All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City are arguably heading towards a big mistake with Jack Harrison this summer, with recent reports suggesting that he will be sold to Leeds United for just £15m.

The winger has spent each of the last three seasons on loan at Elland Road and was expected to join Marcelo Bielsa’s side permanently last summer following their promotion to the top-flight.

However, the deal was renegotiated, perhaps due to the financial impact of the pandemic and he would instead join on loan with an option to buy.

The 24-year-old has been one of the standout performers for the Yorkshire side in an impressive first season back in the top-flight, with Bielsa’s side finishing 9th in the Premier League table after a superb end to the season.

According to the Daily Star, Leeds have now opened talks with Manchester City over making his deal permanent, with the “really impressive” winger expected to cost the Whites just £15m.

Considering Harrison contributed eight goals and eight assists in 36 appearances for Leeds this season, averaging a very solid 6.96 rating from WhoScored, you could definitely argue that they are getting a bargain if they sign him for £15m.

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Transfermarkt currently values the former New York City FC man at £13.5m, whilst his contract at City is set to expire in 2022, which could easily be extended if he was actually given an opportunity to impress in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Since joining from City’s MLS sister side in January 2018, he hasn’t made a single senior appearance for the club but has 128 appearances for Leeds, in which he has contributed 18 goals and 20 assists.

Considering his role in the Yorkshire side’s success under Bielsa, a man who Guardiola holds in extremely high regard, it seems strange that he has never been given an opportunity to impress under the Spanish manager.

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However, it now seems extremely likely that he will join Leeds United on a permanent deal this summer and if he continues to impress at Elland Road, then the decision to sell him for just £15m may well go down as something of a disaster by City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain in the future.

And, in other news… “Magnificent” Man City beast who played 4 key passes nailed down a CL starting spot with superb display vs Everton

Tottenham Hotspur could also sell an ‘important’ player who manager Antonio Conte ‘raves about’, according to journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites exodus?

This upcoming Spurs transfer window looks set to be the most interesting one in quite some time.

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Lilywhites transfer chief Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy, tasked with backing Conte ahead of the 2022/2023 Premier League season, are reportedly going to sit down with the Italian as he eyes six major signings (The Telegraph).

However, amid their financial complications off the pitch, with club debt mounting to around £706 million, it is imperative that the club offload surplus players to balance the books and bolster Conte’s transfer kitty.

Their homegrown quota also presents a complication with reliable journalist Matt Law recently claiming that, if Spurs want to sign an overseas forward this summer, one of Steven Bergwijn or Lucas Moura may have to be offloaded.

The Latest: Gold backs possible Bergwijn exit…

Writing for football.london in the last 24 hours, another credible source in Tottenham correspondent Gold has now backed that Bergwijn could also leave north London amid consistent exit links surrounding other players.

This is despite the fact Conte ‘raves about’ his Dutch winger, even calling him an ‘important’ player, with Gold adding that Bergwijn is unlikely to want to stay for 22/23 amid his lack of minutes.

The Verdict: Stick or twist?

The Netherlands international has proven to be a useful option for Conte over this campaign.

His added time brace to clinch a dramatic 3-2 win at Leicester City in late January is evidence of the player’s impact and quality when given an opportunity, and could even be the moment that secures Champions League football come the end of the campaign.

Bergwijn’s versatility as an attacking outlet from the wide positions and further forward is another incentive for Spurs to keep hold of the former PSV Eindhoven star.

Despite his quality, though, a mooted move back to the Eredivisie with footballing giants Ajax could be too enticing to ignore – and if the 24-year-old pushes for a move – Spurs may well need to consider a sale depending on their possible offer.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been giving their thoughts on social media to a transfer update regarding the club’s interest in Bristol City attacker Antoine Semenyo.

According to a report from Football League World, Palace are ramping up their interest in the 21-year-old and are the early favourites for his signature in the summer.

Semenyo, who can play as a centre-forward and out wide, is valued at £1.17m by Transfermarkt and is under contract at Ashton Gate until 2023.

The Englishman has been a regular for the Robins this season, making 46 appearances in all competitions. He’s netted on five occasions and has registered seven assists in total, and it seems as if Palace like what they see in the versatile forward.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the update on Twitter on Friday morning.

It didn’t take long for a number of Palace supporters to have their say on the news, with one describing the Bristol City man as ‘class’.

“This don is needed”

Credit: @s_cpfc

“Want.”

Credit: @liamb0117

“Never heard of him, but bring him in”

Credit: @localpla7tic

“Would be good backup if we can get him for a decent price”

Credit: @Connormuz

“This is Palace we don’t do normal..”

Credit: @geraldcaterham

“People writing off a Bristol City winger.. Sounds familiar. (He’s class btw)”

Credit: @paIaceawayy

In other news: Many CPFC fans buzz at club’s interest in Fulham star, find out more here. 

According to Portuguese television broadcaster SIC Noticias TV, as relayed by O Jogo, Sport Witness and Goal Point, there has been a big transfer update out of Tottenham involving FC Porto forward Luis Diaz.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing frontmen…

As explained by reliable sources, Tottenham transfer chief Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte have their eyes on new forward additions this January transfer window.

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Indeed, the likes of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic and Paris-Saint Germain star Mauro Icardi have been linked in recent months as well as more obscure names like Genk striker Paul Onuachu.

It is believed that a striker is among Conte’s priority signings for Spurs as he seeks an alternative to star frontman Harry Kane, with broadcast network SIC Noticias now sharing a big development in their hunt.

The Latest: Spurs table bid…

According to the Portuguese broadcaster, as relayed by O Jogo, Sport Witness and Goal Point, Tottenham have tabled a €60 million (£50.1m) offer to sign Porto star Diaz.

Indeed, this is apparently the only ‘formal offer’ they have received so far for their attacker, with the club swiftly rejecting Paratici’s advances.

If the Primeira Liga giants are to consider selling Diaz, it is claimed that it will take a bid closer to the player’s €80million (£66.8m) release clause to reach an agreement.

The Verdict: Big claim…

Diaz is turning heads all over Europe with his sensational form for Porto this season, attracting serious interest from the Premier League also as Liverpool are repeatedly linked.

It’s not hard to see why Tottenham have taken a serious interest either as they allegedly make an offer.

According to WhoScored, he’s outscored every Spurs player in terms of league strikes so far this season – finding the net 12 times for Porto whilst averaging an impressive 3.1 attempts per 90.

This is more than any Lilywhites man, including the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min (WhoScored), with Diaz’s teammate, Sergio Oliveira, calling him ‘extraordinary’.

It’s little wonder the Colombian is a sought-after player, but it appears Tottenham will have to smash their transfer record if they wish to seal a sensational January move.

In other news: Tottenham ‘working strongly’ for ‘phenomenal signing’ as reporter drops Twitter claim, find out more here.

An update has emerged regarding Tottenham’s valuation of Everton transfer target Harry Winks.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, an unnamed Premier League club are in talks with Spurs over a permanent deal for the 25-year-old.

The report claims that Spurs are prepared to sanction a sale for the midfielder and are believed to value him at £30m. Everton have been touted with a possible swoop for the Englishman, but it remains to be seen whether they are the club in negotiations with Tottenham.

Fans would be livid

Everton must avoid a major howler following this news. The Toffees should not be in the race to land Winks this summer as he would not be a clear upgrade on what they already have in the squad and the fee quoted in the aforementioned report is far too much for a player of his quality.

£30m would make him the fourth most expensive signing in the history of the club. This suggests that he should be coming in to be an immediate boost to the starting XI and be a key player for Rafa Benitez, but his statistics for Spurs do not suggest that would be the case.

He averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.37 in the Premier League last term and a score of 6.57 is the highest he has managed in five seasons for Tottenham. The former would place him 20th in the Everton squad for ratings in the 2020/21 season, whilst the latter would take him up to 16th. Should the Toffees be paying such a high transfer fee for a player who has not proven that he could improve their XI? Not by that logic.

It would be a huge mistake to splash out a gigantic fee on an unconvincing player who has not impressed for Tottenham recently. Former Spurs defender Graham Roberts called Winks ‘Mr Conservative’ earlier this year and slammed him as ‘average’.

Roberts told Football FanCast: “He’s gone Mr Conservative, he plays simple, and if I don’t give the ball away, I’m a great player.

“You’re not, he’s become an average player, and that’s being fair.”

This is why Everton fans could be livid if the club decided to spend £30m on Winks. Supporters do not want to see average players being signed, especially those who may not even get into the starting XI if his performances for Spurs are any indicator. Therefore, Marcel Brands must avoid this deal at all costs or else risk the wrath of the Goodison Park faithful.

AND in other news: Imagine him and Godfrey: Benitez must seal dream Everton deal for £124k-p/w “monster”…

Many West Ham United fans were shocked as it emerged that Tomas Soucek won 17 aerial duels against Burnley on Monday night.

The Hammers were in action against Sean Dyche’s team as they aimed to preserve their hopes of earning a European berth for next season. They went behind to a Chris Wood penalty but a brace from Michail Antonio saw them emerge victorious. The Irons have now moved back up to fifth in the table as they trail Chelsea in fourth by just three points (Sky Sports).

Soucel, valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, started the match and won 17 of his 21 aerial duels – incredibly, no other player won more than eight (SofaScore). That means the Czech international has won 204 such battles throughout the season, which is 37 more than Christian Benteke, the next-best performer in the Premier League for this statistic (WhoScored). Soucek is truly unstoppable in the air, it seems.

These West Ham fans were in awe of the stat, as you can imagine, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Soucek’s feat

“Animal”

Credit: @alex_light1

“Soucek my hero”

Credit: @ClaireTeresa1

“Are you serious? That’s amazing. The dude’s a machine.”

Credit: @RalphMHarrison

“@ExWHUemployee @DaveWalkerWHU I know you guys don’t like stats but wow!”

Credit: @Arber_007

“That’s actually hilarious.”

Credit: @SamJimW

“Soucek won 17 aerial duels against Burnley. Insane.”

Credit: @_thejacobc_

In other news, many West Ham fans want this player signed.

Wolves have reportedly made a bid to try and sign Kaio Jorge in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Jimenez cover needed

Losing Raul Jimenez to injury for most of the 2020/21 season was certainly a big blow to the Midlands club in their hopes of finishing in the top half of the Premier League table and qualifying for European competition.

The Molineux outfit should duly be looking for a striker to come in and provide sufficient cover for the Mexico international, in case he is again missing for a large chunk of the upcoming campaign.

The Latest: Jorge bid

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), Wolves have taken a ‘strong step’ in their attempts to sign Jorge by offering a fee of €15m (£12.9m) for the Santos talent, but the Brazilian club want €20m (£17.1m) if they are to sell him.

New Wolves manager Bruno Lage is also said to be an admirer of the 19-year-old from his time at Benfica, who are also in the race for his signature along with both Chelsea and Juventus.

Jorge’s current deal expires at the end of the year and his renewal process is complicated, meaning that he should be available to sign a pre-contract with another club in July.

The Verdict: Sign

Jorge is an up-and-coming prospect at just 19 years of age but he has played men’s football since 2018, scoring 15 goals and supplying three assists in 71 matches across all competitions for Santos (Transfermarkt).

He also netted six times in 10 matches for Brazil at under-17 level (Transfermarkt) and has even been dubbed the ‘new Cristiano Ronaldo’.

Jorge clearly seems to have the potential to reach the highest level in football, and Wolves would be wise to try and give him a platform to shine while he is still a fledgling talent rather than a bona fide superstar.

In other news, this transfer update has left many Wolves fans talking

Aston Villa are plotting a move for Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, according to The Mirror, as cited by Birmingham Live.

The Lowdown: Summer interest

Villa made a number of big-money moves in the recent transfer window, but they failed to add to their central midfield ranks. They were linked with a late swoop for McKennie, but as we now know, a transfer never materialised.

It appears as if Villa still have the USA international on their radar, though, with McKennie capable of playing as a defensive or central midfielder.

The Latest: Recent report

Birmingham Live cited The Mirror’s claim in a story on Sunday morning, claiming that Villa manager Dean Smith is plotting a move for McKennie.

An offer of £25m could be enough to strike a deal, whereas The Sun suggested that the Italian giants could be open to an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.

The Verdict: Buendia all over?

The 23-year-old, who has the same agency as Villa defender Tyrone Mings, has also been linked with Arsenal. Villa pipped Mikel Arteta’s side to a move for Emiliano Buendia in the summer, so the same could happen in the New Year with McKennie.

Hopefully that turns out to be the case, with Villa having just four senior defensive or central midfielders to choose from as well as youngsters Jacob Ramsey and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Another senior option in that role could be a shrewd move, with Smith regularly selecting three central midfielders in different formations.

In other news: ‘Unreal’ – These Villa fans erupt after ‘mad’ news emerged

Lee Bowyer’s Birmingham City have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Dion Sanderson to St. Andrew’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Sunderland may be out of the running to land the Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back, as Lee Johnson’s side look unlikely to be able to afford a move for the 21-year-old in the summer transfer window.

According to an earlier report by the Daily Mail, Wolves have set an asking price of £2m for the defender, with Birmingham, Cardiff City, Luton Town, Millwall and Stoke City all thought to be interested in Sanderson.

Good news for Birmingham

Considering just how much potential Sanderson appears to possess, the fact that Sunderland, who have already seen a £1m offer for the centre-back rejected this summer, appear out of the race to land the 21-year-old is good news for all involved with Birmingham.

Indeed, over his 26 League One appearances for Johnson’s side while on loan at Sunderland last season, the £135k-rated defender helped his team keep eight clean sheets, as well as making an average of 0.9 interceptions, one tackle, 2.7 clearances and winning an impressive 4.3 duels per game.

These metrics saw the man Stephen Elliott claimed has a “huge future” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as the Black Cats’ 13th-best performer in the third tier of English football.

And, with the Blues currently only having Harlee Dean and Marc Roberts as options in the centre of defence ahead of next season, the position is one in which Bowyer will undoubtedly be looking to strengthen this summer.

As such, a move for Sanderson would appear highly advisable for the 44-year-old, as not only would the £820-per-week centre-back be a relatively cost friendly deal for Birmingham, the 21-year-old very much appears to be a player who could well develop into something of a star for the club.

In other news: Nixon drops worrying update on “explosive” £10k-p/w BCFC target, Bowyer will be gutted

An update has emerged on Leicester City transfer target David Neres, regarding his future at Ajax.

What’s the talk?

Ajax chief Marc Overmars has admitted that Leicester City target Neres has a strong chance of leaving the Dutch club before the end of the transfer window.

The Foxes are reportedly interested in signing the Brazilian forward and Overmars has issued an interesting statement on his future. He told ESPN, via Leicester Mercury: 

“The chance that Neres will stay here is small.”

Excitement

These comments from Overmars are sure to leave Leicester fans excited as they leave the door wide open for a deal to be done in the next 36 hours or so.

Brendan Rodgers’ squad lacks depth in the wide areas and the arrival of Neres could provide serious competition at the top end of the pitch. Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez are the club’s natural wide players, although James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Patson Daka could be deployed there if required.

Albrighton, despite scoring against Norwich at the weekend, has not been able to consistently deliver goals and assists in recent seasons. The versatile veteran managed one goal in 31 Premier League appearances (17 starts) last season for the Foxes, having failed to score in 20 games in the previous campaign.

The arrival of Neres, if Leicester are now able to get a deal over the line, could allow Albrighton to take a backseat and be used as a dependable backup option. £24.3m-rated Neres, meanwhile, provided six goals and six assists for Ajax in all competitions last season.

This was after 10 goals and 10 assists in the 2019/20 campaign and 17 goals and 12 assists the year before that for the Dutch giants. Therefore, he has the potential to come in and provide an attacking threat from out wide with goals and assists.

At the age of 24, Neres is also a player with potential who could grow alongside Leicester as a club. Rodgers could take him in and coach him into becoming a top-class winger, which fans could enjoy seeing in the Premier League – alongside the other young players at the club like Youri Tielemans, James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Wilfred Ndidi.

Supporters could be excited about Neres’ potential, along with the statistics he has already produced for Ajax. This is why the comments from Overmars will be music to their ears ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline, but it is now down to Rodgers and co to get a deal over the line.