All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Steven Gerrard has admitted that Juninho Bacuna only has an outside chance of being fit for Rangers’ meeting with Hibernian this weekend.

The Lowdown: Bacuna picks up injury

Gerrard’s men suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Sparta Prague on Thursday night, as their disappointing start to their Europa League campaign continues.

Not only did Rangers lose in the Czech Republic, but Bacuna suffered a first-half injury, only lasting 38 minutes before being replaced by Ianis Hagi.

With Sunday’s key Scottish Premiership clash with second-place Hibs at Ibrox looming, the 24-year-old faces a race against time to be fit.

The Latest: Gerrard provides update

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday [via the club’s official Twitter account], Gerrard gave a nine-word update that suggests Bacuna could miss out:

“Has a small chance to be involved on Sunday.”

The Verdict: Blow for Gerrard

It is vital that Rangers bounce back from their loss this weekend, but not having Bacuna available would be an undoubted blow.

He has enjoyed a highly impressive 91.7 percent pass completion rate in the league this season, highlighting his quality in possession since making the move north of the border.

Gerrard’s side should still have enough quality to get all three points and pull further clear at the top of the table, but this is no doubt a blow for the manager to be sweating over such a quality summer signing.

In other news, some Rangers fans have erupted over news regarding one player. Read more here.

BBC Match of the Day regular Danny Murphy has said he is ‘amazed’ that Jesse Lingard hasn’t left Manchester United after a successful loan at West Ham United.

The Lowdown: Lingard remains at Old Trafford, for now

Lingard enjoyed the form of his life in the second half of last season as he scored nine and assisted five for West Ham after joining on loan.

His performances were a key tool in the Hammers qualifying for the Europa League group stage for the first time in their history and he was linked as a Hammers target throughout the summer.

But with only 12 months remaining on his contract and Bruno Fernandes ahead of the 28-year-old in the pecking order, Lingard opted to stay at the Red Devils and fight for his place.

The Latest: Murphy surprised by the decision

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Premier League midfielder Murphy said: “I’m amazed he hasn’t gone, for himself. He’s just got the bug back, he was brilliant at West Ham. I’ve always been a big fan of Lingard, even when people criticise him.

“He’s what I call a really intelligent footballer, when to run behind, when to come in the space. He can play in a variety of positions with his intelligence. I really like him.”

With Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Old Trafford and Fernandes one of the first names on the team sheet, Murphy went on to predict Lingard’s future.

“He’ll probably end up out on loan, first chance he gets.”

The Verdict: Move waiting to happen

Lingard’s departure from Old Trafford seems inevitable given his limited chances and contract situation. Lingard’s belief in his own ability to break into the United team is a testament to his confidence and character, but it looks like he will often be used from the bench.

West Ham’s upturn in form and quality whilst he was out on loan last season was clear and Moyes will be monitoring the situation closely, especially with the added fixtures from participating in the Europa League.

One element of his future that will remain on Lingard’s mind will be his England chances for the World Cup next year, so perhaps another mid-season loan to London could materialise in January.

In other news, a former Hammers defender has praised the ‘consistency’ of international ace. Find out more here.

Fulham have been dealt a fresh injury blow ahead of their upcoming Championship fixture.

What’s the latest?

Following Fulham’s comprehensive 4-1 victory over Birmingham City on Wednesday evening, a game in which Harrison Reed was withdrawn in the second half due to a knock, The Athletic journalist Peter Ruttzler revealed in a post on Twitter that the 26-year-old is still not operating at 100% fitness following his recovery from the calf injury which saw the defensive midfielder miss pre-season.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Harrison Reed still building as he missed pre-season with a calf injury. Silva said [he] planned to take him or Chalobah off around 60/70mins. [Silva said:] ‘I hope it’s nothing special but will have to check.'”

Silva will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Reed was for Fulham against Birmingham, should the midfielder have suffered a setback in his recovery from injury, something that is clearly a concern following his substitution in the match, it would undoubtedly leave Marco Silva gutted.

Indeed, over his 65 minutes on the pitch on Wednesday, the £9m-rated man blocked one shot, made one key pass, one tackle and completed 100% of his attempted crosses.

These returns saw the former England U20 international earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.0, ranking him as the club’s joint sixth-best player to feature in the fixture.

As such, if the £31k-per-week midfielder is indeed ruled out of the club’s upcoming clash with Reading on Saturday, it would certainly come as a huge blow to Silva’s chances of keeping his side’s winning run going against the Royals.

However, hopefully for the Portuguese boss, Reed’s withdrawal against the Blues did enough to prevent a major injury recurrence, meaning he could well have a chance to feature once again this weekend.

In other news: £5.4m-rated Fulham flop who lost 80% duels failed Marco Silva’s trust vs Blackpool

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a cut-price move for Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as the summer transfer window enters its final few days.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the 24-year-old maestro in recent weeks as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to add further reinforcements to his first team squad.

According to The Express, United remain keen to secure Neves’ signature but will need a reduction on the £40m fee that Wolves have previously quoted for their prized asset.

Bruno Lage has previously opened the door to his compatriot’s exit, saying: “Ruben is happy here, and we are happy with him. We are not thinking to let anyone leave, but every player has a price.”

Manchester United fans will be excited

After arriving on English shores four years ago, Neves has played a key part in Wolves’ recent success, scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists in  178 appearances for the club.

He has helped the club claim the Championship title, record two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League and reach the FA Cup semi-finals and Europa League quarter-finals since his arrival.

Neves has established a reputation for scoring the odd spectacular goal, while also showcasing an impressive array of passing throughout his career, earning praise from several pundits.

“It’s a magnificent pass; he’s a terrific player,” Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports (as per Daily Mail) in July 2020.

“I’m such a fan of Neves and the way he can just control the midfield. He can defend, he can attack, he’s so talented. He can do it at Wolves, but I think he’s going right to the top of the game; it’s effortless for him.”

Therefore, his prospective arrival at Old Trafford would surely excite plenty of United supporters who are keen to see midfield reinforcements arrive during the current window.

Whether Neves is a better option than those already available to Solskjaer is up to debate, but he’s an elegant player with a sizeable reputation in English football, something which should appeal to much of the Red Devils’ fanbase.

In other news… Fewer touches than De Gea: £40.5m-rated MUFC dud who lost 60% duels cost Ole on Sunday 

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge believes that Celtic are currently a club in “disarray”.

The Scottish giants have endured a terrible start to the season under new manager Ange Postecoglou.

On Wednesday, they were knocked out of the Champions League in the second qualifying round by Midtjylland, losing 3-2 on aggregate.

Their pre-season has been underwhelming too, as they were thumped 6-2 by West Ham United in a friendly on Saturday, while they have also been beaten 1-0 by Preston North End, and drawn 0-0 with Bristol City.

They have been active in the transfer window, bringing in no fewer than five new players: Kyogo Furuhashi has arrived from Japanese side Vissel Kobe; Carl Starfelt has come in from Russian club Rubin Kazan; Liel Abada has arrived from Israeli side M. Petah Tikva; both Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide have come in from Sheffield Wednesday.

But Postecoglou rued the club’s failure to strengthen properly after their European exit, per The Guardian, in quotes that will hardly fill fans with confidence ahead of their Premiership opener against Hearts on Friday.

And Bridge can barely believe just how bad Celtic have been in recent weeks.

He said: “Celtic now, I look at, and I think what on earth has happened to Celtic football club, they look in absolute disarray.

“The new manager that’s come in, we thought it was going to be Eddie Howe, it’s Postecoglou, the Australian coach, he sounds like a really likeable guy.

“I’ve heard a couple of his interviews, he’s very honest, he’s said ‘look, I need new players’.”

Many Southampton fans shared their delight as the club revealed their new away kit for the upcoming 2021/22 season.

The new campaign is almost upon us. For the Saints, they will be looking to improve on their rather disappointing 15th-placed finish in the Premier League last term. They will get their league season underway against Everton at St Mary’s on Saturday 14 August.

Usually at this point in the campaign, all of the kits for the new season will have been released by the 20 clubs in the top flight. However, the Saints were yet to reveal their away kit for the new campaign until Wednesday morning, but it seems to have been worth the wait for many of the club’s fans who loved the “stunning” new offering – a predominantly yellow shirt with blue sleeves from new kit suppliers Hummel.

The kit was shared on Southampton’s official Twitter channel and it attracted plenty of attention from supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the new shirt.

Let’s see what these Saints fans had to say

“Well worth the wait…..stunning!”

Credit: @DesKnight08

“Oh that’s a beauty. 3 great kits for the season.”

Credit: @Chi_Saintsfan

“Simple, but effective. I love the detailing at the lower part of the shirt, it’s subtle but beautiful”

Credit: @thomasc85505893

“Actually class from the club, fair play”

Credit: @ScottishSexyMan

“Love it. Love yellow. Love the graphic. Love the idea. Love Saints. But you have to laugh at, ‘to highlight the importance of looking after our environment’ when we release new kits across the board every single year”

Credit: @JamesClarkRoss

“Hummel don’t know how to make a bad kit. What a beautiful sight”

Credit: @salisuszn

In other news, Southampton are interested in signing this Ligue 1 defender.

After putting pen to paper on a new contract, Leeds United starlet Charlie Cresswell will be hoping of making his breakthrough under Marcelo Bielsa over the coming seasons.

The Whites confirmed earlier in the week that the 18-year-old had signed a new four-year deal to stay at Elland Road, and was of course named on the bench for the club’s Premier League clash against Everton last weekend.

Leeds have had many a great centre-back over their history, and in terms of the Premier League era, Rio Ferdinand is certainly up there with being the pick of the bunch.

While he eventually ended up joining rivals Manchester United, the former England international was a Rolls-Royce of a centre-back: quick, strong and superb on the ball.

Ferdinand was also a vocal presence that saw him eventually become captain at Old Trafford, and that innate leadership quality is something Cresswell possesses.

Speaking after signing his new contract, the centre-back himself said: “I’m confident, I’m a leader, I like to play and I like to head it! There’s lots of players in the first team that I look up to, the likes of Coops, Bill, they lead by example and that is what I want to try and follow.”

Dubbed a “dying breed” for his leadership and communication skills at the back, Leeds U23’s boss Mark Jackson added: “Charlie’s got that, he understands how to lead and we’ve been working with him a long time, in the academy even, when he first broke through in the 18s as a 16-year-old, (working) on his leadership skills.

“Even on the bench in the second half, he’s still talking behind me so that’s a positive because you don’t find many of them these days and we’ve got to try and embrace that, he’s got to try embrace it and develop it as well – and that’s a real positive within his game.”

The 6 foot 1 teenager appears to have all the tools in his locker to become the Whites’ next centre-back success story like Ferdinand at Elland Road.

Given Bielsa already appears to be integrating him into the first-team set-up after naming him on the bench against the Toffees last week, Cresswell could come on leaps and bounds learning directly from the Argentine.

The 18-year-old could be set for great things.

Meanwhile, Leeds United are eyeing a move for this “relentless” star…

Newcastle United are reportedly in talks to sign Mario Lemina in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Lemina impresses

Despite Fulham getting relegated from the Premier League down to the EFL Championship at the end of the 2020/21 season, Lemina had a fine individual campaign while on loan there from Southampton.

The Gabon international won no fewer than 4.5 of his duels per game in the top flight, and also averaged 2.2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions a match (Sofascore).

The Latest: Lemina talks

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park faithful have revived talks with the Saints over signing Lemina in a deal worth in the region of £4m, and hope to reach an agreement later on this week.

The North East club tried to sign him last month, offering players in exchange, but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team were keen to cash in on a player with just a year left on his current deal at St. Mary’s.

The Verdict: Sign

Lemina has plenty of experience of playing in the Premier League, and at 27 years of age, is about to enter his prime years as a footballer.

While his £64,000-per-week wages may prove to be a stumbling block, to sign him for just a £4m fee could certainly prove to be a bargain, given that he is currently valued at £9m by Transfermarkt.

Nonetheless, he would be a welcome addition as another handy option for Steve Bruce in the centre of midfield, where his options will be looking very thin if a deal for loan favourite Joe Willock cannot be completed.

In other news, find out what promising takeover claim Steve Wraith has issued here!

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath has revealed that Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is attracting transfer interest from elsewhere.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent months had initially suggested that Premier League champions Manchester City were contemplating exercising their buy-back clause on the Brazilian, but that has not been the case.

However, now, McGrath has claimed that Serie A giants AS Roma have entered the fray, with former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho keen to lure him to Italy this summer.

Worrying news for Villa fans

Speaking last summer, The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans, said of him: “He’s an absolute joy to watch now and I never thought I would be saying that. Villa have got a fantastic player in Douglas Luiz now, he looks like an absolute star, he could have played in that Man United team.

“He was better than (Paul) Pogba, I thought. I thought he was brilliant, hardly did anything wrong, hardly put a foot wrong. He won so many interceptions and made so many important blocks. When he gets the ball, he passes it nicely. He’s the best player in that Villa team at the moment because it’s just not working for John McGinn.”

The 23-year-old has been a virtual ever-present for Villa since his arrival, making 76 appearances for the first-team and playing 33 out of the 38 Premier League games just last season.

His form even earned him international honours, picking up his first couple of senior caps for Brazil, and so it’s been no surprise that his market value has now risen to £31.5m according to Transfermarkt.

And, in a recent poll done by FFC, 73% of Villa fans who answered said that they would not sell Luiz this summer (179 votes to 66) – an indication of just how concerning it would be were the Brazilian to make the move to Roma.

McGrath’s update may have Villa fans worried at the prospect of him leaving.

Meanwhile, Matt Maher has dropped a major Aston Villa transfer update…

According to The Daily Record (Transfer Blog, 10/07, 10.41), Sunderland are interested in signing Harris O’Connor, who is currently a free agent.

The Lowdown: Sunderland’s transfer business underway

The Black Cats are finally off the mark after a slow start to their transfer window, having confirmed the arrival of Alex Pritchard on Friday (safc.com).

It seems that they now have their eye on another player as they continue to prepare for the new season.

The Latest: Black Cats eye O’Connor

It is being reported that Sunderland are interested in O’Connor (The Daily Record Transfer Blog, 10/07, 10.41).

Stoke City and Watford are also interested, with the 19-year-old currently training with the Potters.

The Verdict: No risk

O’Connor has limited experience in senior football so far. He has made just 12 appearances (Transfermarkt), all for Brechin City while on loan from Glasgow Rangers. The centre-back left the Gers this summer as his contract ended at Ibrox, and therefore he is now a free agent.

To be picked up by one of Scotland’s two biggest clubs and now be targetted by a Premier League side suggests that O’Connor has a big future ahead of him. He would perhaps struggle for game-time at top-flight Watford, but he would surely have far more chance of playing regularly were he to make the move to League One. It remains to be seen whether Lee Johnson and co can convince him to come to the Stadium of Light.

In other news, many Sunderland fans were delighted by news on this ace.