScored]. Known for his industrious endeavour and appetite to get forward, he was once labelled as a ‘fantastic player’ by pundit Noel Whelan [Football Insider].

Moving forward, Leeds United will have to look somewhere else to buff up their right flank, but Murphy would have been an excellent signing given his ability to play so many positions from right-back all the way up to right-wing, improving the depth in several places at once.

In other news, Leeds United are set to miss out on a reported signing target.

With news emerging that Newcastle United are no longer the front runners to sign Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer, it could prove to be a good thing not signing the defender, with former Newcastle centre-back Steve Howey claiming that he may look to use the club as a stepping stone.

It was reported in The Athletic, that while the Magpies still had Ajer on their radar as a potential signing this summer, the club are now pursuing other targets, which has allowed Norwich City to swoop in ahead of Newcastle.

Ajer only has one year left on his contract at Celtic and has made it very clear that he sees his future outside of the Scottish Premiership, and with the Canaries having money to burn this summer after selling Emiliano Buendia, he may see a move to Carrow Road as a step up in his career.

Players will always be thinking about how they can get to the top of the game and play for the biggest clubs possible during their relatively short career and that is what Ajer may have been looking to use Newcastle for, which issomething Howey spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern about:

“Ultimately, if the player thinks he can get a move to a bigger club then he has to perform because it’s no good throwing your toys out of the pram, because if you perform then you’ll get a move.

“So, if that’s a player’s goal and they want to use the club as a stepping stone but it means that they’re performing superbly well every week, then fair enough. That’s what players want and he probably wants to play at the highest level so you can’t criticise him for that, but ultimately you’ve got to perform week in week out to get those moves.”

Still just 23-years-old, Ajer would bring a wealth of experience having made 176 appearances for the Bhoys but he would also have a winner’s mentality with the high volume of silverware he has won north of the border.

It appears that there could be a reshuffle at the back this summer on Tyneside with both Florian Lejeune and Fabian Schar being tipped with exits and considering they’re Newcastle’s only two ball-playing centre backs it could be that Steve Bruce is opting for a more pragmatic approach to defending next season.

Ange Postecoglou is moving incredibly quickly in the transfer window with two new faces at Celtic already wrapped up.

The Hoops are coming off the back of a disastrous campaign so the sooner they can ingrain recent acquisitions to the manager’s style of play, the better.

There is a great deal to do in the transfer market but they are reportedly moving closer to the signing of Mario Vuskovic.

His arrival will be of huge importance as Kristoffer Ajer continues to attract interest from Norwich City.

The Norwegian isn’t the only player who will need replacing after Scott Brown’s exit for a player-coach role with Aberdeen.

Liam Shaw could succeed him in the middle of the park but Postecoglou is keen on bringing Aaron Mooy to Paradise.

The Australian has worked under the 55-year-old at international level but could there be greater quality lying elsewhere?

Celtic were interested in Romaine Sawyers back in 2019 but a move ultimately fell through as he joined West Brom from Brentford instead.

However, the midfielder struggled in the Premier League last term, achieving a WhoScored match rating of just 6.12.

With Albion chasing Turkish general Okay Yokuslu, he could be expendable to new Baggies manager Valerien Ismael.

If he is on the market then Celtic would be foolish if they didn’t revive their interest. After all, he has the qualities to dominate central areas in the Scottish Premiership.

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During West Brom’s promotion-winning campaign in 2019/20, he was comfortably one of the best in his position in the Championship.

Speaking about his game, former West Brom coach Jimmy Shan once said: “When I first got to the club, Romaine was 15 and he already stood out as an unbelievable technician.”

Shan continued: “He was a huge talent. He had this ability to pop up between the lines and to create. He wasn’t scoring as many goals as he should have done but he was an unbelievable team player.”

Sawyers progressed nicely but at the age of 29, he has bloomed at quite a late age. No player in the second tier had a better pass completion rate than his 90% in 2020/21 for instance.

What makes that number even more impressive is that his pass sonar for the season dictates that he rarely played the ball backwards, looking for the forward pass on a regular basis.

During Postecoglou’s open mic’d training session last week it showed the Aussie emphasising the need to play quickly and with one or two touches.

Sawyers was the master of that ideology for West Brom a few years ago and would surely suit the new manager’s style.

Pivotally, he is also a proficient tackler of the ball, an attribute any midfielder will need if they hope to replace Brown in Celtic’s side.

He produced 1.6 tackles per game last term which was only bettered by Ismaila Soro at Parkhead from a midfield perspective.

The 30-cap St Kitts & Nevis international would evidently be a very good addition to Celtic’s ranks. They ought to test the waters with a bid this summer.

AND in other news, Imagine him & White: Everton must complete swoop for “outstanding” £30m beast…

Rather unexpectedly last weekend, Wolves wrapped up the most eye-catching transfer of their window to date.Bruno Lage welcomed Trincao to Molineux as the Portuguese aceÂcompleted a surprising loan deal from Barcelona.

On the chalkboard

The youngster’s arrival in the Midlands is a timely one considering the struggles they could have offensively heading into the new campaign.

Raul Jimenez has only just returned from a fractured skull while Adama Traore could be heading for pastures new once he returns from the European Championships.

It’s also likely that Wolves will be without the services of Pedro Neto at the start of the season as he recovers from a broken knee cap.

Neto won the club’s Player of the Year award for 2020/21 so will be a huge loss to their chances.

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However, despite his marvellous performances last term, you sense as though the Old Gold are still missing someone like Diogo Jota.

He left the Midlands behind 12 months ago as Liverpool prised him away in a deal worth a whopping £41m. Jota enjoyed an impressive first campaign at Anfield, scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League on his way to scoring 13 times in all competitions.

The solution

With Wolves still requiring some extra firepower in the final third, Lage could finally replace Jota by signing Arnaut Danjuma.

Football League World reported a few months ago that they were just one of a couple of Premier League sides vying for his signature.

Danjuma was mesmeric in the Championship last term, finding the back of the net on 17 occasions and also laying on eight assists for his teammates.

Speaking about his form, ex-Bournemouth boss Jonathan Woodgate said: “I know last season that he didn’t really get a run in the Premier League and he maybe found it a bit difficult to get game time, but this season he’s been outstanding.â€

Woodgate added: “I can only talk of what he’s done under my reign, but at the minute, he’s playing some exceptional football, and what else he is doing is working for the team.â€

The winger was a crafty trickster last season, beating players for fun and scoring some simply outrageous strikes.

Like Jota, he is capable of finding the net on a regular basis and cut his cloth in the Championship first, just as the Portuguese star did.

In the second-tier, Danjuma completed 1.8 dribbles per game. Coincidentally, that replicates the number the former Wolves man recorded in his final campaign at Molineux.

The Bournemouth star’s 2.1 shots per game in 2020/21 is also just 0.1 more than Jota managed in his final year with Wolves.

Capable of playing on either flank and through the middle, Danjuma would be the perfect replacement this summer.

AND in other news, Wolves eye swoop for “fantastic” 25-cap colossus, he may axe one of Nuno’s favourites…

Wolves may have limited money to spend this summer but there is still a realistic chance that they break their transfer record.

After all, if the Old Gold gather fees for Adama Traore, Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence who have all been linked with the exit door, they will have a fairly sizeable kitty at their disposal.

Spending vast sums of money is something Jeff Shi and Fosun haven’t been scared to do since investing in the football club.

They forked out £15m on the aforementioned Neves, a deal that provoked controversy throughout the English game due to Jorge Mendes’ influence at Molineux.

That has been brushed under the carpet but the Midlands outfit have continued to spend big. The £30m acquisition of Raul Jimenez has been money well spent after his haul of 48 goals in 110 outings.

However, the £35.6m investment thrown at Fabio Silva hasn’t been profitable yet. The Portuguese teenager clearly has a lot of potential but he only found the net four times last term.

That being said, when Wolves have spent big sums, it’s usually paid off.

Providing they shift a few of their sellable assets, reinvesting the money in Joao Palhinha certainly makes sense.

They may have to part ways with €60m (£51m), though, in order to lure him to the Premier League.

Palhinha has proven to be a destructive ball-winning force for club and country over the last 12 months. He starred during Sporting Lisbon’s title-winning campaign in 2020/21 and then shone for Portugal at the European Championships.

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The midfielder wasn’t an initial starter for the 2016 winners but he soon showcased exactly why he should be. In a piece of play against World Champions France, he provided a glimpse of what he’s all about.

Using his long levers, Palhinha won the ball from Kinglsey Coman before stealing it away from N’Golo Kante. The 26-year-old played a neat one-two with Diogo Jota and then nutmegged Paul Pogba with a wonderful solo run.

That summed up the Sporting brute in a nutshell. He can win the ball on a regular basis and then stride forward with immense power. Think of what Yaya Toure brought to Manchester City’s midfield and that’s what Bruno Lage could discover here.

The fee has the potential to be mighty but Palhinha looks like he’s worth every penny. He was described as having a “simply phenomenal” season last term by Portuguese football expert Marino Peixoto.

He possesses an exceptional passing range but it’s his defensive qualities that really stand out.

Palhinha produced a whopping 105 tackles at a rate of 3.3 per game in 2020/21. For context, only Wilfred Ndidi and Tyrick Mitchell produced more successful challenges per match in the Premier League last campaign. Meanwhile, only Luke Ayling (108) won a higher volume of tackles in the whole of the English top-flight.

Based on that evidence, the Portugal international would be well worth breaking the bank for.

In a window where they may lose Neves, landing a midfielder of his qualities and calibre would be a very smart idea.

AND in other news, Forget Neves: £52k-p/w “phenomenal” Wolves gem must never play under Lage, he’s doomed…

West Brom are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane, according to The Athletic…

What’s the story?

Hourihane has been with Aston Villa since 2017, and has gone on to make 150 appearances since signing for the club from Championship side Barnsley.

The 26-cap Irish international played his part in the club’s promotion-winning season in 2018/19, but has found consistent minutes hard to come by in recent seasons.

The arrival of John McGinn has forced him out of the starting XI, with Hourihane leaving the club on a temporary basis during the 2020/21 season, as he went on to sign for Swansea City on loan.

But since returning to Villa Park, it seems as though the £3.15m-rated ace’s days with Dean Smith’s side are going to be numbered, with Sheffield United rivalling West Brom to a potential agreement for the midfielder.

Proven Championship experience

West Brom will be eager to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, after being relegated from the top-flight last term.

The Baggies were hugely impressive in their promotion-winning campaign in the 2019/20 season, and the club’s supporters will be keen to see similar success from their side this year.

But for that to happen, reinforcements are needed, especially with squad rotation likely during the hectic Championship fixture list.

Hourihane could turn out to be a shrewd addition for the Baggies as well, with the Irishman having a considerable amount of experience in the second tier of English football.

More importantly, though, he’s shown that he can perform to a high standard at this level, which will make him a player in-demand this summer. Therefore, it’s not a surprise to see that the likes of West Brom are keen to land his signature before the transfer window reaches a conclusion later this year.

Hourihane was labelled as ‘excellent’ by Swansea boss Steve Cooper whilst with the Championship side, and he’ll be hoping he can have his future resolved at the earliest of opportunities.

“I thought he was excellent, he’s been so impressive since he walked through the door.”

Hourihane netted five goals in his loan spell with Swansea City, which put him joint-third with Connor Roberts on the list for the Swans’ top goalscorers in the 2020/21 season – only behind forwards Jamal Lowe (14) and Andre Ayew (17) in the rankings.

Swansea have been well-known for having their fair share of possession in matches in recent seasons, with Steve Cooper’s side averaging 50.2% possession in last year’s campaign.

Hourihane has shown that he’s more than comfortable on the ball as well, with the 30-year-old having a pass success rate of 78.6%, which puts him fifth on the list for Swansea last term.

Therefore, West Brom would be having a player that some might feel ticks all the right boxes for a team that are likely to be in the hunt for promotion into the Premier League once again.

Ismael must urge a move for the Villa midfielder.

AND in other news, Albion could suffer a “big blow” with “brilliant” £15k-p/w gem, Ismael would be gutted…

Crystal Palace have made an inquiry over Schalke defender Ozan Kabak after he impressed during a loan spell at Liverpool last season.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Mail, Palace has asked about the 21-year-old’s availability ahead of a potential move, with an £8.5m price tag plus add ons mooted.

The report also states that Kabak has drawn inquiries from Sevilla and several Bundesliga clubs, while fellow Premier League side Leicester City have been heavily-linked with the 6 ft 1 centre-back.

Imagine him and Guehi

After an injury crisis saw all three of Liverpool’s senior central defenders pick up season-ending issues before Christmas last term, Jurgen Klopp turned to Kabak.

The youngster struggled to get to grips with the physical demands of the Premier League in his first couple of outings, but he soon adapted and played a pivotal part as the Anfield outfit recovered from a run of dreadful form to finish third in the top-flight standings.

However, Liverpool passed up on the opportunity to make his stay on Merseyside permanent for £18m, choosing to bring in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig instead.

Now though, with Schalke suffering relegation from the Bundesliga, the German outfit are desperate to generate funds and get one of their highest earners off the wage bill, meaning Kabak is available for a discount price.

It’s a transfer that Palace chairman Steve Parish can’t afford to miss out on, and he must swoop for the defender labelled a “big prospect” by Klopp last season.

The south London outfit are currently undergoing a major rebuild of the first-team squad, with new manager Patrick Vieira already bringing in several new signings.

Following the departures of ageing trio Mamadou Sakho, Gary Cahill and Scott Dann, Vieira has secured the signature of former Chelsea ace Marc Guehi.

The 21-year-old powerhouse impressed during a loan spell at Championship outfit Swansea City throughout 2020/21, and the youthful partnership of Guehi and Kabak is one that could flourish and excite the Selhurst Park faithful for many years to come.

And, in other news…Parish must complete CPFC swoop for “special” £20m gem who can “eliminate players” 

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit Noel Whelan has been left thrilled by allegedly ‘massive’ news out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Son Heung-min.

The Lowdown: Spurs source drops exciting two-word Son message

According to a report by Football Insider, a Tottenham Hotspur source recently dropped the exciting two-word message ‘it’s done’ when referring to Son’s long-awaited new deal.

As explained by the outlet, he will earn a blockbuster £200,000-per-week and has committed his future to Spurs after talks with new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Irrespective of what happens with Harry Kane this summer, the South Korea superstar is now allegedly set to stay at Spurs after finalising his new contract.

The Latest: Whelan thrilled…

Reacting to this development, former Premier League striker Whelan has been left thrilled – explaining how the fans ‘absolutely love him’ and it is ‘massive’ that he has committed his future.

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“When you put Harry Kane to one side, the driving force in their side is Son,” he told Football Insider.

“He has been so consistent over the years and a great servant to the club.

“Spurs will need somebody who stands up and changes the rhythm of a game if Kane leaves. Son is definitely capable of doing that. He is one of the strongest, mentally, out there.

“The fans absolutely love him, as has every manager he has worked under. This is massive that he’s committed to the project over the next few years.”

The Verdict: Huge news…

Amid the exit saga surrounding Kane in what could dominate summer discussion, this major claim that Son has now finalised a new deal at Tottenham is indeed ‘massive’.

The 28-year-old was, by some distance, the Lilywhites’ second-most crucial player over 2020/2021 after Kane – scoring 17 goals and assisting 10 others in 26 Premier League starts (WhoScored).

Only Kane managed a superior goals and assists record combined (23G, 14A), while Son averaged more key passes per 90 in the final third than any Spurs player including their star Englishman (WhoScored).

The forward staying in north London, as per FI, certainly comes as a big boost for Nuno Espirito Santo’s first season in charge.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘No way’, ‘This can’t be true’…Many Tottenham fans react as Kane news emerges, find out more here.