Tag Futebol

Tottenham are now readying a bid to sign Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked…

The north Londoners are looking for a long-term Hugo Lloris successor as he enters the final 17 months of his contract at Spurs.

Antonio Conte’s favourite is currently sidelined through injury but has been criticised for some Premier League performances this season, leading to Fabio Paratici’s search for a goalkeeping heir.

Bono is one of the names to have been linked with a move to N17 with reports suggesting he is a firm transfer target for Tottenham.

The Latest: Tottenham plan Bono bid…

According to reports out of Spain, as shared by Sport Witness, the Lilywhites are planning to make a €20 million (£18m) offer for Bono.

It is claimed that Spurs are one of three teams set to lodge a bid for the Morocco international, who starred for his nation at the 2022 World Cup.

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The Verdict: Perfect candidate?

There are few names who could filly replace Lloris considering his phenomenal tenure as Spurs number one overall.

The Frenchman has been a mainstay since joining from Lyon in 2012, but as the time nears to say goodbye, Bono could at least come as a safe pair of hands.

The 6 foot 4 shot stopper made a name for himself in Qatar, standing out as one of the keepers of the tournament with manager Walid Regragui calling Bono ‘one of the best’ in world football.

As well as this, after his showings for Morocco, members of the media branded Sevilla’s keeper one of football’s ‘rising stars’ as Bono swiftly rose to prominence.

£18 million for such a player would come as a real steal for Spurs but it remains to be seen if Sevilla are willing to accept.

Chelsea’s transfer saga surrounding Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez dictated much of the early flow of the torrent that has been the January transfer window, with the Blues having spent exorbitant amounts at the season’s midpoint…

What’s the word?

Following Fernandez’s escapades with Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar last month, a multitude of top outfits were vying for his signature, but it is the opulence of Chelsea and owner Todd Boehly to have left the west London club frontrunners for a deal this month.

The Blues did lodge an €85m (£77m) bid for the maestro several weeks ago, swiftly rejected by his Portuguese team, and are now poised to return in the dying embers of the transfer window to complete a lucrative spending spree since the summer.

According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, the club have now reopened talks with the 22-year-old prodigy, who has himself been pushing for a transfer to Stamford Bridge to continue the mesmerising and meteoric rise since arriving in Europe only last year.

Repeat Van Dijk masterclass

Chelsea boss Graham Potter now yields a team studded with an abundance of talent; the club have parted with a reported £431m since Boehly assumed ownership at the end of last season, with Fernandez and Christopher Nkunku – who has had his £52.4m release clause activated – only set to send the spree into uncharted territory.

However, landing Fernandez might just be the crème de la crème to thread it all together, weaving the vast conglomeration of talented Chelsea players together and indeed serving as the nucleus of a new era at the club that hints at nothing short of astounding brilliance.

As per Sofascore, the £48.3m-rated gem has recorded a remarkable average rating of 7.53 this season in the Liga Portugal, while also recording a rating of 7.10 at the World Cup with his triumphant nation, where he also dazzled on an individual basis and picked up the Best Young Player award.

The ten-cap star has completed a remarkable average of 85.9% of his passes since his career debut, also impressing from a defensive standpoint with 2.3 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per outing, as per Whoscored, which illustrates an innate prowess for the all0-encompassing work that is required for first-rate midfielders in the modern game.

With his arrival at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea could replicate Liverpool’s deal to sign Virgil van Dijk for £75m at the midpoint of the 2017/18 season, which ostensibly served as the catalyst for the ensuing prosperous fortunes under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage.

With Van Dijk’s defensive calibre and leadership proving to be invaluable for the Reds as they secured their maiden Premier League triumph and won the Champions League, among other major honours, Fernandez must indeed seek to follow the blueprint the Dutch defender has crafted in serving as the perfect January transfer.

And Fernandez, who is already amounting a commendable wealth of experience and pedigree at the highest level, could be the “game changer” – as dubbed by journalist Roy Nemer – for Potter’s Blues, currently languishing in tenth place in the English top-flight, and ignite a fierce fire that will rage on for years in west London.

With the inception of a potential super-team being crafted with inflexible resolve and unwavering might in the transfer market, Fernandez would be the glistening gem to serve as the centrepiece for the new era at Chelsea, and like Van Dijk at Liverpool, his January arrival could just spark the life into the club to transcend aspiring competitors to spine-chilling title contenders.

Journalist Miles Starforth feels Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi was fortunate not to be sent off for a second yellow against Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Guehi’s possible second yellow

30 minutes into the Premier League clash at Selhurst Park, Callum Wilson was brought down by the Eagles man, who already had a yellow card at the time after being booked in the early stages of the game.

Wilson would then be replaced by Alexander Isak on the 67-minute mark, as he looked to repeat his heroics from last week’s 1-0 victory against Fulham.

The Latest: Guehi was ‘lucky’ claims Starfoth

Starforth took to his Twitter account and claimed that the 22-year-old was fortunate to be on the pitch after he poorly blocked off Wilson.

He tweeted: ‘Palace’s Marc Guehi, already on a yellow card, is lucky to still be on the pitch after crudely blocking Callum Wilson.’

Starforth was not the only one to take this stance, as Shields Gazette colleague Dominic Scurr also of the opinion the defender got off lightly.

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The Verdict: Pawson gets it wrong

In our view, Guehi’s challenge was certainly worthy of a second yellow, in fact, it was more of a booking than the foul that saw him carded in the first place.

It’s extremely frustrating to see the lack of consistency when it comes to decisions by referees, and Craig Pawson, who was in charge of officiating the fixture, was perhaps guilty of this yet again.

A decision like that totally changes the dynamic of the game. Palace were able to continue to assert themselves well but that could’ve been changed had Guehi been sent off.

Overall, it was a frustrating day at the office for the Magpies, but Palace did very well to contain them.

Leeds United are thought to be interested in signing RC Lens midfielder Seko Fofana.

The Lowdown: Fofana profiled

The 27-year-old, who Robin Bairner said is ‘known for his powerful runs’, is primarily a central midfielder but has played in a variety of positions throughout his career ranging from holding midfield to centre-forward.

Formerly on the books of Manchester City, Fofana is valued at a career-high €30m (£26.6m) by Transfermarkt and is the Lens captain. He is under contract until 2025 with the Ligue 1 high-fliers, but it looks as if a move could be on the cards this year.

The Latest: Leeds interested in Fofana

Media Foot shared a transfer update regarding Fofana on Tuesday night, claiming that a summer exit is a possibility.

The report says that Nice and AS Monaco are keen on the 27-year-old, while Leeds are also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Forshaw replacement?

The Whites recently lost the services of Mateusz Klich, leaving Jesse Marsch with just one out-and-out central midfielder on the books in Adam Forshaw.

Forshaw has had some serious injury issues in recent years and is actually out of contract at the end of the season, so Fofana could be viewed as a replacement for the 31-year-old at Elland Road.

The Ivory Coast international appears to be at the peak of his powers, so Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta may see a summer swoop as a shrewd piece of business, provided that the Whites remain in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has a ‘slight injury’ which will temporarily see him ruled out of action, according to The Athletic journalist Matt Woosnam.

The Lowdown: Absent from squad

The Frenchman has been a key component at Selhurst Park ever since Patrick Vieira’s arrival in south London, but there was cause for concern when he was missing from the squad which suffered a 3-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham on Boxing Day.

The 25-year-old’s absence was never addressed by the manager after the game, although an update on his whereabouts has now emerged, and it’s something that Eagles supporters might not enjoy hearing.

The Latest: Woosnam’s update on Mateta

Asked on Twitter for an update on Mateta, Woosnam revealed that the forward is currently suffering with an unnamed problem, hence why he wasn’t involved against the Cottagers.

The reporter replied: “Think he has a slight injury.”

The Verdict: Blow for Vieira

Mateta has previously been labelled a ‘dangerous’ player by journalist Josh Bunting, and it’ll come as a blow to Vieira to learn that the striker potentially facing a spell on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old has nine goals and one assist to his name during his time at Palace and also poses a huge aerial threat in the final third, standing at 6 foot 2.

The Eagles are just one point outside the top ten heading into their final game of 2022 this weekend, so Mateta will be hoping that he can quickly return to action to help his team secure as high a finish as possible in the current Premier League campaign.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could dip into the market and snare a former academy prospect, bringing him back to the Emirates Stadium with a lucrative bid.

What’s the word?

90min are reporting that Valencia have initiated contract talks with their rising star Yunus Musah, who signed for the Spanish outfit in 2019, after departing from the Gunners academy. 

With Liverpool and Chelsea also emerging as potential suitors for the dynamic midfielder, Arteta will need to move swiftly if he is indeed to make his move for a player they have been tracking since 2019.

The report states that while Valencia would be open to sale, should they fail in their contractual offer, Musah’s release clause of €100m (£86m) could be a wall too insurmountable to overcome. 

Ramsey heir

Arsenal have gone from strength to strength across the past few seasons, and now top the Premier League table after 14 matches played, ahead of the formidable Manchester City by five points.

There is a desire to improve several departments of the team, however, with The Sun reporting earlier this season that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke will present the Spaniard Arteta with funds to target impactful additions, with the centre of the park and the wide flanks desired.

Musah played an integral role in the USA’s commendable World Cup campaign, where the side finished second in the group phase and lost in a thrilling round-of-16 encounter against the Netherlands.

As per Sofascore, the industrious midfielder recorded an 87% pass success rate in Qatar, making 2.0 tackles per match and aiding his team as the central focal point, linking the offensive and defensive departments with a refined presence that belies his tender age.

His tenacity in the centre offers shades of Aaron Ramsey, who starred for the Gunners, making 371 appearances for the London giants, scoring 65 goals and assists apiece and playing a vital role in securing three FA Cup trophies during his lengthy stay. 

Musah, who ranks within the top 7% for dribbles completed when compared to midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues this term, as per FBref, displays a clear aptitude for seeking out forward transitions and instigating positive plays. 

Much like Ramsey, there is a knack for implementing a forward-thinking mindset into the game, and Arsenal would certainly welcome this approach back to the Emirates, with the “connector” – as Gregg Berhalter calls him – raising the performance of all his teammates when he’s fit and firing. 

Having already plied his trade at Arsenal at youth level, the door remains open for a return, and despite the deal likely being rather expensive, Arsenal would boast a newfound presence of dogged ubiquity in the middle, who could help them continue to rise.

It has been an interesting time of late for football coach Michael Beale. Having spent time with Chelsea, Liverpool and Sao Paulo as he learnt the ropes, he tasted great success alongside former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard during their spell at Rangers, experienced the Premier League with a shortish spell at Aston Villa, and then took on the managerial role in his own right by making the switch out to Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

Long lauded as the tactical brains behind Gerrard’s Rangers operation that ended rivals Celtic’s run for ten straight Scottish Premiership titles in a row, Beale has had a good start to life at Queens Park Rangers. 21 games into the second tier campaign, Beale has overseen nine wins, four draws and eight defeats. Their goal difference as we sit through the domestic pause for the first ever winter World Cup out in Qatar is slightly in the positive, and with the league on its break, Queens Park Rangers sit in seventh place – tied with Millwall on 31 points as they battle to get into the Championship Play Off spots.

However, Queens Park Rangers fans could again see their season slightly derailed as given Beale’s success as a manager in his own right so far, allied to his previous ties at Rangers, following their decision recently to part company with Giovanni van Bronckhorst after an incredibly poor start by their standards that saw them drop out of the Champions League with six straight defeats and a domestic league campaign that sees them already trail Celtic by nine clear points, it looks like they want Beale to return to Ibrox and you would get good odds on betting sites of that happening.

Whilst most eyes are on the ongoing action at the World Cup and there are still plenty of free bet offers available, it was reported on Saturday evening that Rangers had now held talks with Beale about their managerial vacancy after they secured permission from the Loftus Road outfit to begin initial negotiations. Having spent three years at Ibrox his stock will still be high with their board and fans given the reputation he held, but he is not the only candidate they are looking at, although it is widely believed he is their number one pick and talks are apparently at an advanced stage.

With the break for the World Cup still in full force, the ideal choice for Rangers is to possibly make an appointment by the end of next week at the latest so their new gaffer has greater time to work with the squad in the hopes of having a more immediate impact for when the domestic season returns on December 15 with their evening tie against Hibernian on home soil.

Beale’s overall record is not bad for a first time manager but there will be those out there who have concerns about the 42 year old despite his previous association at the club, as Queens Park Rangers are on a run of four defeats from their last five games, but if Rangers do follow through with the appointment they will be hoping that is simply a blip if he does ultimately return to the Scottish game.

Photo by Unsplash

Alex McLeish’s time at Glasgow Rangers will forever be remembered for two dramatic league titles won on the final day of the season. Winning by just one goal in 2002/2003 and Helicopter Sunday in 2004/2005 are both immortalised in the Rangers annals.

McLeish wasn’t quite as consistent in the Ibrox hot seat, however, with two poor domestic campaigns following these incredible highs, and his dealings in the transfer market weren’t the greatest either.

One of his biggest disappointments, especially when it came to financial outlay, was on a talented Belgian who looked like he could take the Light Blues to another level…

McLeish had a nightmare on Buffel

Halfway through the 2004/2005 season, McLeish was aiming to strengthen his side ahead of what was shaping up to be a close battle for the league title.

Buffel was seen as an exciting talent who could improve in Scotland and he was duly signed for £2.2m in January 2005 from Dutch side Feyenoord.

It was a promising start for the Belgian – who went on to win 35 caps for his country – as he scored four goals and helped the club win a 51st league crown.

The following two seasons would see Buffel score nine goals and register 11 assists, which appears on the surface to be a solid return, but once McLeish left the club, he struggled for game time under both Paul Le Guen and a returning Walter Smith.

Just two appearances in the 2007/2008 campaign ensured Smith was ready to get him off the wage bill and he joined Cercle Brugge on a free transfer in the summer of 2008, ending his stint in Scotland.

Arriving with a barrel load of talent and promise, he should have been the heart of a Rangers midfield for several years, unfortunately, it just didn’t work out at Ibrox.

The stats show that his goal contributions were decent, yet it might have been so much better, especially if both Le Guen and Smith showed a bit more faith in the player.

It’s safe to say that Everton have had a fair few transfer mishaps over the last few seasons. The likes of Allan, Andre Gomes, and Yerry Mina have all cost Farhad Moshiri and the club big transfer fees without ever contributing nearly as much as they should have.

One of the worst recent moves, however, came under former manager Rafa Benitez, who signed Salomon Rondon on a free transfer at the beginning of last season.

It might have looked like a relatively risk-free deal from the outside, getting a player who is experienced in the Premier League without paying any transfer fee, but the reality is quite different.

Rondon played 23 matches in all competitions last season and scored a measly three goals, hardly the return that was expected from a player the club were paying £80k a week for.

In previous spells with West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United, the Venezuelan hitman struck a total of 40 goals, but he has looked far from this form during his Everton stint so far.

In seven league matches this term, the 33-year-old has scored a grand total of zero goals, has enjoyed an average of just 5.4 touches and has won just 42% of his total duels per match.

Pundit Andy Hinchcliffe criticised Rondon following a poor challenge last season which resulted in him being sent off against Brentford, dubbing the striker as “reckless” while appearing on Sky Sports main event.

With his minimal contributions in an Everton shirt, it looks increasingly like he will leave upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the current campaign.

In his 60-week spell so far at the Toffees, Rondon has rinsed Moshiri of £4.8m in wages, with three goals to show for it.

It might not be a massive sum of money to Lampard, but it would have been better spent on other areas of the team, or to sign a promising youngster instead of an ageing forward whose best days are behind them.

Lampard appears to be a smarter operator in the transfer market compared to his predecessor and mistakes like Rondon’s don’t look likely to happen again.

Sunderland’s long wait for a return to the Championship ended this year as they won promotion out of League One at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Black Cats spent four, long, years in the third tier of English football and finally made their way back to the second division as they beat Wycombe in the play-off final.

Kristjaan Speakman’s work in the transfer market played a part in their success as he brought in a number of talented and young players to bolster Lee Johnson’s squad in the summer of 2021.

One player the Black Cats landed a dream deal for was English defender Dennis Cirkin, who signed from Premier League side Tottenham on a three-year contract.

Johnson hailed the club’s work to snap him up at the time, telling the club’s website: “To get a player of Dennis’ quality at 19 speaks wonders in terms of what we’re trying to do because he is a top talent and he’s very highly regarded within the game. We have been really happy with the signings we have made so far and we will bank this one, but we will continue our work quietly and efficiently to try and get a couple more over the line.”

The gem quickly established himself as a regular in the Sunderland team and ended up playing 37 times in League One for Johnson and Alex Neil combined.

£1.08m.

This term, Cirkin has played eight games in the Championship and all of his 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 56% of his individual duels, showing off his quality – defensively – at this level as Josh Bunting recently hailed him a “standout” in the team.

At the time of writing (20/09/22), Transfermarkt valued the former Spurs man at £1.8m. This means that his value has rocketed up by 67% in just three months, which illustrates how impressive he has been since arriving at the Stadium of Light in 2021.

Therefore, Sunderland landed a dream deal by signing Cirkin last summer as he has been integral to their success on the pitch and the youngster is growing in value, which makes him a great asset for the club to have now and in the future.