All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester City are interested in signing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the upcoming summer transfer window. 

The lowdown: Contract rebel

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence for both club and country in the last 18 months and has been the centre of heightened speculation regarding a possible move away.

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Following a report from The Guardian confirming that Rice had recently rejected a third contract offer from West Ham, a summer switch looks increasingly likely for the former Chelsea academy starlet.

Now it appears that Pep Guardiola could be about to make a beeline for the London-born midfielder…

The latest: Mail makes claim…

As per the report from the Daily Mail, City are believed to be ‘ready to launch’ a move for the 29-cap England man.

As well as this, ‘City bosses have made it clear they can go after Rice’ as Eastlands officials set their sights on him – even after they’ve already ‘agreed’ a deal for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Braut Haaland.

Amidst strong interest from rivals Manchester United, the report claims that the Citizens have asked West Ham to ‘keep them informed’ regarding any developments on Rice.

Unsurprisingly the over £100million valuation is billed as a ‘sticking point’ in any attempt to bring the man once hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Guardiola to Eastlands.

The verdict: At all costs

Whilst it would almost certainly shatter the £105.7million record expenditure spent on Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021, signing Rice would be a superb piece of business at almost any price.

Capable of operating as a conventional defensive midfielder and as a centre-back, the Englishman should be viewed as the ideal candidate to replace departing Sky Blues stalwart Fernandinho by director of football Txiki Begiristain.

In other news: Pep falls out with ‘world class’ Man City star behind-the-scenes, he could now leave…find out more here.

Leeds United are in line for an encouraging injury boost ahead of this weekend’s clash with Newcastle United…

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, the Yorkshire outfit are likely to have three first-team attackers available for selection ahead of Saturday’s league encounter at Elland Road.

“Better news – Joe Gelhardt could be back at the weekend, as could Tyler Roberts. Rodrigo also sounds like he’s come through his appearance at West Ham without a problem,” he tweeted.

The Whites head into the weekend on the back of an impressive 3-2 victory over West Ham United but there was cause for concern looking at the bench as the returning Spaniard was the only senior professional from nine substitutes.

Big boost

That is how bad the injury situation has been at Thorp Arch over the last few months and it shows no signs of easing up, with Patrick Bamford’s continued absence.

The England international has missed 16 of their last 17 league games with ankle and hamstring injuries and it appears he is still not available to feature against the Magpies after missing last weekend’s win.

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In his absence, Bielsa has had to turn to a number of different options, largely the likes of Daniel James and Jack Harrison playing out of position to fill the void.

So the fact the club’s young academy striker Gelhardt is available is certainly encouraging to see. He has one goal and two assists in the Premier League from only two starts, so he’s more than capable at this level.

Roberts is an experienced option to have too.

If these two return alongside a fit Rodrigo, it will alleviate some of the worry facing Bielsa ahead of kick-off – after all, he still is missing key midfielder Kalvin Phillips, skipper Liam Cooper and many others.

Therefore, the Argentine will surely feel a little more relieved this weekend.

AND in other news, “What I have been told”: Journo drops huge Leeds transfer claim, Bielsa will be fuming…

Many Wolves fans have been left buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Sven Botman.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club have now made an official bid to try and sign the Lille central defender on a permanent deal.

However, the reigning Ligue 1 champions turned down their proposal, meaning that they are going to have to go in with a second bid if they want to land his signature.

Botman was a key player for his team on their way to winning the title in the 2020/21 term, playing in all but one match and helping his team keep 20 clean sheets in the process, while he himself won an impressive 4.9 of his duels per game and also averaged 3.2 clearances and 1.5 interceptions per appearance (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, being just 21 years of age, the Dutchman would no doubt be a smart investment by the Molineux faithful, and he could be a mainstay in Bruno Lage’s side for years to come.

Wolves transfer update on Botman

These WWFC supporters buzzed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“A second bid is all I ask I beg”

Credit: @haydenbd_

“Jeff/Fosun come on Wolves need this please get him”

Credit: @TooRiskyIam

“PAY THE MONEYYYYYY PLEASEEE”

Credit: @wwfcnaasif

“Oh hello!”

Credit: @nawaafkoodaruth

“You are finally making moves!”

Credit: @Beeowolf79

“Whattt?”

Credit: @wwfcsam1

In other news, find out what club announcement has Wanderers buzzing here!

Fabrizio Romano claimed on Saturday that Poland are ready to approach Aston Villa’s Matty Cash over a possible switch of nationalities.

And a number of Villa supporters have been giving their thoughts to the update on social media.

Cash, who qualifies for Poland through family on his mother’s side, had been reluctant to turn away from England as he has hopes of turning out for England.

The 24-year-old hasn’t featured for The Three Lions at any level, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Reece James and Kieran Trippier all seemingly ahead of him in Gareth Southgate’s right-back ranks.

According to Romano, Cash is ‘open’ to the opportunity of playing for Poland and is waiting for a passport to go through.

Villa fans react

Romano posted the news regarding Cash on Twitter on Saturday afternoon, hours before he netted his first Villa goal in a 3-0 win over Everton.

This is what some Villa fans had to say in reply, with one labelling it as ‘interesting’.

“I think he should accept it. I don’t see there is much of a chance he would get into the England squad as there are approximately 4178.9 RB that’s capable to be in the England squad right now.”

Credit: @rico_chong

“great move for him he’d be their starting rb”

Credit: @luke1874_

“Hope he goes for it. England are stacked in that position.”

Credit: @JayVtid

“interesting”

Credit: @Kim_UTV

“makes perfect sense really”

Credit: @avbiIly

“Looks like our all English back 4 is coming to an end. Understand why Cash has done it. England has so many good RB !”

Credit: @seanlangley94

In other news: Source says Lange wants 40-goal ace on £25k-p/w for Villa; he’s scoring a goal per game. 

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has dropped an Arsenal transfer update on Inter striker Lautaro Martinez which will leave fans buzzing.

What’s the story?

Taking to Twitter, he said: “In speaking with Inter Milan about Bellerin, Arsenal enquired on Lautaro Martinez. 23yo striker (contract 2023) is for sale & #AFC thought to have mentioned Lacazette, but #Inter need cash + hope it helps them keep Chelsea target Lukaku @TheAthleticUK #CFC.”

An accompanying article from The Athletic read: “A move has previously been considered unrealistic but The Athletic understands Arsenal have long held Lautaro in high regard. With the north London club and Inter Milan in contact about a prospective deal for Hector Bellerin, sources indicate that Arsenal have enquired about Lautaro’s availability.

“It is thought Lautaro would be interested in a move to Arsenal if Inter want to sell him.”

Arsenal fans will be buzzing

The £72m-rated Martinez has been one of the outstanding strikers in Italian football in recent seasons, and enjoyed an impressive campaign for Inter in 2020/21, with 17 goals and ten assists in Serie A alone.

Meanwhile, Barcelona star Lionel Messi is also a big fan of his Argentina teammate, telling Mundo Deportivo: “Lautaro is an impressive forward, especially because I think he is a very complete striker: he is strong, he dribbles well, he has a goal, he knows how to protect the ball.”

Messi added: “He’s spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player, and he is showing that He’s very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals, and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own. He has a lot of quality. He’s very complete.”

Given his track record with Inter, Martinez would be the kind of striker signing which will surely have Arsenal fans excited. It’s exactly why Ornstein’s update that the club are in for him, and that the Argentine himself would be interested in the move if Inter want to sell him, should have the Gunners faithful buzzing.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has dropped an Arsenal transfer update…

An update has emerged on Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, regarding Manchester United’s interest in his services. 

What’s the talk?

According to The Express, Manchester United are interested in signing Brighton’s Bissouma this month.

The report claims that Liverpool have made an official enquiry to the Premier League side, with the player being valued at around £40m.

Fans would love him

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must seal a £40m deal for Bissouma as he could be a quality addition to the squad, who Manchester United fans would love as he is a quality, proven, option at this level.

The Mali international has proven himself in the Premier League for Brighton and could now deserve his chance to play for a top club in the division, whilst competing in the Champions League. He averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.98 for the Seagulls last term, a score Scott McTominay and Fred both failed to achieve for Manchester United in the top-flight.

This suggests that, if he is able to adapt to United’s set-up, Bissouma could be an upgrade on what Ole currently has at his disposal alongside Paul Pogba in the middle of the park. The Brighton man averaged 2.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game, whilst McTominay managed 1.6 and 0.9 and Fred chipped in with 2.7 and 1.5 per game for the Red Devils.

Ex-Brighton player Dale Stephens once claimed Bissouma has ‘bundles of ability’ whilst showering the midfielder with praise. He said:

“He’s got bundles of ability. He’s still a young boy and is still learning but I’m sure he’ll be a massive asset for this football club.

“He showed in glimpses (against Derby) what he’s about and he’s probably got the most ability in a young boy that I’ve played with.”He’s got the ability of perhaps a winger playing in central midfield with the way he can go past players. His feet are incredible and I’m sure he’s going to get better and better.”He’s got everything you need to be a top player. It’s all about getting experience and minutes and I’m sure he’ll get that here.”This means that United could be getting a talented midfielder who also has the defensive nous required to win possession back in transition. Given that he has been able to perform to a higher standard than Fred and McTominay whilst playing in the same division, he could be an excellent signing and one that improves the team – which is why fans would love to see him come through the door before Tuesday’s deadline.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops big MUFC transfer twist that will leave fans buzzing…

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side head into Thursday evening’s Europa League clash against Real Betis knowing that they cannot finish any higher or lower than third place in the Group G standings – a fixture many would deem a dead rubber.

However, while it is true that the three points available in the match ultimately do not matter, the contest will undoubtedly still prove to be an extremely important one for the 56-year-old manager.

This is not only because a win against a team who sit third in the LaLiga table would provide his side with a substantial boost in confidence, but it is also an opportunity for Celtic to afford a number of their peripheral squad members some much-needed first-team minutes.

Indeed, youngsters such as Liam Shaw, Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Scales, Dane Murray and Mikey Johnston have seen their game time extremely limited so far this season, with the fixture against Betis being the perfect time to unleash at least a few of Celtic’s most exciting up and coming talents.

As such, some of the players who started the 3-0 win over Dundee United last weekend will have to make way, with James Forrest appearing to be a prime candidate for the chop on Thursday night.

Postecoglou must axe Forrest

While it is true the winger is still in the process of regaining full fitness in his recovery from injury, it is unavoidable that Forrest was by far and away Celtic’s most disappointing performer at Tannadice.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch, the £5.4m-rated winger struggled to make any real impact on the game, failing to complete any of his three attempted crosses, losing three of his five duels and completing just 16 passes – six fewer than Joe Hart.

These returns saw the £19k-per-week forward earn a SofaScore match rating of 6.9 – the second-lowest of any Celtic player to start the fixture – before he was hooked at halftime after appearing to struggle with the pace of the match.

As such, while Forrest is undoubtedly a talented player – with Kieran Tierney dubbing the 30-year-old’s ability as “scary,” as well as claiming he is “one of the best” players he has featured alongside – in order to provide the likes of Johnston with a much-needed start, Postecoglou simply must axe the Scotland international from his starting XI against Real Betis.

In other news: Ange could unearth Celtic’s new Robbie Keane with swoop for “bright” 18 G/A machine

Kalvin Phillips could potentially return from injury for Leeds United’s Premier League clash with Southampton, as confirmed by The Athletic’s Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Phillips out injured

The 25-year-old missed England’s 1-1 draw at home to Hungary in midweek, having been ruled out with a calf problem, with his influence certainly missed as the Three Lions looked stagnant for much of the match.

Phillips is now facing a race against time to be fit for Leeds’ return to action this weekend, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side making the trip to Saints.

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The Latest: Midfielder could return

Bielsa was on press conference duty on Thursday afternoon and he admitted that the midfielder could possibly be back in time, with Hay reiterating the news on Twitter in a short and sweet six-word update:

“Has a chance of being fit.”

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The Verdict: Potentially huge

There is a strong argument to say that Phillips is Leeds’ most important player, considering how much quality and energy he brings to the team.

Granted, he may not have hit top gear yet this season, but his absence was still clear on the opening weekend when the Whites lost 5-1 away to Manchester United.

If Phillips is available on Saturday afternoon, Leeds’ hopes of picking up back-to-back league wins will be noticeably enhanced, with only Liam Cooper (2.7) averaging more tackles more per game than him (2.3) in the competition so far this season.

In other news, Hay has provided another update on a key Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Noel Whelan has been left shocked by what he has now heard coming from Newcastle United regarding Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Lowdown: £50m price tag

As per The Daily Mail, the St James’ Park club are now willing to entertain offers of around £50m for the 25-year-old once the season ends.

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It has also been reported that the Magpies could look at Moussa Diaby as a potential replacement for the Frenchman, along with Leandro Trossard and Brennan Johnson.

The Latest: Whelan shocked by Saint-Maximin latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan – who regularly used to feature as a pundit for the BBC – has been left shocked by the news that the Newcastle board could sell Saint-Maximin for £50m, claiming that it would be a ‘ridiculous’ piece of business.

He said: “Look, I mean you can accept it. But if you’re going to go out there and get somebody with the same quality and love from the fans, firstly, they’ve got to earn that love, which Saint-Maximin has done.

“Secondly, he has put in the performances and been a talisman for a number of years now. £50million is not going to buy you a player of that quality, I don’t believe.

“Then you’d have the backlash from the fans. I’m very sure that they won’t see this as a positive. This is not what they expect after the consortium’s takeover of Newcastle.

“They thought they’d be spending £50million, not bringing in £50million by selling one of their best players.

“Saint-Maximin, for me, is one of these players that’s just unsellable right now to Newcastle, on many fronts. Shirt sales, fanbase and what he brings out there on the field.

“I’m sorry, but I just feel that’d be ridiculous business by Newcastle’s board.”

The Verdict: Hard to replace

As Whelan says, the Newcastle board could scoop a healthy £50m for Saint-Maximin in the summer, but the Frenchman would be very hard to replace.

He has been a mainstay in the team all season, with five goals and three assists in the Premier League so far (Transfermarkt).

Moreover, he currently ranks as the Magpies’ second-best performer in the top flight, and no team-mate comes close to his six man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

The 25-year-old also averages more shots and dribbles per game than any of his team-mates, so £50m may not even be enough to replace the quality that he possesses and his overall importance to Eddie Howe’s team.

In other news, find out which three stars PIF are now targeting this summer

An update has emerged on Rangers dud Jack Simpson, regarding his future at Ibrox under Gio van Bronckhorst…

What’s the talk?

According to the Scottish Sun, English Championship side Middlesbrough are preparing a swoop for the Gers defender, with Chris Wilder said to be a fan of his.

The report claims that van Bronckhorst will allow the centre-back to leave the club in the January transfer window and Boro are hoping to snap him up.

Time’s up

Simpson’s time in Glasgow appears to be up and the Dutch head coach must ruthlessly axe him this month. Although Middlesbrough are said to be keen on a loan deal for him, a permanent solution could also work for the Gers as he has struggled to make his mark in Scotland.

Danilho Doekhi and John Souttar have both been touted with moves to the club and that could lessen Simpson’s chances of being able to come back in the summer and win his place in the team.

The potential incoming pair could replace Connor Goldson, with Nikola Katic to return from his loan and Filip Helander due to return from injury in the coming months, leaving the ex-Bournemouth defender in a difficult and vulnerable position.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst must axe him on a permanent basis as his time is up. He has not featured in a single match since Steven Gerrard left the club and was dubbed a ‘weak link’ earlier in the season.

Former Scotland international Frank McAvennie criticised the central defender and suggested that he could be targeted by teams, saying:

“It depends on the opposition. They have a big game on Sunday against Hibs. That’s a massive game, absolutely massive.

“Hibs are on fire and they really know what they are doing. They will fancy their chances. They know Simpson is the weak link. You expect he will start with the Goldson issue.

“He’s not had a great time of it so far, he barely played last season. We’ll see what happens but I expect Boyle will run rings around him.”

The £900k-rated liability has only played 11 times for Rangers since joining in January 2020 and this suggests that he is not a serious first-team contender.

He was sparsely used under Gerrard and is yet to play a single match under the new management team, which shows that two managers in a row have not rated him highly enough to give him regular minutes, which is why he must now be brutally axed from the club.

AND in other news, Deal considered: Rangers must seal swoop for 105 G/A predator who won’t cost a penny…