All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa have been handed a boost by the admission of one of their reported transfer targets.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Birmingham Mail, Villa-linked Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has become a potential option, with him reportedly expressing his desperation to leave Anfield due to annoyance over a lack of game-time.

It is said that the former Arsenal midfielder “could be tempted” to work under Gerrard after his previous comment mentioning the Villa boss was hurled back into the spotlight amidst the 28-year-old’s links with the Midlands club.

The same report mentioned that, in 2017, Oxlade-Chamberlain said: “Playing for a team like Arsenal, it ends up being more of a right-wing job. I get the ball from deeper and the plays into my hands more. At the end of the day, it’s given me minutes and I’m not one to complain.

“But, the centre-mid role… I’ve always wanted to be Steven Gerrard, so I’ve still got a hope of that.”

Gerrard 2.0

Indeed, the £14.4m-rated Oxlade-Chamberlain’s versatility in itself is a phenomenal asset to have among the team, something that Villa already have to some degree in 36-year-old Ashley Young.

However, whilst the Liverpool midfielder does indeed offer versatility in the engine room, he has still struggled for game-time, playing just 787 minutes from 17 appearances in the Premier League last term.

Twelve of those appearances have seen him function as a central midfielder, but he is still nowhere near a nailed-on option in the middle of the park.

Turning 29 in August, it is high-time that the 35-cap England international achieved regular first-team status in a progressive club where he could make his way into the first team as a central midfielder.

Despite a lack of game-time, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s numbers are that of a technician and suggest that he would be an excellent asset for Gerrard, having taken a leaf out of the Villa manager’s book with his balanced playing style.

Over the past year, the 28-year-old has averaged 2.57 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes whilst still remaining defensively aware, as evidenced by 6.96 successful pressures and 2.4 tackles per 90 minutes.

His balanced style and all-round astuteness could make him a great option in a position that the Villa manager knows like the back of his hand from his distinguished playing career.

On the above evidence, Villa fans would surely love to have such a well-rounded midfielder like Oxlade-Chamberlain at the club under the tutelage of one of the Premier League’s finest exponents of the position.

In other news: Lange plotting Villa bid for “exquisite” 34-goal sensation, imagine him and Coutinho 

Leeds United have fallen behind in the race to sign Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino, according to a report from The Times. 

The lowdown: Leeds interested in Minamino

The Whites have been heavily linked with a move for Minamino for some time now, and recently the interest surfaced once again as a report from This Is Anfield claimed that Liverpool were willing to listen to offers of around £17m for the Japan international.

Having successfully worked under the stewardship of Jesse Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg previously, the 27-year-old attacker was viewed as a genuine candidate to arrive at Elland Road to strengthen the ranks.

However, the Yorkshire club appear to have slipped down the list of potential destinations for Minamino as one competitor receives a timely cash injection…

The latest: Monaco lead Minamino race

As per The Times, AS Monaco have swept to the front of the race to sign the 41-cap ace ahead of Leeds, Wolves, Fulham and Southampton.

It’s claimed that Monaco are now ‘leading the chase’ to sign the man who directly contributed to 20 goals in just 22 outings under Marsch in Austria.

The Ligue 1 outfit are set to receive a massive fee in the region of €100m (£85m) for the sale of Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid and would therefore have no problem reaching the asking price for Minamino, who was hailed by James Pearce for a ‘clinical’ finish against Norwich City last season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-4/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict: Don’t delay

With Monaco seemingly ready to act, Leeds cannot afford to wait for Raphinha to decide on his future before moving for a top target.

Despite being somewhat of an onlooker in the Premier League during 2021/22, Minamino scored 10 times and provided one assist in 24 appearances across all competitions, highlighting that aforementioned clinical nature whenever he is handed an opportunity.

Although there is no lure of European football on the table in Yorkshire, the prospect of reuniting with Marsch should excite the versatile Japanese star, and as such, Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani must be going all-out to try and make this deal happen.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Newcastle United have been linked with a transfer move for AS Roma defender Roger Ibanez.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the Magpies have shown “concrete interest” in signing the centre-back this summer.

After originally joining Jose Mourinho’s side on loan from fellow Serie A club Atalanta in January 2020, the defender signed for Roma on a permanent basis last summer.

Overall, the 23-year-old has made 101 appearances for the Giallorossi across all competitions, chipping in with six goals and two assists along the way. This season saw the Brazilian make 34 appearances for Roma in Serie A, leaving only two other outfield players having played more minutes in the league, highlighting how important he is to the team.

In terms of what he offers at the back, he racked up the highest average for interceptions per game (1.8) and the second-highest average for clearances per game (2.8).

Labelled an “outstanding” player by journalist Josh Bunting on Twitter, Ibanez reportedly has a release clause of €80m (£69m).

Imagine him & Burn

Newcastle showed during the January transfer window how beneficial it can be to bring in a solid defensive figure and how much of an impact that can have on the season.

After signing Dan Burn from fellow Premier League side Brighton at the end of January, the Toon then went on to only lose five league games, having won just once before the winter market opened.

Despite making just 16 league appearances for his new club, the 30-year-old ended the season with a higher average of clearances per game (6.1) than any other Newcastle player. This is also the highest average out of all players in the Premier League to have started more than five league games this season.

Now that Eddie Howe has the chance to add a fairly young but very capable defender to his squad once again this summer, this will give the 44-year-old the chance to establish what could be a formidable duo at the back between Ibanez and Burn.

With the Tyneside club reportedly showing an interest in the Roma defender, they should now be thinking of capitalising on that interest and seeing if the Giallorossi would be willing to negotiate a deal for the player.

In other news: Newcastle eyeing £15m magician Shearer dubbed “magnificent”, he’s better than Almiron

West Ham United have made their first move for Real Betis forward Borja Iglesias after his phenomenal 2021/22 campaign in La Liga, according to an update from the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: West Ham wanted Iglesias in 2019…

The Hammers, and by extension club owners GSB, had actually attempted to sign Iglesias back in 2019, when they were apparently ready to make a move for the Spaniard after negotiations between Betis and his former club Espanyol turned sour.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-5/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Premier League club were ‘willing to satisfy the demands’ of Espanyol but Iglesias opted to choose Betis instead, explaining in an interview that he was attracted by the project on offer in Andalucia (Estadio Deportivo).

The Latest: West Ham go back in for Iglesias…

According to AS, sharing news in the last 48 hours, West Ham have revived their interest for their former transfer target, making their first move in the form of an inquiry.

Indeed, the east Londoners are apparently among ‘several’ English top-flight clubs to make contact with Betis over a possible move for Iglesias.

The Verdict: Go further this time

Iglesias has just finished a brilliant season at Betis, scoring 19 goals in all competitions, leaving little wonder that he his back on the Irons’ radar.

The 29-year-old bagged four of those goals in six Europa League starts, illustrating that he can perform on the biggest stages, and he may prove a useful asset at West Ham in that respect.

Having scored an impressive 157 career goals in total, Iglesias has little trouble finding the net, so we believe that West Ham should test Betis’ resolve with a formal bid, going further than they did in their previous pursuit of him three years ago.

In other news: Offer ready: West Ham leap ahead of European giants in race for £21m forward! Find out more here.

Manchester City have reportedly identified Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips as their leading transfer target to replace Fernandinho during the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, the Premier League champions believe that ‘his age and his energy and intensity fit the mould of what they need’.

A product of Leeds’ youth system, the England international has made 234 appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 13 assists in the process.

With 23 appearances to his name across the Premier League and Carabao Cup this season, the 26-year-old has played 18 of those in a defensive midfield role.

Having played three times as a centre-back, this could point to why City see him as a suitable replacement for Fernandinho, as the Brazilian was also able to play in both of those positions when needed.

Former Leeds player Barry Douglas hailed Phillips as a footballer who “has got unbelievable attributes,” and is “one of the best at what he does”, with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £45m.

Guardiola would love him

According to FBRef’s scouting report on Phillips, he is currently rated in the high 90’s for his pressures, tackles and blocks, which highlights just how tough he is to play against.

Even though City ended the recent campaign with the highest average for possession per game in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola would undoubtedly love to have a player such as the Elland Road hero in his squad to make his team a more solid outfit when they don’t have the ball.

Taking into account how City have not been shy when it comes to signing players from fellow Premier League clubs in the past, with a number of those being England internationals, it’s easy to see why they have now been mentioned with a move for the Leeds stalwart.

Now that Jesse March’s side have avoided relegation, though, this could make it harder for City or any other club to sign Phillips this summer.

However, given the number of trophies that Guardiola’s side have won in recent years, and that they regularly play in the Champions League, this could potentially sway Phillips into saying goodbye to boyhood club this summer, just like Jack Grealish did to Aston Villa last year as he made the move to the Etihad Stadium.

In other news: City can repeat Grealish masterclass as Pep eyes move for “phenomenal” £100m-rated gem

Manchester United are plotting a move for Ajax star Antony this summer and he could be reunited with manager Erik Ten Hag ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Peter O’Rourke has told GIVEMESPORT that Antony will be one of the players that United will be looking to bring in the most this summer.

He said: “Antony would definitely add some attacking flair to Manchester United’s frontline if they were to sign him.

“He’s been exceptional for Ajax, not just in the Eredivisie but also in the Champions League. So, I think those two [Antony & Jurrien Timber] probably would be the two players they’ll be looking at the most to bring in from Ajax.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

Recent reports from UOL stated that The Red Devils were battling with Liverpool for the player.

He’s better than Sancho

Antony’s performances this past season have been impressive, not just in the Eredivisie but in the Champions League as well. He’s established himself as one of the most exciting young wingers and is rated at £31.5m.

He made 33 appearances for Ajax during this past campaign and was directly involved in 22 goals, so it’s no surprise that he’s been attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs and why he’s been described as “wonderful” by Dutch scout Piet de Visser.

With the departure of Anthony Martial and the absence of Mason Greenwood from Old Trafford, space is available in the squad for a player with his qualities.

If he became a Red Devil he would be competing with star player Jadon Sancho. His numbers show that he is better than the 22-year-old and if he can replicate them in the Premier League then it will prove that.

Having moved to Manchester from Borussia Dortmund last summer for £73m, Sancho has faced a lot of pressure, as many expected him to carry a struggling side.

Antony would arguably arrive with a lot less on his shoulders and would be more comfortable working under a manager who knows him so well.

If you compare them both directly, the Brazilian excels in many areas. He averages 1.41 shots on target per 90 minutes compared to Sancho’s 0.43.

He also puts far more crosses in the box with 100 compared to the Englishman’s 32. When you have got Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, who is one of the best headers of the ball, it’s vital he is given the service.

On top of that, he also contributed to 14 more goals in all competitions,

Signing Antony can mark the perfect start to United’s rebuild under Ten Hag, and it’s highly likely the player would want to come.

IN other news: MUFC are “extremely close” to signing £50.6m “diamond”, he’s the next Diego Forlan…

Nottingham Forest are expected to move for Blackburn Rovers’ out of contract midfielder Joe Rothwell at the end of the season.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Lancashire Telegraph, who claim that Steve Cooper’s side are in the race to sign Rothwell and face competition from Bournemouth and Sheffield United.

As per the report, Rothwell is “expected to receive offers” from all three aforementioned sides, with the 27-year-old available on a free this summer after running his contract down with Rovers.

Garner replacement

The latest news around Rothwell’s availability this summer will be music to the ears of Forest boss Cooper, who faces uncertainty over Manchester United loanee James Garner’s future.

With Erik ten Hag’s arrival at the club and understanding of youth integration having been at Ajax, he may opt to give Garner a chance to shine in the United first-team.

It will come as good news for a player who has had to prove himself across a two year period at the City Ground, but will spell bad news for Forest and will consequently leave a gaping hole in the Tricky Trees’ engine room.

As such, Rothwell can be the man to fill that void and will make for an astute signing, bearing in mind the numbers he has produced over the last few seasons and ability to sign him on a free.

Since his arrival at Blackburn Rovers in 2018, Rothwell has proven his solidity in the centre of the pitch and has been a key man, making 33 appearances or more in the Championship in each of his four seasons at the club.

This season has seen the 27-year-old, who has scored 13 attacking returns in 41 appearances – his best ever return in a season that has seen him bag three and assist ten.

Like Garner, Rothwell, who has been dubbed an “engine” by journalist Jaquob Crooke, is comfortable playing anywhere in the spine of the team and has had a similar impact to what the 21-year-old has at the City Ground, with the United loanee scoring four and assisting eight.

Positionally they are the same, they share similar offensive participations and are key men in their respective teams, featuring over 40 times in the Championship this season.

Cooper may have an easy fit in United youth graduate Rothwell, who can replace another United youth graduate in Garner at Forest.

In other news: Forest must sign “unbelievable” 19y/o who’s “like Messi”, imagine him and Garner 

Liverpool are having a phenomenal season already winning the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, with the chance to win both the Premier League title and Champions League over the next few weeks too, so it will surely be an exciting time to be a player or a supporter of the club.

With that being said, to stay on top you must keep strengthening, improving and developing the squad and with many of Liverpool’s side already in or entering their 30s this year, it would be a good idea for Jurgen Klopp to start considering the next generation of talent he can develop into superstars.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane all have contracts ending in just over 12 months, with the Egyptian winger’s contract, in particular, being a highly speculated subject ahead of the summer transfer window.

Liverpool’s top goal-scorer has been one of the side’s best players over the years but it seems that his contract is at a stalemate, with Caught Offside reporting two weeks ago that a source has told them the negotiations have not progressed any further and the Reds are not interested in budging when it comes to their strict wage structure.

If the powers at Anfield and Salah can’t come to an agreement it could see the player leave the club, whether that means he will be sold for a profit this summer or allowed to see out his last 12 months at the club and leave on a free transfer next summer.

Regardless of the outcome, Klopp must start preparing for the worst-case scenario and could be eyeing up his replacement who already plays in the Premier League with Bukayo Saka heavily linked with Liverpool for a while now.

The £150m ace who was hailed a “wonderkid” by journalist James Benge has been impressing for Arsenal and England over the last 12 months, playing his part in the Euro 2020 final last summer and being part of Arsenal’s impressive season that has kept them in the top four race for months.

Saka has scored 11 goals and contributed six assists for the Gunners in 37 Premier League appearances, creating eight big chances, making 1.8 key passes and 1.1 tackles, proving how effective and creative he can be in attacking play.

Podcaster Ian McGarry even claimed back in January that the youngster fits into Liverpool’s system in an interview with talkSPORT:

“Saka is someone who is a player who suits Liverpool’s style.

“Liverpool would provide the opportunity and platform for him to play and compete at the highest level. And that would certainly be something that I’m told he and his representatives are very interested in.”

Ultimately, Saka will likely want to continue to play first-team football and get regular game time whether he stays at Arsenal or moves on, so if FSG are seriously interested in the young talent they will need to sacrifice a position in the attacking rotation to provide him with a regular spot in the team.

Perhaps they ought to wait until Salah really has had enough of Merseyside before making a move.

AND in other news: Huge boost: James Pearce delivers four-word injury update that’ll delight supporters

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish can’t believe that Leeds United could land the signature of reported transfer target Calvin Ramsay this summer, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Leeds links with Ramsay

Officials from Elland Road, along with fellow prospective suitors Liverpool, are keen on signing the Aberdeen full-back this summer, but it is Leeds who were given the green light to talk to the player late last month.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-43/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Whites, and by proxy their director of football Victor Orta, are now working on a summer move for Ramsay, who recently picked up the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Young Player of the Year award.

The 18-year-old right-back has contributed to 10 goals in 33 appearances this season and looks set to leave Pittodrie this summer to raise some much-needed funds for the Dons.

The Latest: McLeish’s comments on Ramsay transfer saga

McLeish, who contributes as a pundit for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Ramsay and a prospective move to either Leeds or Liverpool in the summer.

The ex-Birmingham boss thinks that the teenager would want to head to Merseyside over Yorkshire, especially as Jesse Marsch’s side are flirting with relegation back to the Championship.

The 63-year-old said:

“I would imagine, if I was in that position right now, I want to go to Liverpool.

“Because of the magnitude of the club, because of the lack of any chance of relegation. Even though I’d be an understudy to Trent Alexander-Arnold for a couple of years, I’ll get in and out.

“You’ve got a timeframe to develop yourself. Then if you end up cutting it at Liverpool, you’ve almost won the World Cup, haven’t you?

“I would expect a young player to be thinking that. Not thinking: ‘Well, Leeds are on the verge of relegation in the Championship. Maybe I’ll play more games in there.’

“That is a blooming hard league, the Championship. Any team can win on any given day. Even the bottom teams can beat the top teams.

“If Liverpool and Leeds are in for him, I would think he’d, all day long, choose Liverpool.”

The Verdict: Leeds could be ideal for Ramsay

Leeds became the first team in Premier League history to hand eight teenagers their debuts in a single season, suggesting that there could be a clear pathway for Ramsay at Elland Road.

The Whites are willing to offer the Scot a major pay rise and the promise of regular first team football. You’d expect that more senior game-time would be on offer under Marsch than for Liverpool, given the glittering presence of Trent Alexander-Arnold at Anfield, so it will be interesting to see where the 18-year-old ends up ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Should a move to Elland Road fail to materialise for Ramsay, at least Marsch will still be able to call upon Cody Drameh, who has starred while on loan at Cardiff City since the turn of the year. He picked up awards of his own for his performances in the Championship, so Leeds’ right-back ranks appear to be in good stead even if Ramsay chooses Liverpool over the Whites.

In other news: Leeds and Orta now make first move to sign ‘undefendable’ star in blow to Everton

Celtic have seen a raft of new players make moves to Parkhead during the previous summer and winter transfer windows.

While most joined on permanent deals, the Hoops also have some players in their squad who are only there on loan until the end of the current season.

As the Bhoys are on the verge of securing the Premiership title, it seems as though a update has emerged regarding some behind-the-scenes activity at Lennoxtown over a couple of potential deals which could take place in the summer.

What’s the news?

Speaking in his latest press conference before the 4-1 win over Hearts on Saturday, Postecoglou touched upon the current situation regarding the futures of on-loan Celtic duo Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The 56-year-old said: “We are in discussions with them obviously, and as I have said all along, with these kind of things it’s never a simple process.

“But both have had unbelievable years for us and been outstanding contributors and both are really happy here.

“Our intent is to try and keep them at our football club, but these things need a point where all parties agree. I am hopeful we will get to that point but at this point, we are not quite there yet.”

To highlight how crucial the duo have been for the Hoops this season, with Carter-Vickers in defence and Jota in attack, Postecoglou’s side have the best record in terms of scoring and conceding goals in the league, with the loan pair both playing big parts.

Focusing on Jota, with nine goals and 10 assists to his name in 27 league outings, the winger is listed as the highest-rated player currently in Celtic’s squad according to WhoScored, averaging a superb match rating of 7.59 for the campaign.

Meanwhile, Carter-Vickers has been a rock at the back for the Bhoys, with a total of 38 interceptions and 20 tackles under his belt as their main centre-back alongside Carl Starfelt.

Taking this into account, it’ll be great news for the Celtic fans to hear that their club are intent on securing permanent deals for the dynamic duo in the summer.

If the club are able to sign both players for good, this would put Postecoglou’s side in great shape to repeat their successes this season in 2022/23.

In other news – Enquiry made, then joined rivals: Celtic had the last laugh over “huge” 161 G/A dynamo