All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale bolstered his attacking options earlier this month as the club officially confirmed the signing of Sam Lammers from Atalanta on a permanent basis.

The Light Blues have now added four players to their squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, with the Dutchman following Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, and Dujon Sterling in committing to the Scottish giants this summer.

However, the Gers do not appear to be done in the transfer market and are eyeing another striker to compete with Lammers, Antonio Colak, and Kemar Roofe.

Who is Josh Maja?

The Glasgow giants reportedly have a genuine and long-standing interest in signing Bordeaux centre-forward Josh Maja in the coming weeks.

His contract with the Ligue 2 side is set to expire at the end of this month and, as it stands, the Nigerian international is poised to be available for nothing.

Beale could strike gold by signing the 24-year-old striker as current Gers attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell could make him unstoppable next season.

The English maestro arrived at Ibrox in January from Norwich and enjoyed a terrific start to life in Scotland. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 and chipped in with six goals and four assists from the middle of the park across 16 league outings.

Cantwell created five 'big chances' and produced 1.3 key passes per game for his teammates, despite having played less than half of the campaign.

The 25-year-old, who completed 89% of his attempted passes in the Scottish Premiership, is able to open up the opposition on a regular basis to create significant chances for his fellow attackers, whilst his goal return last term also suggests that the ex-Norwich magician can make a big impact on his own.

Maja, whose "rare" talent was hailed by former Rangers striker Jermain Defoe, could benefit from Cantwell's creativity after an impressive season with Bordeaux in Ligue 2.

The £10k-per-week finisher averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across 37 league appearances and contributed with 16 goals and six assists for the French side.

These statistics show that the 5 foot 11 dynamo, who scored 17 goals in 49 games for Sunderland's first-team, has the potential to be a prolific scorer for Rangers if provided with the right service.

Cantwell could be the player to do that for him as the 25-year-old wizard has proven himself to be an excellent creator for the Light Blues and his constant supply line to the forwards could make Maja an unstoppable threat up front for Beale in the 2023/24 campaign.

The Nigerian gem's ability to assist others from a number nine position, which resulted in him being able to create eight 'big chances' in 22/23, also means that opposition defenders would have to deal with his creativity, in potentially assisting Cantwell, as well as his finishing quality in the box.

Chelsea have already waved goodbye to a number of first-team regulars this summer, with more set to follow in the coming days as part of a mass squad overhaul.

While the likes of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Manchester United-bound Mason Mount will be missed, others have either had less of an impact at Stamford Bridge (Kalidou Koulibaly) or simply have not played as much of late (N'Golo Kante).

One player who very much will be missed should he move on this window is long-serving captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who has once again been linked with the exit after an 11-year stay at the club, during which time he has won every trophy on offer.

Amid claims personal terms have already been agreed between Azpilicueta and Inter on a two-year deal, The Sun reports new Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is willing to let the defender leave for a nominal fee – or indeed, for free.

That is because Pochettino is already happy with the options he has available at right-back, with Reece James hopeful his injury issues are behind him, while Malo Gusto is now part of the squad after signing from Lyon in a £26m deal in January.

James will start the new Premier League season as Pochettino's first choice down the right, but Gusto showed last season at Lyon – whom he re-joined in January on loan for the remainder of the 2022/23 season – that he may well have a big part to play this season for the Blues.

Who is Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto?

Gusto spent two seasons as a first-team regular for Lyon, racking up 51 Ligue 1 appearances since the start of 2021/22 and catching the eye with his attacking play down the flank.

As pointed out by Football.london writer Bobby Vincent, the 20-year-old "is very dangerous going forward" and also "has an eye for a cross". That is very much reflected in the stats, with his 6.55 crosses per 90 minutes last season very similar to the number recorded by James at Chelsea (6.59), as per FBref.

There are other similarities between the pair, too, as they also completed a similar number of passes per 90 minutes last season (64.6 for James, 66.2 for Gusto) and also won a near-identical number of tackles (1.45 v 1.47), suggesting the France U21 international will be a good fit for Chelsea.

Using FBref's player comparison tool, there is a full-back even more alike Gusto in terms of their statistical profiles: Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies.

The pair won a similar number of tackles per 90 last season (48.8% for Gusto, compared to 46.2% for Davies), hit the target from a similar number of shots (42.9% v 42.1%) and registered blocks at a similar rate (1.24 v 1.23).

They also had the majority of their touches in the middle third of the field (43.6 v 40.2) – highlighting where they spend most of their time – and played 4.80 and 4.85 passes into the final third per 90 respectively.

Whether it is the next Davies that Chelsea have signed or a younger version of James, it is clear that Gusto is a talented player who is capable of challenging for a first-team place once Azpilicueta's exit is finally sanctioned.

Liverpool are interested in completing a deal to bring Napoli defender Kim Min-jae to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Kim's future?

Football Insider has reported that the Reds are willing to listen to offers for Joel Matip and Nat Phillips this summer, meaning that central reinforcements will be needed should they depart. South Korea international Kim only made the move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium last year, but having been a regular feature under Luciano Spalletti with 27 Serie A starts in his debut season, he has been attracting interest.

Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna (via Liverpool Echo) recently credited Jurgen Klopp with an interest in the 26-year-old, whose camp would reportedly be happy to green-light a move, and despite his contract not set to expire for another two years, there is a way he could be brought to Anfield in the coming months.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United have all “expressed an interest” in Kim and activating the £40m release clause included in his terms. The English trio are among “several” other unnamed clubs across Europe who are also monitoring his situation, but it’s claimed that he would “prefer” a move to the Premier League.

It is thought that Spurs could hold a “slight advantage” as a result of him being international teammates with Son Heung-min, but his representatives are aware of the “many other” options. Napoli, however, are keen to keep hold of him and could therefore look to remove his exit clause by offering him a new deal.

Would Kim be a good signing for Liverpool?

Kim has been dubbed a “rock” at the heart of Napoli’s backline by Serie A expert Matteo Bonetti, and should the opportunity to sign him arise, he could be the ideal long-term partner for Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.

The Nike-sponsored star is currently averaging 3.8 clearances and 2.8 aerial wins per league game, highlighting his physical presence both on and off the ground, whilst recording a 90.5% pass success rate, displaying his confidence and composure on the ball (WhoScored).

The 6 foot 3 defender is also capable of chipping in from time to time when it comes to the opposite end of the pitch, having scored six goals and provided two assists throughout his career, via Transfermarkt, so for someone who has the ability to make a positive impact at both ends of the field, he is perhaps the perfect profile of defender for Klopp.

Chelsea's 2024 transfer plans are already taking real shape as a report shares some promising news on their bid to sign a striker for Mauricio Pochettino.

Who have Chelsea signed this season?

The Blues, lead by owner Todd Boehy, alongside co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, oversaw a summer transfer window of serious spending.

Indeed, Chelsea showcased true ambition with the additions of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million.

To fund this business, many former squad members had to make way, with Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all departing Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino's reign has well and truly begun with the aforementioned arrivals, though it hasn't exactly been the greatest of starts for the Argentine.

Losing to both West Ham and, most recently, Nottingham Forest; Chelsea's only win of the season to date has been a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town.

The west Londoners also dropped points at home to Liverpool on the opening day, with defender Ben Chilwell saying there is still a lot of work to do.

"Very frustrating result and everyone is very disappointed in the changing room right now," explained Chilwell after their recent 1-0 loss to Forest at home.

"If you look at the stats we dominated the game, had the possession, but the most important stat is the goals. We lost in that department and lost the game, that is the black and white of it and we need to improve."

Will Chelsea sign a striker?

One position they didn't exactly shore up with a superstar was their striking position, despite links with the likes of Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

The latter player, who has been in scintillating form for the past two years, has been repeatedly mentioned as a Chelsea transfer target by various sections of the media.

Osimhen is truly one of Europe's most deadly strikers right now, having scored 26 goals in 30 Serie A starts last season. The Nigeria international has continued in that vain this term; already bagging three goals in his first league games.

His signing would be a truly exciting one from Chelsea's perspective, and there has been a very promising bit of news concerning his possible arrival.

This comes courtesy of Football Transfers, who say Pochettino and co are "leading the race" to sign Osimhen over Premier League rivals Arsenal.

As they enter pole position for the 24-year-old, FT sources indicate that there is a "possibility that a deal may already have been agreed upon" with the player.

Presumably referring to personal terms, it appears Chelsea have taken quite the leap forward for Osimhen's signing just under two weeks after the summer window shut.

We believe the African superstar would be near-perfect to lead Pochettino's line, especially going by his imperious goal record and praise from Gianfranco Zola, who called him "devastating".

Liverpool are in advanced negotiations for Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, as Jurgen Klopp is closing in on the first step of an extensive rebuild.

What’s the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are closing in on a deal for the 24-year-old, who is described as one of their “priority targets” alongside Mason Mount.

The journalist had previously tweeted that the Merseyside outfit were close to full agreement on personal terms with the player and club just waiting to finalise the final details.

It has been revealed that there’s no fixed clause in his current contract, but it has been suggested it could take more than £70m for the move to happen.

Why should Liverpool sign Alexis Mac Allister?

The £50k-per-week gem has been on the south coast since 2019, but in the last year, he has deservedly enjoyed a phenomenal rise in prominence and popularity.

He has made 39 appearances in all competitions and registered 15 goal involvements for the Seagulls this campaign and has been an integral component of a side that secured Europa League qualification thanks to a 1-1 draw with recently crowned Premier League champions Manchester City yesterday evening.

The 16-cap international, whose current contract expires in 2025, has received this vast admiration thanks to his indispensable role in his nation’s World Cup triumph last year having played in six of the seven tournament games for the eventual winners.

The Argentine provided for Ángel Di María in his team’s second goal in the final against France, to become immortalised in his country’s folklore.

From a deep-lying playmaker role, Mac Allister has been in impeccable form – showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 19% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, the highest 17% for shot-creating actions per 90, and the best 16% for successful take-ons per 90.

He represents an upgrade to Naby Keita, who is to depart Liverpool this summer after five years at the club.

Previously labelled as the "complete midfielder" by Jurgen Klopp, the former RB Leipzig man, but his time in England has been blighted by injury and inconsistency.

As per The Athletic, the Reds have played 277 competitive matches since his arrival, but he’s only featured in 129 of them, which equates to 47%.

This season, he has only made eight top-flight outings for Liverpool and has shockingly registered just the 25th-highest rating within the whole squad, according to WhoScored.

Compared to Liverpool's priority target, he also ranks poorly, as he sat inside the top 41% of Premier League players last term for successful take-ons, demonstrating he is dispossessed easily and lacks composure.

Meanwhile, Mac Allister, who has been hailed as a "magician" by Danny Welbeck, embodies reliability and consistency and would be a welcome replacement for Keita at Anfield.

Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron could be on the bench this weekend.

What's the latest injury news for Newcastle and Miguel Almiron?

The 29-year-old winger has been out injured for a little while now and has not actually played in any of the club's last four Premier League games.

However, with Aston Villa to face away from home, it looks as though he could be in contention to make a return to the bench.

Indeed, while speaking to the press ahead of this game, manager Eddie Howe provided an interesting update on the winger.

He said (via Shields Gazette) “He’s done really well. He’s ahead of schedule at the moment. Fingers crossed, he gets through training, and could be available very soon.”

He was then asked if Almiron could play against Villa, and remained vague with his answer but admitted it was a “possibility".

While talking about this on his own YouTube channel, Hope claimed that Howe's words were enough to confirm that the Paraguay international will definitely make the bench.

He explained: “We've learned to read Eddie when it comes to fitness and otherwise.

"But for him to say that Miguel Almiron is back and training, and see how he come through today's session, that tells us that he will be on the bench down at Aston Villa tomorrow, which is two weeks ahead of schedule, which is a huge boost for them."

How many Premier League goals has Almiron scored this season?

Before the break for the winter World Cup, Almiron was in the form of his life, scoring eight goals and providing one assist in the Premier League.

Since then, however, the £60k-per-week star has lost a little bit of momentum and form, adding just three more league goals to his tally (for a total of 11 in 25).

Perhaps this little time on the sidelines will have done him so good then, just to let him reset before the final run-in.

At the very least, he certainly seems raring to go if he is indeed ready to get back on the bench to play Aston Villa ahead of schedule.

Indeed, while Howe wasn't prepared to confirm Almiron would play any part, journalist Hope seems to be sure that the winger be involved in some capacity as part of the matchday squad for the first time since 12th March.

The transfer window officially opened for business last month and Tottenham Hotspur have been busy in their attempts to improve the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

They started the summer by bringing in Ange Postecoglou from Scottish giants Celtic as their new head coach and have made four first-team signings to date.

Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro have completed permanent moves to the club after their respective loan spells, and they have been joined by attacking midfielder James Maddison along with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs could still be in the market for further additions, however, and another new forward could be on the agenda after Lucas Moura departed on a free transfer.

Postecoglou could land the dream replacement for the Brazilian attacker by securing a deal to sign reported £50m transfer target, Jadon Sancho.

How many Premier League goals does Jadon Sancho have?

The England international has struck nine times in 55 Premier League appearances for Manchester United since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.

His tally of 12 goals and six assists across 79 outings in all competitions for the Red Devils means that he has averaged a goal contribution every 4.39 matches on average during his time at Old Trafford so far.

Whereas, Moura produced 39 goals and 27 assists in 221 competitive clashes for Spurs, which was one involvement every 3.35 games on average.

Like United's Sancho, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace is capable of being deployed on either flank or through the middle of the pitch, which made him a versatile option for Tottenham over the years.

Postecoglou could utilise the ex-Manchester City prospect on the left or right wing in north London and this makes him a valuable player to have in the squad, particularly after Moura's departure, as he is not restricted to a specific role or position.

Sancho also has the potential to offer far more in the final third than he has shown at United so far as the 23-year-old wizard's performances for Dortmund suggest that there is an exceptional talent there to be unearthed.

Scout Jacek Kulig lauded the exciting forward as a "phenomenon" during his time in Germany and it is easy to see why when you delve into his statistics.

The English magician racked up 38 goals to go along with 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, which works out as a direct involvement every 1.17 outings on average.

Sancho recorded 12 or more league assists in each of his last three seasons in black and yellow and could come in as a much-needed creative spark for Postecoglou if the Australian head coach can get him back to his best.

Ivan Perisic was Tottenham's top assister with eight in the Premier League last term and he was one of only three players with more than five assists, which suggests that the club did not have an outstanding creator to provide the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son with regular service.

The United winger, who has not been able to hit top form at Old Trafford, has the untapped potential to be that player for Spurs. Therefore, Sancho could be an exceptional signing for Postecoglou and the dream replacement for Moura this summer.

Manchester United’s hectic run of February fixtures continues away to Barcelona in the Europa League this evening, with the Red Devils set to return to the venue of one of the greatest nights in their history – Camp Nou.

While there may not be quite the glamour of that fabled triumph over Bayern Munich in ’99 – with United now competing in the continent’s second-tier competition – tonight’s clash still promises a potentially mouthwatering feast of football, with Erik ten Hag’s resurgent side facing off against the runaway leaders in La Liga.

With it already set to be a stern challenge to pick up a positive result in Catalonia, the Old Trafford outfit have the further headache of being without a number of key figures, with the likes of Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial and Antony all missing through injury, while both Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer are ruled out through suspension.

How will Man United line up against Barcelona?

With those selection issues in mind, Football FanCast predicts that Ten Hag will make three changes from the side that claimed victory over Leeds United last time out, with notable alterations set to take place defensively.

Ahead of long-serving stalwart David De Gea – who recently brought up 400 Premier League appearances –  will likely be a centre-back pairing of Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw, with club captain and defensive “liability” – as per writer Zach Lowy – Harry Maguire set to make way.

With Shaw’s move into the centre set to see Tyrell Malacia remain at left-back, the other full-back berth could well be taken up by £50m “monster” Aaron Wan-Bissaka – as once lauded by CBS Sports reporter Aaron West – with the Englishman’s defensive strength potentially set to be required.

The biggest positive for the former Ajax boss will be the return of influential midfielder Casemiro, amid his current league suspension, with the Brazilian rock set to be supported by compatriot Fred and playmaking gem, Bruno Fernandes.

As for the forward line, the absence of both Antony and Martial should ensure that there are no alterations from the win at Elland Road, with teenage starlet Alejandro Garnacho likely to offer a game-changing presence off the bench once again.

Harry Kane's family dream of him winning trophies at Tottenham Hotspur as the north London club intend to keep the player despite heavy transfer interest, David Ornstein has revealed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane?

The England striker was in sensational form for Spurs last season, scoring 30 league goals despite the team performing poorly and finishing eighth, and with just one year left on his contract, he has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United.

However, Spurs have no intention to sell their star player, particularly to a rival, and it seems that they will resist any offers for the 29-year-old this summer.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Ornstein claimed that Daniel Levy is highly unlikely to sanction a sale for Kane this summer.

"As far as I know, Harry Kane is not for sale is Tottenham's perspective, to anywhere, not to the Premier League and a rival and Daniel Levy wouldn't want to sell unless perhaps the fee got absolutely monstrous, and we've got no evidence that that's likely to happen," he stated.

"He would like to sign Harry Kane to a new contract and then Ange Postecoglou will get a good thing going on at Spurs, they would start moving in the right direction, being competitive next season.

"We've seen other clubs who have become competitive quite quickly, and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Harry Kane sees a Tottenham that he wants to stay at in the course of next season.

"He's a boyhood fan, his family are, their dream is really to win with Tottenham, but clearly that hasn't materialised so far."

Should Spurs sell Kane?

New manager Postecoglou has a big job on his hands, as he is taking over a Spurs squad in need of serious repair, and having failed to qualify for European football, finances may be limited at Spurs this summer.

They have already deemed a main target in David Raya as too expensive, and Postecoglou's ability to bring in his own targets may be jeopardised unless a major sale is made.

Unless there is indication that the £200k-per-week star would sign a new deal this summer, keeping him beyond the transfer window could be delaying his potential departure, and Spurs could cash in this summer in order to help fund a major rebuild of the side.

Kane, who has been described as "exceptional" by Pep Guardiola, knows that if he waits until he is a free agent next year, that he could have his pick of clubs to move to, so choosing to remain at Spurs despite their struggles would be an unsurprising decision.

Suffering defeats against both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, losing Raphael Varane and Mason Mount to injury, and watching on as Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho had an incredibly public disagreement, it's fair to say that Manchester United have endured one of the worst starts to the Premier League season that they could have imagined.

Their poor start to the season has come as quite a surprise, too, given that they had a fairly successful summer of arrivals at Old Trafford. Such is the unpredictability of England's top flight, however, the Red Devils have been one of the most disappointing sides in the league.

Now, to add the cherry on top, reports suggest that the Glazer family – the owners of Manchester United – have made a crucial decision, regarding the sale of the club, leaving Gary Neville particularly bewildered.

What have the Glazers done now?

According to The Daily Mail, the Glazers have decided to take Manchester United off the market after failing to receive their desired £10billion price-tag for the Premier League club since putting them up for sale in November.

The owners will now reportedly put the club back on the market in 2025, when they hope financial and environmental factors will attract higher bidders.

Reacting to the news, Gary Neville has told Sky Sports this is just the owners' latest scheme to drum up more offers: "I just can't believe that the report is true.

"It's part of the game playing and the manipulating of stories that they have been doing for a long time. I don't see any way that they can keep hold of the club because they've got no money.

"Anyone that has a bit of knowledge of the financial situation at the club will know that it is desperate. They keep putting it down to FFP, they keep saying that they can't bring players on board and stuff like that.

"They have spent and invested money this summer but they have to bring money in and that will either be through a dilution, some sort of debt on the business – which no one can imagine because of the debt that is already on the business – or they sell. I think the most likely route is that they sell.

"They are trying to bump the price up which is the negotiating tactic of many. They don't panic, so they stand strong, they don't rush, they are knowledgeable business people and know that the more they prolong this process they might get an extra quid or two out of it.

"I can't believe the story to be true because they need money desperately into the club."

How much did Manchester United spend this summer?

With the Glazers still at the helm, United spent a total of €207m (£177m) in the summer transfer window, as per Transfemarkt, welcoming seven fresh faces.

Having splashed the cash once more, the pressure may start to build on Ten Hag to get results out of his United side once more. The Dutchman at least has the international break to attempt to fix any glaring problems in his system, and after that, the Red Devils must start getting results again.